Althouse & Conaway Walk Thru the Winners Circle at East Lincoln

The PJBT continued its 18th Season with a trip to East Lincoln Lanes in York.  This center, located equally between Lancaster and York is right next door to a mini golf and ice cream facility.  Normally our trip to East Lincoln in February means the weather is cold and no one is thinking of ice cream.  Well this year was the exception!  Surprisingly warm weather brought a decent turnout and some ice cream to the stop in York.

This event was a regular season singles event with normal format.  Tournament was conducted on a house condition.  For the 2nd straight week, the center also had old school wood lanes…which prevents challenges for our youth.  We saw 45 bowlers competing in the event including 19 in Scratch and 26 in Handicap.

In Scratch, Daniel Althouse, “The Prodigy” captured his 1st title of the 2016-17 season and his 2nd career PJBT title.  Daniel won his 1st ever PJBT event last April at AMF Bristol Pike Lanes.  Althouse started qualifying with 4 solid games of 5.  He shot 238, 234, 171, 237, and 227.  Althouse stood at 1107 (+107) and was seeded 5th entering match play.  The top 10 advanced to match play with a cut score of +43.  In Match Play, Althouse made his move, going 3-0 in match play with games of 259, 181, and 227.  Althouse was seeded 2nd entering the stepladder finals.  Althouse only trailed tournament leader Gene Blair, who led the field by 117 pins!  In the stepladder finals, Althouse entered the semi-final match vs Kurtis Stidd.  Stidd was coming off a tournament high 290 game in match 2.  Sometimes in bowling there is a letdown game after such a big game like that.  It happened in this match.  Althouse shot 232 and beat Stidd’s 181.  This advanced Althouse to the title match vs Gene Blair.  This match was much closer….but in the end, Althouse outlasted Blair 231-213 to take home the title and the $200 top scholarship prize.

In Handicap, Doug Conaway, won his first ever PJBT in his first event.  Conaway entered the event with a 168 entering average and 28 pins handicap per game.  Conaway shot scratch games of 188, 226, 163, 187, and 166.  He stood at 1070 (+70) after qualifying.  This seeded him 5th out of the 12 bowlers competing in match play.  12th place cut for Round 1 was +16.  In Match Play, Conaway also was a perfect 3-0 with games of 234, 225, and 190.  Conaway moved up to 2nd place after match play.  He only trailed tournament leader Tevon Kerr by 16 pins entering the finals.  Conaway took on Jacob Ricketts in the semi-final match.  Conaway squeaked out a 198-190 victory.  This advanced him to the title match vs Tevon Kerr.  Conaway got off to a hot start and never looked back!  Conaway shot 203 and defeated Kerr, who shot 160.  Doug Conaway took home the title and the $200 top scholarship prize.

Congrats also to Kurtis Stidd, for bowling our only honor score of the day, with his 290 game during the finals.

Next week:  PJBT with it’s final Regular Season Singles Event of month of February.  Sunday February 26 at Town & Country Lanes, Bethlehem, PA  — start time is 10:30am.