#2 is #1 as Alex Glinski & Breanne Hood Take Rose Bowl Major Title

The PJBT continued its 17th Season with our 8th Major Event of the Season at Haja Rose Bowl in Allentown, PA.  We saw 79 athletes take to the lanes on this day.  The event had 46 bowlers compete in Scratch and 33 in Handicap.  All athletes competed on the Kegel Tower of Pisa Pattern.  The MAJOR format was 6 Games Qualifying, top 40% advance to 3 Games of Match Play….top 4 Bowlers Advanced to an Eliminator Final.  All 4 Bowlers Bowled 1 Game….low score was out.  The remaining 3 bowled 1 game, low bowler was out.  The final 2 bowled 1 Game for the Title.

The recurring theme of the day was to be the #2 seed entering the finals.  Both of our #2 seed bowlers won the event.

In Scratch, Alex Glinski captured his 3rd title of the year.  This win was his 6th career PJBT title and his 2nd Major of the year.  He won earlier this year at the Bowl-O-Rama Marathon and ABC North Major Event in October 2015.  Glinski shot 1289 or +89 for our 6 Games of Qualifying.  He was in 5th place of 46 after qualifying.  Top 18 advanced after qualifying with a cut of -21.  Alex turned it up in Match Play.  He went 3-0 with games of 211, 242, and 196.  He sat +228 and was the 2nd seed entering the finals.  He only trailed tournament leader Brian Kennedy.  Kennedy had a big lead, leading Glinski and the field by 180 pins entering the eliminator finals.  Kennedy & Glinski were joined by #3 seed Chris Dipaola and #4 seed Tristan Leyen.  In the first eliminator match, Kennedy struggled…unlike the entire day.  Diapola whot 273 / Leyen 223 / Glinski 210 and Kennedy 178.  Kennedy finished 4th.  In the semi-final eliminator, Glinski advanced shooting the high game of 220.  It was between Dipaola & Leyen to advance.  Diapola had finished the match and shot 188.  Looked as though he would be low.  Leyen needed just a mark to advance.  His first ball in the 10th frame went high and left a split.  He was not able to convert….shot 177 and Diapola advanced sitting on the bench.  It was an exciting finish to the match.  Leyen finished 3rd.  In the title match, Glinski took on Diapola.  Alex started hot and never looked back.  Match was over early as Glinski strung the strikes and Diapola had trouble getting lined up.  Glinski won the title match 227-148 to capture the title and the $300 top scholarship prize.

In Handicap, Breanne Hood captured her 3rd title of the year and 2nd major also.  All her wins have come in the last 2 months.  Breanne had won earlier this year at ABC East Lanes in January 2016 (Major) and just won weeks ago at the Bonus Payout Tournament in Chambersburg.  Hood, who averages 97 currently….shot games of 109, 108, 115, 86, 133, and 136 to have the tournament lead after qualifying.  She stood at 1239 or +39.  14th place qualifying cut was -99.  In match play, Hood went 2-1 shooting games of 87, 107, and 145.  She was the 2nd seed entering the eliminator final.  She only trailed tournament leader Caitlin Mattingly by 15 pins.  Joining the top 2 were #3 seed Spencer Schneck and #4 seed Tevon Kerr.  In the first eliminator match, Kerr shot 236 / Mattingly 213 / and Hood shot 208.  Our low bowlers was Schneck at 205.  Spencer finished in 4th place.  The remaining 3 advanced to the eliminator semi-final.  Hood led the 3 with a games of 205.  Advancing also was Tevon Kerr, who shot 195.  Mattlingly was low with 184 and finished in 3rd place.  Title match was Hood vs Kerr.  This match started with Kerr in the lead.  Looked as though he was in control….until he had an open frame in the 9th.  This opened the door for Hood….and she walked right thru.  She marked out and defeated Kerr 170-155.  Hood captured the major title and the $300 top scholarship prize.

There was no award scores on this day so our 300 Pot of $88 carries over to next week.