Down to the final 3 in Longview

4th Place for $1250 and $1100 in the calcutta.

Mike Scroggins and Derwin lose to Omar and Eric 1328 to 1380

10th frame of the CJ/Couch vs Brett Tyler was EPIC.... Couch steps up with 13 pin lead and a double going into the 10th. Pure Couch blows all 10 back to force Brett to step up and perform. Brett steps up and threw a GREAT shot only to be bitten by a Back to Back 7 pin on that lane. GREAT MATCH... 1287-1321

Omar and Eric will now bowl against Brett and Tyler

Update from Longview. Down to just 4 teams with a chance to win

10-12 PLace
Malott/Ashbaugh
Pete/Tony
Franklin/Hunter

7-9 Place
Kuykendall/Wilson
Dole/Haverland
Tony/Butch

5-6 Place
Maldy/Harper
Mowery/Gibson

Traylor/Arnett vs Scroggs/Pitre Loser gets 4th 

Tyler/Brett vs CJ/Couch to see who wins the winners bracket. Loser will bowl the winner of ET/OA vs MS/DP

3pm Longview Update

3 team left in the winners bracket.

Tyler/Brett
CJ/Barnes
Mowery/Gibson

Current matches going on now...
Malott/Ashbaugh vs Omar/ET Winner gets Kuykandall/Wilson
Maldy/Harper vs Franklin/Hunter Winner gets Scroggs/Pitre
Pete/Tony vs Dole/Haverland Winner gets South LA
Tournament Payout

1st Place $4000 7th Place $600
2nd Place $2400 8th Place $600
3rd Place $1650 9th Place $600
4th Place $1250 10th Place $400
5th Place $900 11th Place $400
6th Place $900 12th Place $400


Calcutta Payout

1st Place $3000 6th Place $800
2nd Place $2000 7th Place $500
3rd Place $1400 8th Place $500
4th Place $1100 9th Place $500
5th Place $ 800
Losers of these matches will get $400

Longview 1:30 Update

6 teams left in Winners

Tyler/Brett vs Scroggs/Derwin
CJ/Couch vs South LA representing
Kuykendall/Wilson vs Mowery/Gibson

Exciting happenings last round, cery close match with Brett/Tyler vs Corey/Danny. Up to the last 2 frames VERY close. Unfortunately Danny injured right arm, badly... Tyler/Brett advance to guarantee cash spot.. Tough break Danny hope recovery is quick.

Losers Matches are

ET/Omar vs Patterson/Bohr
Malott/Ashbaugh vs Williams
Dole/Haverland vs Rick/Lonnie
Pete/Tony vs Kemmer/Felice
Franklin/Hunter vs McCratic/Stinnett
Maldy/Harper vs Danny/Cory Maldy/Harper advance due to injury

Longview Update

First round today starts at 10:00AM. Will be the 24 teams with 1 loss. Key matchups for the first squad

Xeno/Lucas vs Jack/Doug
Paulie/Carter vs Franklin/Hunter
Rash'Dupre vs Pete/Thayer
Malott/Ashbaugh vs Helt/Mortensen
Barnes Eoff vs Lohse/Adams
Traylor/Arnett vs Acon/Westbrook
Cranford/Merten vs Schille/Harris
BBB/Belgarde vs CDB/Vascocu
Dole/Haverland vs Owens/Finch
Swain/Glover vs Fig/Casey
Sherell/Duke vs Hayes/Lenihan
Himes/Quinley vs Maldy/Harper


Winning the EFX Power Bands for having the highest set for the First round goes to Owens/Finch with a 1462 and for the Second round goes to Barnes/Eoff for a 1489. Thanks to www.TexasEFXbowling.com and Doug Rice

Matchups for the second round today(the 12 teams remaining in the winners bracket).

Tyler/Brett vs Incencio/Atkinson
Scroggs/Derwin vs/McCratic/Stinnett
CJ(Big Time)/Couch vs Williams Bros
Escoyne/Cormier vs Patterson/Bohr
Kuykendall/Wilson vs Felice/Kemmer
Mowery/Gibson vs Lawrence/Walicek

Matchups and Blind draw does play a big part in the early outcome of the tournament. There were a few surprise teams exiting early and a few "Upsets" based on the "store". Rash/Dupre came out on fire defeating Dole/Haverland. Gid saw more strikes in the first set than he had seen all week long in league play. Paulie/Carter made sure Barnes/Eoff would be busy today with an early defeat into the losers bracket. Paulie brought his spurs the first round to defeat Barnes/Eoff 1452-1322

Team USA Closes out Dominant WMC with 3 Masters Medals

In one of the more dominating performances ever at bowling's Men's World Championships, Team USA, led by DFW resident Chris Barnes, closed out the Masters competition on Saturday with a Gold, Silver and Bronze medal to finish the event with 11 total medals, 8 ahead of the next highest total for another country by Korea.  Team USA finished out with 5 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze.

Barnes won Masters Gold in a 3-game sweep over teammate Patrick Allen in the finals, after Allen defeated teammate Wes Malott in the semi-finals.  Malott shared Bronze with singles Silver medalist Bok-Eum Choi of Korea.  A 4th member of Team USA also made the Masters competition, which is comprised of the top 16 bowlers after 24 games of competition over the previous 4 events, but O'Neill failed to advance through round 1.

The previous day, Team USA won an exciting team event title match, with a 1073-1057 score over Finland, for the 3rd straight World Championships team Gold medal for the United States.  The U.S. dominated much of the match, but in the latter frames, Finland made a ferocious comeback led by PBA star Mika Koivuniemi and 2-handed phenom Osku Palermaa, but in the end, Tommy Jones finished out strong for the Americans to secure the victory for the "Dream Team".

The Americans also won Gold and Bronze medals in singles by Bill O'Neill and Chris Barnes, respectively, as well as a bronze in doubles by Patrick Allen and Rhino Page.  They also took home trios Gold and Bronze medals with the trio of Malott, Page, and Allen defeating Jones, Barnes and O'Neill in the semi-finals before going on to win Gold.

It goes to show that when the United States puts it best bowlers it has to offer on a team together, there is no other country that can really hang with them, even with all the amazing talent in all the other parts of the world. 

Major Brands in Bowling to be On Hand for Kickoff Classic

On August 28th, in conjunction with the first annual The Bowling News Kickoff Classic bowling tournament, many of the major brands in the bowling industry will be on hand putting on a free demo for bowlers and pro shops to come out and try many of the newest bowling balls on the market, as well as interact with representatives from each company and ask any questions.

For the first time ever, brands from all over the industry will be under one roof for the bowlers allowing them to "test drive" their products, and get a first hand look at what balls might be good for them.  Generally, brands do their own exclusive demos for bowlers coinciding with pro shops, but for this event, it is very different. With this event, the brands will be on hand to help get bowlers ready for the new league season ahead, and give them the opportunity to see what is new on the market.

Brands that will be in attendance will be Ebonite, Hammer, Columbia 300, Track, Storm, Roto Grip and 900 Global.  The demo will begin at 1pm and go until 5pm, with the brands remaining on hand during the tournament, which begins at 7pm.

The Bowling News Kickoff Classic is a 5-person mixed handicap team tournament created and organized by Dino Castillo, and will be held at AMF Showplace Euless Lanes in Euless, TX. Teams will bowl 3 games, much like in regular league play, with standings determined by total pins plus handicap, which will be 90% of the difference between the team average and the 1075 cap.

Each team must have at least 1 male and 1 female bowler, and any combination after that, and must also stay within a 1075 team average cap based on 2009-2010 yearbook averages.  Teams can also have only one PBA member per team.  Entry into the tournament is $400/team.

Entry forms are available in bowling centers throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as well as online here. Dino can also be contacted to enter the tournament at dino@thebowlingshops.com.  Entries are open until the start of the tournament.

Team USA Trios Team Sets Record on Long Pattern at WMC

Led by Bill O'Neill with a 763 3-game set, United States 2 set a trios 3-game record with a 2195 set at bowling's World Men's Championships, according to USBC's Lucas Wiseman, clearly showing that they like the long pattern that they competed on in day 2 of trios qualifying.

Coming in 8th after the first 3 games of qualifying on the medium oil pattern with an 1885 total, the boys from the U.S. got off to a big start on day 2 with a 727 game comprised of games of 247 from O'Neill, 246 from previously injured Tommy Jones, and a 234 from Chris Barnes.  They only got better from there on the day.

The trio closed with games of 738 and 731 to get to the 2195 total, and a 4081 overall 6-game total, launching themselves up the leader board to the top with a comfortable 242 pin lead over current second place Mexico with 1 squad remaining in trios qualifying, including the top 3 teams after 3 games. 

Regardless, the trio of right handers put up a number that may be far to much to eclipse even for the top teams, and have now set up a very good chance of both teams earning medals if United States 1 bowls as well as they did on day 1.  The top 4 teams after the 6 games are completed advance to the medal round.

Injury or not, Tommy Jones still has the amazing talent to exploit any pattern at any time, and especially on the long pattern where their higher rev rates become an advantage, Jones, Barnes and O'Neill took full advantage in setting the WMC record.

Credit Lucas Wiseman for the facebook updates on the performance of the American men.

Team USA has 3 Medals through first 2 events

At the Bowling World Men's Championships in Munich, Germany, Team USA is off to a strong start through the first two events, with a Gold and Bronze in singles, and a Bronze in doubles, and currently competing in trios competition aiming to earn 2 more additional medals.

Team USA's Bill O'Neill got things going by the singles event with a 244-202 over Korea's Bok-Eum Choi.  After just squeaking into the finals by 4 pins with a 1372 6-game qualifying score, O'Neill defeated top seed Dominic Barrett of England 187-170 to get the chance for Gold.  Local resident Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas earned a Bronze medal along with Barrett after qualifying 3rd with a 1375 total, but falling in the semi-finals to Choi, 217-191.  Fellow Team USA members Wes Malott, Tommy Jones, Patrick Allen, and Rhino Page failed to qualify for the singles finals.

In doubles competition, Allen and Page advance to the finals after 6 games of qualifying in 4th position with a 2513 total, just 11 pins ahead of teammates O'Neill and Barnes, meaning they were matched up with top qualifiers Mathias Arup and Martin Paulsson of Sweden.  They were defeated 449-373 in the 1-game semi-final match, earning them a share of the Bronze Medal along with Germany's Jens Nickel and Bodo Konieczny, and Team USA's 3rd overall to that point.  Alex Kien Liang Liew and Muhamad Nur Aiman of Malaysia earned the Silver Medal after being defeated by Arup and Paulsson in the finals.

All the bowlers are currently competing in trios competition, with Barnes, O'Neill and Jones teaming up and Allen, Page, and Malott forming the other half of Team USA.  All teams bowl 2 separate 3-game blocks, in which the top 4 teams also cut to the finals, and medals. 

After early competition through 2 of 3 squads, United States 1, with Allen, Page, and Malott are in 3rd with a 1930 total, and United States 2 is currently 8th with an 1885 total, so the 2nd block action is sure to be exciting, with both Team USA teams having a good shot at advancing. 

A side note is that Tommy Jones aggravated a recent hip injury during doubles competition, but is doing all he can to continue competing, and help his team to more medals.

Also going on is the event wide All-Events in which scores from all 4 events, singles, doubles, trios and team are added up to determine Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals.  The top 16 athletes also qualify for the Masters competition.  Through 15 of 24 games of the 3rd, Team USA's Bill O'Neill leads All-Events with a 3291 total, ahead of teammate Chris Barnes with a 3246.  Allen sits 6th with a 3225, Malott 13th with 3162, all in good position to qualify for Masters.

Jones and Page are currently 42nd and 52nd, respectively with totals of 3029, and 3004, both with work to do if they are to advance.

SWPBT results from August 13th

final results... very interesting finish.

1st- brett bolejack +375 $600
2nd- aric alcaraz +339 $350
3rd- matt cannizaro +265 $225
4th- jay nephew +254 $125

rest of top 10

leroy willis +246
clint dacy +245
tim jopson +237
jonathan hooks +215
fig newton +214
james schaffer+207

from paulie.. a thank you for all that bowled, and thanks for all that followed on here tonight

SWPBT start of game 8

they are behind getting scores, so right now i'll just put up the match-up's i see for game 8...

james schaffer vs cannizaro
doug rice vs bobbitt
tim jopson vs jay nephew
yinger vs. fig

next post will have final scores on there. games are getting done at such at different times, so it's tough for apul and kevin to get scores and get them into the computer when they have to go right back out to get other scores.

SWPBT - starting game 7

alright.. some confusion as we start game 7.. got it worked out..

matchups i see are...

doug rice vs james schaffer
cannizaro vs tim jopson
fontenoe vs dustin brock
yinger vs. aric (probably for the title, with how aric only shot 180-ish his last game)
jj keys vs clint dacy


will update after game 6 as soon as they come off the printer

SWPBT after game four

results after game 4....

aric +235

mike newton and billy yinger +165

clint dacy +151

leroy willis +141

bryan empy +139

doug rice +138

bowlers are halfway between game 5 and starting game 6 right now.

some game 6 matchups i see are:

jay nephew vs aric

brian bobbitt vs billy yinger

doug rice vs baby hooks

BREAKING NEWS FROM FORUM BOWL

we have a celebrity in the house.

MIKE AUSTIN IS HERE, EVERYONE.

SWPBT game four matchups

game four matchups of note

tim jopson vs. billy yinger

doug rice vs aric

trea ward vs. daceman

ezra phillips vs. brian bobbitt

SWPBT match games after 2

alright... just finishing game 3... action is kinda fast here with only 2 on a pair.

they are paying 4 spots tonight, they go as follows

1-600
2-350
3-225
4-125

after 2 games:

aric alcaraz +153

leroy willis +145

tim jopson +121

mike miller +89

billy yinger +88

and we are UNDER WAY in Grand Prairie..

first game going right now, some feature matchups..

jay nephew vs. fig

daceman vs. yinger

hooks vs. matt cannizaro

lanes are playable.. bowling on the kegel middle of the road. on this age wood, plays similar to a usbc type of shot with a little less volume in the front.

will have another update soon.

LIVE from the SWPBT 8 gamer at Forum tonight!

looks like we have an excellent field for tonight, going to start a little late. by my guess, it's going to be about 30-ish in the field. stay tuned to Bonus Frames for updates through the night.

EFX Performance Wrist Bands Catching on Quickly with Texas Bowlers

For the past 10 days, I have been wearing an EFX Performance Wristband, courtesy of new Texas sales representative Doug Rice.  I must admit, I am very skeptical of any bands, or anything you wear that is supposed to enhance your daily functions, but a week and half later, I can already notice a difference.

Now it is not some big difference that you would ever just notice as soon as you put one on, it does not have that effect, but the holographic technology that is embedded in the bands that sends frequencies throughout the body to enhance overall balance, stamina, strength and even recovery is noticeable on a daily basis. 

I am not the most active human being there is, but at the same time, I am not someone who never does anything active either.  This past Monday, we had 2 softball games in a 3 hour span, which as any who play softball, and play it fairly hard, knows it takes good energy to play, and by the end of the night after a day of working beforehand, I was barely fatigued, aside from the inside the park home run I hit, but even that I was ready to go much quicker than I ever am on a normal basis following running that hard and rounding bases.

On top of that, my work day is already more productive, as I have more energy to get up and do things and not want to sit around as much.

Some of you will still remain skeptical, and that is understandable without trying one for yourself, but until you do, you will never see the difference it can make.

Some other testimonials:

From Doug Rice himself:
Thank You EFX Bowling. I don't think it is just a coincidence that the only two bowlers wearing EFX performance bracelets at the Odessa SASBA last weekend helped their teams finish first and second for the event. Jack Zuniga averaged 238 and I averaged 249 for the entire weekend.

From Jack Zuniga:
I want to say thanks to my friend Doug Rice, he has done nothing but been a great friend since we started hanging out together. I'm on the CORE4 PROGRAM and another factor that has helped me is my "new found balance" in wearing the EFX PERFORMANCE WRIST BAND. Can't push me around anymore!

From Eddie Rogers:
I have been wearing by bracelet for about five days now. NOT ONLY has my energy levels been higher than ever BUT I have sent a TON of "Doubting Thomas" folks packing by simply GIVING THEM THE BALANCE TEST. To a person they have been amazed. DO not know what I am talking bout?? I will be at Forum Bowl... Saturday Night in Grand Prarie TX for the Sweeper and Lewisville Bowl in TX ON Sunday for NABI. Come up and I will give you a demo FOR FREE. :-) Truly an amazing product to date.

Below is FAQ's on the wristbands, and answers to any questions you may have.


What is the history behind EFX?


EFX emerges from a new paradigm of science that marries the largely untapped world of quantum physics with research into the body’s own bioelectric field. Our founder, Dirk Lindley, extensively researched new concepts on how to store data and frequencies onto film, conductive polymers, fabrics and holographic media. In 2005, he successful integrated subtle energy dynamics with modern electronics. This body of work would later become the foundation of EFX - the first functional quantum hologram designed to promote wellness and performance in humans and animals.

What is EFX Technology?

EFX is an embedded wearable technology designed to maximize performance and overall well-being by increasing balance, strength, and flexibility. EFX’s technology consists of frequencies that are highly compatible with both humans and animals on a cellular level. Because it works instantly when placed in close proximity with the body’s bio-electric field, real time functional performance gains can often be demonstrated. Like acupuncture, acupressure or deep therapeutic massage, we believe that placing EFX energetic dots near specific energy centers or chakras, may promote or enhance the energy flow along the main meridian channels. Many are able to experience the effects simply by holding or drinking a product embedded with EFX technology. Simple kinesiological muscle testing may be used to determine the effects on balance, strength, flexibility and range of motion. Simply put, EFX is designed to resonate with and tune your body’s naturally occurring bio-electric frequencies, impacting function and performance. When your body is in harmony, muscles relax, blood flow increases, and relaxation replaces tension.

How Does EFX’s Technology Work?

While modern technology was designed to make life easier, products such as televisions, radios, microwaves, scanners, wireless Internet and cell phones (to name a few) all create electronic noise. The human body generates its own bioelectricity that is used by our cells to communicate thoughts, trigger adrenaline, initiate muscle movement, and even make our hearts beat! Unfortunately the noise emitted from electronics is potentially disruptive to the body’s bioelectric field, causing “static” within our bodies. EFX products contain over 100+ algorithms and frequencies that aid the human body in filtering out the static, allowing our cells to communicate as they are intended. This yields a host of benefits for the entire body.

What are the benefits of EFX?

When the body is in harmony, the muscles relax and blood circulation increases, creating a host of benefits instantaneously. The immediate effects experienced include increase strength, balance, flexibility and range of motion. EFX products have also been reported to help relieve joint and muscle pain, improve blood circulation, reduce swelling, keep muscles conditioned and flexible, alleviate stress, boost endurance, and prevent motion sickness. Results may vary.

How long does it take to feel the effects?

You will feel the effects immediately! After you put on an EFX product, you will notice better balance, strength and flexibility. Long-term effects such as pain relief and overall wellness may take effect within a few minutes to 24 hours. Try our simple resistance test and see the instant results.

Is EFX Safe?

Absolutely! EFX is not a drug or substance, it is not ingested or absorbed into the body and it emits no harmful radiation. EFX will not interfere with any medical devices, such as pacemakers and is completely safe to wear during pregnancy.

• EFX does not emit any potentially harmful electromagnetic radiation.

• EFX is non transdermal.

• Our products do not contain any restricted substance and contains no metal.

• EFX is safe for animals.

• Our products can be worn 24/7, even while sleeping. There are no restrictions to wearing EFX.

• EFX has not been evaluated by the FDA.

• Safety results are available upon request.

How must EFX be worn for it to work properly?

EFX products will produce immediate benefits anywhere within 1 inch of your body’s bioelectric field. As a result, it does not need to contact your skin to be effective. However, when worn near your body’s key energy centers (most notably on the hands and feet), the effects may be more widespread. In addition to our wristbands, bracelets and necklaces, EFX is available with an adhesive back so it can easily be attached on apparel and headwear or stuck to the inside arches on your favorite shoes, sandals or cleats.

What is the difference between EFX and other similar technologies (magnets, titanium, etc.)?

EFX products are not magnets, nor are they magnetic in any way. Magnets create their own electric field, whereas EFX holograms use algorithms and frequencies that are programmed into a piece of metallic material to tune your body’s natural occurring bioelectric field. The main difference is the immediate results. Only EFX products demonstrate positive effects instantaneously. Other metal or magnetic-based products will only yield results over time (if at all).

Where should EFX energetic dots be attached or worn on the body to achieve maximum performance?

EFX is designed to be worn anywhere on the body; It comes with an adhesive back so it can easily be attached on apparel and headwear or stuck to the inside arches on your favorite shoes, sandals or cleats. EFX products all come with the technology embedded. Try our energetic gear, wristbands, socks, pendants and promotional cards. Simply having EFX on or close to the body will work. EFX energetic products are designed to react with the body's bioelectrical system in unconventional ways. EFX will work in most cases up to 3"' from the body. For maximum performance, we suggest wearing a wristband, an EFX pendant or attaching an EFX energetic dot onto your shirt close to the heart. And most important, attaching one dot inside each shoe or cleat on top of the arch.

Can EFX help me with my aches and pains?

EFX may provide relief of joint and muscle pain along with swelling. Simply attach EFX Energetic Dots on or close to where pain or discomfort is felt. For lower back pain, we suggest attaching dots directly onto the pain area or attaching dots to your belt.

How long will EFX holograms last?

The power of EFX has no time limit. The EFX dots will not lose their programming unless they are destroyed, which is very difficult to do. You can even cut the dot in half and it will still work! EFX products are designed with the necessary durability to meet the demanding lifestyle of professional athletes.

EFX Performacne Products can be purchased by clicking the EFX logo on the right of the page or visiting us at http://www.texasefxbowling.com/

Contact Doug Rice at 214-842-1445 or doug@texasefxbowling.com to order yours today!

SWPBT makes decision to postpone Doubles event

The 2nd annual Southwest Premier Bowlers Tour Matchplay Doubles scheduled for August 21st at Forum Bowl in Grand Prairie has been postponed to a date to be determined.  Tournament directors Paul Henderson and Kevin Allen decided go to forward with the postponement due to a lack of entries with just over a week before the tournament.

"When we did our schedule in November, we did not for see so many other tournaments going on this weekend." Said Henderson. "We are looking for a new date now and will re post the tournament as soon as we get one."

August 21st is also the date for the PBA Southwest Region Killeen Open only a few short hours away, and many potential entries for the doubles event were sure to be lost to the regional, as well as a couple other smaller tournaments in other cities throughout Texas.

A year ago, at the 1st annual event, the tournament drew over 30 doubles teams for a very fun and competitive event won by Johnny Hanna and John Gardner, and the SWPBT chose not to go forth with the event with so fewer entries because of a very busy weekend, and will find a weekend later in the year which is much less crowded, and provides a better chance for bigger entries.

Stay tuned for further updates on the SWPBT, and for the future tournament date.

The Bowling News Kickoff Classic to Start New League Season

On August 28th, the first annual The Bowling News Kickoff Classic will be held at AMF Showplace Euless lanes in Euless, Texas, operated by PBA star Dino Castillo.


The Kickoff Classic, is the perfect way for bowlers of all levels in and around the Dallas-Fort Worth area to start, or kickoff, the new league season, as well as a beginning to such a wonderful sport only days later, football. It is a handicap team tournament composed of 5 members, much like in many leagues that many of us bowl each year, with each team required to have at least one male and one female member, and each team will bowl 3 games of competition, also much like typical league bowling.

Each team will also be required to stay under a composite average cap of 1075 per team, any combination of averages, based on the 2009-2010 USBC yearbook average. Teams will then receive 90% handicap per game of the difference between their team average and 1075. At the end of the 3 games of competition, standings will be determined by team’s total scores plus their handicap, so it will be wide open for teams of all averages to have a chance of winning and taking home some cash.

For a $400 team entry fee, and a potential max field of 52 teams, more than $18,000 will be up for grabs to all the cashing teams, with the winning team taking home in the neighborhood of $4,000. What better way to get the new league season started than having your league paid for before week 1?

On top of the 3 games of competition, there will be sidepots and plenty of brackets available for all bowlers on the evening, so quite a bit more money up for grabs to those bowlers having good nights. There will be separate scratch and handicap "side action", and handicap individually will be 90% of the difference between the bowler’s average and 220.

Check-in for the tournament will begin at 6pm on the night of the 28th, with action kicking off at 7pm.

After a nice relaxing summer for most, and the enjoyable new season on the horizon, there is no better way to get back into the swing of things, and maybe even win some nice extra spending cash, then to get your team together for The Bowling News Kickoff Classic.

Contact tournament director Dino Castillo at dino@thebowlingshops.com for additional details, entry blanks, or any other general questions.

2 August SWPBT Events on tap over next 2 weekends

The Southwest Premier Bowlers Tour (SWPBT) has 2 exciting tournaments for scratch bowlers in and around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for the remainder of August, a singles matchplay mini marathon on August 13th, and the 2nd annual Matchplay Doubles event on August 21st, both at Forum Bowl in Grand Prairie, Texas.

The singles event on the 13th, which consists of 8 games, with each game being matchplay against the bowler on the lane opposite of you, and the winning bowler receiving 30 pins of bonus for each win.  For an $80 entry fee, bowlers will compete for a $700 first place prize with only 30 entries, and with 40 entries, the top prize will bump up to $800, with 1 in every 6 entries cashing after the completion of the 8 games.  Check-in will be at 9pm, and bowling at 10pm.  Bowlers will draw for lanes prior to the start of practice, and bowlers on the left lane will move one pair left each game, and bowlers on the right lane moving one pair right each game, keeping the format and opponents completely random.

The 2nd Annual Matchplay Doubles event on Saturday, August 21st will use the same format as the singles event, only in a doubles edition.  For a $300 entry fee per team, or $150 per person, bowlers will randomly draw lanes, and team up, bowling the team on the opposite lane as them, and teams receiving bonus pins for each match won, 20 pins for singles wins and 40 pins for team doubles win for a possible total of 80 bonus per game.

The tournament will feature a calcutta, or bowlers auction prior to the start of the tournament and a $2200 first place prize with just 30 teams, plus winnings from the calcutta, and cash 1 in every 5 entries.  All teams will bowl 8 games, and teams on the left lane moving left each game, and teams on the right lane moving right each game to bowl a different opponent for all 8 games on competition.  With only 40 entries, the top prize will increase to $2500 plus calcutta, and a bottom cash prize of $325, more than the entry fee in return for cashing.

Both tournaments will have high pot available, as well as unlimited bracket action to give all bowlers plenty of money to bowl for, and have a chance to take home with them at the end of each event.  The doubles will add big board brackets, as well as cross-over doubles to add even more for the bowlers.

If you haven't attended an SWPBT event yet, now is a perfect time to get started and become part of the rapidly growing tournament series.  If you have bowled before, and not in a while, it is time to get back out there and bowl for some good money over only a few hours time.

You will not find a better run scratch tournament in the DFW area than those of the SWPBT operated by Paul Henderson and Kevin Allen.

Come out and enjoy a Friday night of competition on the 13th, and get your partners lined up for a very exciting Matchplay Doubles event on the 21st.

You don't have to shoot the highest scores at the end of the day, just find ways to win your matches, and take home the top prize!

Contact swpbt@hotmail.com for more info and to enter!

11th Luci Bonneau Memorial Mixed Doubles A Huge Success

As expected, the 2010 edition of the Luci Bonneau Mixed Doubles in Houston, Texas had yet another huge successful year, just as I mentioned it was ready to in a previous blog last week.

The festivities kicked off Friday afternoon with the bowlers practice session and BBQ catered lunch, courtesy of the incredible host herself, Donna Conners.  Hard to tell who won the practice session this year, but I may have to go with Xeno Garcia, he struck a lot, and it continued into Saturday during the real thing, but more on that later.  Following the practice session, the calcutta (or bowler's auction) was conducted, and teams were given the option to buy themselves for $1,000, and many of the big teams did, and after all was said and done, the calcutta brought right in the neighborhood of $18,000, and a nice hefty additional prize fund to the top 12 finals teams.

The first Pro-Am of the weekend followed at 6pm, which as usual, was a sellout, and a great time had by all involved, from the pros participating to the bowlers getting their chance to bowl with some of the best to all others who were just there to have a good time.  It must be mentioned however that had somebody not stepped in, we may still be listening to bowlers introductions right now from Dino Castillo.  He sure makes it entertaining as an MC, as he can go on about each and every bowler there.  I do not know how much money was raised for Breast Cancer research that first night, but judging by all the big items being sold, can only imagine it was another hefty amount.

On a side note, my partner Crystal Schoneman and myself had the pleasure of bowling with a legally blind man on our first pair, and it was truly amazing to see how good he was after years and years of bowling, because he may have hit the head pin and spared at a higher percentage than any bowler all weekend.  It was truly great to see someone not let anything slow him down from playing the game he loves.

The next morning the competition got underway with A squad bowling at 9am.  What started as a full field of 80 teams grew to 82 as a team was caught in traffic and 2 alternate teams were added to keep all pairs with 2 teams.  Early on, the lanes played much like practice session, there was plenty of hook out there on the 38 foot pattern, and allowed bowlers to play for many different angles early on to score.  Crystal and I got off to a bit of a rocky start through the first half of game 1, but after an open in frame 4, she threw the back 8 strikes for 232, and I closed out strong for 219 and a nice 451 start.  After another decent game, the transition and some tricky pairs reared their ugly heads and brought some scores down all over the place.  After two sub 400 games, we rebounded decently with 4 games over 400 to finish at plus 137, and could have been so much more with a few breaks tossed in. (Check out some of the live blog updates from BowlingNewsTony to read about it).

At the completion of A squad, defending champs Parker Bohn and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard led at plus 300, followed by Liz Johnson and Sean Rash.  Xeno Garcia and Tina Stickney stood in 5th at plus 196 after a bowling display by Xeno, and you had to believe that was very close to the cut number, but an arguably stronger B squad was still to come.  We sat in 11th after two teams went around us in the final game, one being Ryan Abel and Jessica Baker shooting an amazing 568 to close.

B squad got going, and much like in our squad that morning, scores got off to a nice start through the first couple games, and the transition and tricky pairs kicked in during the middle games.  Should be noted that the tricky pairs were mainly on the high end of the building, but all had to hit them and most saw similar struggles on them.  As B squad was coming to a close, the intensity throughout the building built as teams were making their final push towards the cut and to catch on the the final checks. 

When all was said an done with qualifying, 2-time champs Tommy Jones and Shannon Pluhowsky built a large lead at plus 454, with Bohn and Ballard in second at that plus 300.  We also had a tie for the 12th and final spot at plus 199 between Brett Wolfe/Genie Franklin and John Szczerbinski/Elysia Current, and that meant a one-game roll-loff to determine who advances to Sunday.  The final cash spots went to a tie as well at plus 156 for 19th and 20th, meaning Crystal and myself fell just short in 22nd place.  Some very unfortunate breaks were our nemesis.

The roll-off was just as intense as the final game and a half and stayed close throughout, with Frankling striking out in her 10th, and giving teammate Wolfe a chance to mark to secure the win after Szczerbinski failed to strike out and put the pressure on. Wolfe nearly left an unfortunate 6-8 split, leaving only the 8 pin, spared it, and closed out the game with a strike for the 421-418 victory.

The second and final Pro-Am followed, and was every bit as much a success as the first one, maybe even bringing in more money for breast cancer.  Again, I do not have those details, but I can say, another great time was had by all.

Sunday morning meant the return of the top 12 teams and 12 games of round robin finals play, with winning teams receiving 30 bonus pins, and teams who tie getting 15 bonus pins.  Scores came out a fair amount higher quickly during the finals, due a lot to the fact that the bowlers remaining had the pattern figured out, many were the best in the world, and the lanes most undoubtedly break down a bit nicer with players playing more similar to one another.  Wes Malott came out firing averaging 274.5 through the first 4 games, including games of 298 and 290 to help himself and teammate Shannon O'Keefe quickly climb up the standings.

However, the day itself was about Tommy and Shannon once again.  At one point, there were more than 400 pins clear of 2nd place, before eventually winning their 3rd title in 4 years competing together with a 90 pin edge over second place Malott/O'Keefe.  Rounding out the final standing were Rash/Johnson in 3rd, Carol Norman/David Haynes 4th, Bohn/Ballard 5th, Stefanie Nation/Chris Johnson 6th, Emily Maier/Mike Fagan 7th, Brinda Burks/Greg Black Jr. 8th, Kristy Krol.Charlie Mills 9th, Franklin/Wolfe 10th, Lynda & Chris Barnes 11th and Jessica Hirschman/Jack Zuniga 12th.

The tournament may appear to some to be very much dominated by some of the very best of the PBA, and in a way, yes it is, but in another way, that is a bit misleading.  With the conditions put out there, the chance was there for all to score and potentially make it to the finals, the pros did not have a big advantage because of the pattern, especially judging by the logjam of scores from 2nd all the way down to the final cash spot in 20th only separated by 144 pins, and many more teams close.  Where many of the best gained their advantage was they minimized their mistakes on the tough pairs and during the transition games, and that led to the difference in making the cut, and being less than 100 pins through 8 games out of the cut for many.

All in all, another amazing weekend and even put on by tournament organizer extraordinaire Donna Conners.  This tournament wouldn't be anything it is without her donating countless hours and energy to put it on for the bowlers, fans and for a great cause.  But as she said, it wouldn't be what it is without the bowlers, because without the bowlers, there is no pro-am, and without the pro-am, there is no money raised for Breast Cancer research.

2010 Luci Bonneau Round Robin Finals recap

Tommy Jones and Shannon Pluhowsky dominated the round robin finals of the 11th Luci Bonneau Memorial Mixed Doubles Tournament on July 25th to capture their 3rd title in 4 years, taking home $11,000 for the win, which included tournament prize money and calcutta.

A and B Squads game by game of the Luci Bonneau Mixed Doubles

A Squad Qualifying

B Squad Qualifying

Luci Bonneau Final Qualifying Standings

The Final Qualifying Standings of the 2010 Luci Bonneau Memorial Mixed Doubles

Finals Standings 1-40

Finals Standing 41-81

Luci final. Shannon O and Wes beat Tommy and Shannon P by 138 in the final but still come up short. Congrats to Tommy and Shannon for a 3rd victory in 4 years.

Luci update 2 games to go. TJ and Shannon P. Leading by 413 pins. Wes and Shannon O. in 2nd. CDB and PB3 in 3rd.

? and mike fagan. 8. B burks and g black Jr. 9. K krol and c mills. 10. G Franklin and blue hammer god. 11. The barnes family. 12. Zuniga and j hirschman.

? Full update after 8.
1. tj and Shannon. 2. Shannon and Wes. 3. Liz and Sean. 4. chris and Stephanie. 5. Cdb and pb3. 6. Carol n. And David H. 7. E maier

Luci update after 8 games. No changes. Tj and Shannon P. Leading by 300 over Wes and Shannon O. Sean and Liz in 3rd.

< or 6 this morning.

< Luci update after 6 games. Tommy and Shannon P clear of 2nd by 300 pins. Wes and Shannon O in second. Liz j and Sean Rash in 3rd. Chris and Lynda are 0 f

Luci finals update after 4 games. Tommy and Shannon leading. Parker and Carolyn second. Wes averaging 274 through 4 games making a run.

Oh what could have been if I could only pick up spares...

Final cash spot was also a tie between Dino Castillo/Kelli Callaghan and Tyler Jensen/Anita Manns at +156. So those taps clearly cost us in the end

Final cash spot was also a tie between Dino Castillo/Kelli Callaghan and Tyler Jensen/Anita Manns at +156. So those taps clearly cost us in the end

Brett/Genie win the rolloff 421-418 to advance to the finals

Through 4 frames, Current/John up by 9

We have a tie for the finals. Brett Wolfe/ Genie Franklin tied Elysia Current/John Szcerbinski at +199, bowling now

Through A squad at the Luci, scores were higher than a year ago, but it was still tough to score. Myself and Crystal finished +137 as previously mentioned, and it is no lie what Tony said, I was tapped like crazy in the last few games. Unbelievable reaction for a 660 finish.

We sit in 11th with B squad just getting going, so we need some help to hopefully snag that 20th and final check.

Some standings:

Carolyn Dorin-Ballard 1648 Parker Bohn 1852...3500
Liz Johnson 1772, Sean Rash 1694...3466
Brinda Burks 1643, Greg Black 1821...3464
Carol Norman 1686, David Haynes 1732...3418
Tina Stickney 1565, Xeno Garcia 1831...3396
Robin Romeo 1890, Tom McNaughton 1499...3389

Doubtful that more teams than that will make it from A squad.

More to come later!

? ut really bowled well

? Tyson and crystal finished plus 137. Crystal rocked a nice 239 the last game and Tyson got a pile of taps for 203. They will probably be a little short b

After 6 games A squad - Liz Johnson and Sean Rash leading +181. 6th place +115

6th is 100 over after 5

Shot is tighter to the right but the guys are still setting it down inside of 20

Robin romeo is crushing the place @186 over.

After 5. X is the second high dude @160 over. Him and Tstick are in 6th

After game 5, Aric Acon and Sue Jeziorski lead at +190, followed by Carolyn and Parker at +156.

Eric acon is the high dude @162 over. Kim wallace is the high chick @67 over

Leader after 3. Defending champs dorin-bal and PBIII. 132 over. 6th is 60 over

Xeno and tina stick are 60 over. X is putting on a nice display thru 3

Early tyson update. He is playing 7th arrow. That's no shock. Crystal and him are 40 over

Luci Friday update

Practice session has just completed, and by all indications, the scores will be significantly higher than a year ago where strikes were very hard to come by for much of the day. The pattern hooks more from the gutter and has a bit more hold in the middle and also allows players to play many different angles than a year ago.

Scores may also be higher due to the fact that the field is a bit stronger than a year ago. None of the big names players from 2009 are missing, and this year bowlers like Mike Fagan, Dino Castillo, and the world renowned "Frisco" Doug Rice is in attendance. And let's not forget High-Roller superstar Steve Smith all the way from southern California.

An update with the roster itself will hopefully come later, but that is only if and when I can get to a computer and not on my phone, it would take some time to type 160 names.

Update: the Calcutta brought in $18,000 this year, $4,000 more than last year. It will pay in the neighborhood of $4,000 for 1st.

Luci Bonneau Mixed Doubles Tournament Ready for Another Big Year

In just 2 days, many stars of the bowling world, along with numerous amateurs will invade Palace Bowling Lanes in Houston, Texas for the largest mixed doubles event of the year, the Luci Bonneau Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles Tournament.  The annual event draws somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 PBA exempt players each year, along with some of the very best women players the sport has to offer.

But it is so much more than just a bowling tournament, it is a complete event.  There is no better run bowling tournament anywhere, from the standpoint of the bowling itself, to the wall to wall pro-ams on Friday and Saturday nights, with a barrage of items up for auction, with all proceeds going to supporting the fight against breast cancer, and the completely enjoyable atmosphere from practice session and bowler's calcutta on Friday to the end of the even on Sunday.

Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of meeting Luci Bonneau herself, but by all the great things I have heard of her in the 4 years I have attended this event, soon to be my 5th, I surely missed out on meeting a great person.  Event director Donna Conners goes above and beyond to put on a great event for all, not just for the bowlers, but for the spectators as well, and to honor the memory of her friend and join the fight against breast cancer.

It is an event that has been won in recent years by a Tommy Jones/Shannon Pluhowsky duo in back to back years, and by Parker Bohn/Carolyn Dorin-Ballard last year, and in no way does the fact that some of the best bowlers in the world are teaming up and winning scare any other bowler away.  The field is limited to 80 teams, and for the first time, filled up to that maximum amount, and did so all the way back in late May, nearly 2 months before the event was scheduled to take place.  The waiting list quickly ran into double digits right after, because bowlers from all over the country wanted the chance to compete not only for the $7,000 top prize (plus calcutta money), but to just be a part of the fantastic event.

Where else can you find an event, bowl alongside many of the games superstars, have a few laughs a good times with them, and possibly go home with anything from a bowling ball won in a raffle to a flat screen TV? Indeed that is the big item of the weekend, which is raffled off in between A and B squads on Saturday.  Just ask Xeno Garcia about it, as his plans in the week leading up to the event are not to work on his game or spare shooting, but practicing his TV winning skills.

So if you are anywhere in Houston this Saturday, stop in to Palace Lanes and watch some great bowling action.  If you cannot be there, makes plans to attend a future one, as there is no other event anything like it.

Stay tuned to this blog all weekend for some updates on the event as they happen.

Cassidy Schaub takes down SWPBT Double Elimination Singles

Facing elimination from round 2 on after a opening round loss, 2-handed southpaw Cassidy Schaub went unbeaten to survive the loser's bracket and defeated winner's bracket survivor Rudy Garcia Jr. twice to taken the title and $750 top prize, making his 22-game effort worthwhile. Garcia took home $500 for his second place finish.

In a high scoring day throughout, Schaub was defeated by fellow left-hander Jim Carter 526-499, and put the pressure on himself to win or go home. He had a few tight matches in which he struggled to knock the pins down on the way to low 400 sets, but managed to get by his opponents, and then in his last 8 games, averaged more than 250, and at one time started a match with the first 14 strikes, leading an opponent to withdraw midway through game 2.

Rudy Garcia Jr. averaged just under 242 in going unbeaten through the winner's bracket, and securing himself at least a 2nd place finish. His day started off with some excitement in his opening round, squeaking by the red hot Mike "Fig" Newton 514-513, narrowly avoiding the loser's bracket early, and a very long exhausting day.

Rounding out the cashers were 3rd place finisher, and late arriving Trea Ward, who battled with Garcia in the final of the winner's bracket, but ultimately lost to Garcia and then to Schaub. Ward took home $250 FOR 3RD PLACE. (On a side note, he got revenge on myself after putting him in the loser's bracket in the same tournament in February with a 501-490 win in round 2.)

4th place went to Matt Cannizzaro for $175, with Chris Cranford and "Frisco Doug" Rice rounding out the cashers for $100 each. Rice saved himself the long day this time around after bowling 20 games in the February tournament by winning matches early, finishing with only 10 games this time around.

The tournament drew a full field of 32 entries with the $80 entry fee. 29 of the 32 bowlers entered the optional $20 eliminator pot, with Fig Newton taking that down through 4 games for $175. The eliminator paid 7 spots. The tournament also ran more then 60 brackets over 2 sets for games 1-2-3 and games 2-3-4.