Hankey Dominates / Creager Walks Ladder in Major Event at North

The PJBT continued its 19th season with our third Major of the Season at ABC North Lanes in Harrisburg.  This 3rd major saw 64 competitors take on a unique Kegel Pattern.  Pattern was long and produced some mid-level scores most of the day.  In general, scores were medium paced.  The format for this major was 6 games, 3 games of match play, and the top 6 advance to our 3 game major final.  2 Shootouts and 1 final stepladder match.

In Scratch, Tom Hankey put on a dominating performance.  On the tough pattern, he came out of the gate with 268 and 269!  He rode the wave of those first 2 games and followed them up with 221, 214, 220, and 183.  He stood at +175 for 6 games and was actually seeded 2nd.  He was passed by qualifying leader Jack Celmer at +205, when Jack rolled a 299 Game for the last game of qualifying.  We advanced 14 from qualifying to match play….with 14th place cut being -59.  In match play, Hankey went 2-1 in match play with games of 182, 211, and 255.  His final game of 255 in match play over Jack Celmer in the position round bolstered him into the tournament lead entering the finals.  Hankey got to sit out to Shootout Rounds….in which #5 Ben Rynes defeated #4 Starace and #6 Runk 245-209-199.  In Shootout 2, #2 Celmer defeated #3 Althouse and #5 Rynes 183-176-141.  This setup a rematch between Hankey & Celmer for the title.  The match was epic.  Hankey finished the match first and posted a 232 score.  He needed to strike out in the 10th to shut out Celmer.  He did not so the door was open for Celmer to win.  Celmer needed to strike on his first 2 shots and get count to win.  Celmer’s 1st shot in the 10th went high and he left a 3 pin….sealing the win for Tom Hankey.  Hankey captured his 2nd career PJBT victory… winning a $300 scholarship and Glass Bowling Pin for his victory.

In Handicap, Kelsey Creager also captured his 2nd career PJBT title.  Creager entered the event with a 138 average and 55 pins handicap per game.  She shot scratch games of 120, 127, 146, 162, 171, and 135.  After 6 games, Creager was at 1191 (-9) and was seeded 5th out of 12 entering match play.  1st cut for 12th place was -57.  In match play, Creager went 2-1 with games of 129 W, 133 L, and 124 W.  After 9 games, Creager snuck her way into the finals as the #6 seed of 6 bowlers!  She then walked the ladder in a tough format!  She won Shootout #1, defeating #5 Sarah Fenicle and #4 Jacob Dent 195-190-168.  This advanced Creager to Shootout #2 vs #2 Cody Brunner & #3 Cloe Noel.  Creager inched out a 1 pin victory in this shootout!  Creager defeated Brunner & Noel 205-204-173.  This advanced Creager to take on tournament leader Nate Davy for the title.  This match was close until the late frames….and Creager completed her march to the top with a victory over Davy 169-145.  Kelsey Creager won $300 scholarship and Glass Bowling Pin for her major win.

Jack Celmer rolled our only honor score of the day with an 11-in-a-row 299 Game.

Next week:  PJBT rolls into Berks Lanes in Sinking Spring PA for a regular season singles event.  Sun 10/22 at 10:30am