More 1st Time PJBT Winners Crowned in 7th Major of the Season

Published on: March 10, 2015 | Categories: Headliners, Winners Gallery

The PJBT continued its 16th season with our 7th Major Event of the Season.  This week brought us to the Haja Rose Bowl in Allentown, PA.  Our major events are the ones that pay out extra scholarship money and bonus scholarships for high finishing girls.  The format was 6 game qualifier, top 40% advance to 3 additional games of match play.  After 9 games, the top 4 bowlers advanced to our elimination final.  All 4 bowlers bowled 1 game, low score out.  The top 3 then bowled another game…low score out.  The remaining 2 then bowled for the title.

On this day, we had 84 bowlers come out for the Major Event….perfectly had 42 bowlers in each division.  The bowlers competed on the 2014 Men’s Nationals Singles/Doubles Pattern.

In Scratch, Joe Starace captured his 1st ever PJBT title.  Joe was seeded 9th after the 6 game qualifying round with a score 1232 or +32.  Scoring pace was not high or low.  Cut for top 18 bowlers was -1.  Starace made his move in match play.  He won his matches and bowled well enough to qualify as the 4th and final seed to make our elimination finals.  He only trailed tournament leader Kurtis Stidd, #2 seed Jack Celmer, and #3 seed Isaac Kim.  In the first eliminator match, Starace shot 269 and advanced with Jack Celmer (230) and Isaac Kim (224).  Stidd was eliminated with a game of 180.  In the second eliminator match, Starace shot 243 and advanced to the final match with Isaac Kim who shot 244.  Celmer was eliminated in Round 2 with a score of 223.  In the title match, Starace took on Kim.  This match was the story of 2 halves.  Kim dominated the 1st half but Starace came on strong late.  Kim got off to a hot start….he was on pace to shoot 280.  Starace hung in there early….went strike, spare, strike, spare, strike and was on a 250 pace.  In the 2nd half of the title match, Kim slightly lost the pocket and posted some spares.  Meanwhile, Starace strung some strikes and the match was even late.  Starace needed to double in the 10th to win….and he struck out.  Starace defeated Kim in the title match 249-238 to take home the $300 top scholarship prize.

In Handicap, Brendan Hunsicker bowled the day of his life and captured his 1st ever PJBT title.  Brendan, a 118 avg bowler, began qualifying with games of 115, 160, 172, 127, 129, and 149.  With these scores and handicap, Brandan stood at 1290 or +90.  That was enough to seed him in 3rd place heading into match play.  In match play, he won 2 of his 3 matches and propelled himself into the lead of the tournament after 9 games.  In the first eliminator final, Hunsicker took on #2 seed Hope Widmer, #3 seed Dakota Heltzel, and #4 seed Seth Gort.  Eliminator Match #1 saw Hunsicker bowl the highest game of 230….while Widmer & Gort advanced with scores of 187 and 178 respectively.  Dakota Heltzel was elimininated with a 157 game.  Eliminator Match #2 saw Hunsicker advance as the 2nd highest scores with 207.  Seth Gort had the highest game of 231 and Widmer was eliminated with a 173 game.  The title match was Hunsicker vs Goft.  Hunsicker got off to a quick start and never looked back.    Hunsicker defeated Gort in the title match 182-137 to take home the title and the $300 top scholarship prize.

On this day, we paid out over $1500 scholarships including our top 2 finishing girls, Taylor Forman 1229 ($50) and Sarah Kirch 1199 ($30).

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