Bowlers can expect a challenging but fair shot when they compete in Sunday’s Northern Bowlers Association’s season-ending Bob Guild Memorial at Del Lanes.
Tournament director Karl Bieber said that 56 bowlers are eligible to compete in the open division, and six more are eligible in the women’s division.
As usual, Riverfront Insuring Agency is the title sponsor and has supported every NBA event this season. Entry fee is $55.
“I would like to see 40 to 45 bowlers show up, but realistically, I would hope everyone who is eligible would show up for a chance to win some good money,” said Bieber, who added that the top prize most likely will be $800, based on 40 entries. “I hope to pay at least one in three bowlers. Even in the women’s division, which has a separate prize fund, the money should be good. I would say if six women show up, we will probably pay half of them. I would think it’s worth showing up for that.”
Bieber said that Del Lanes will put up a tough shot that won’t be a house pattern.
“Del Lanes has been very accommodating for us in the past,” he said. “They are willing to put out a tournament shot. The last time we bowled there, they put out some sort of USBC tournament shot. They know how I feel about tournament play, and we go way back with them.”
Bieber said the caliber of bowler in the Capital Region should still excel, no matter what the condition, but he doesn’t want to see the NBA’s championship event become a shootout.
“Between the competitiveness around here and the equipment, someone will match up with the condition. But I’d say we’d like to see someone average 225 or 230. We don’t want to see somebody averaging 250.”
The format will be the usual five-game sweeper, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Brackets will be available.
There have been five regular-season tournaments run so far. Matt Sherman won the inaugural event at Uncle Sam Lanes in Troy and won $520. John Riozzi captured the Stockade Open at Boulevard Bowl and picked up $750, with Marissa Martinek taking the women’s division and winning $160.
Joe Mazuryk won the NBA event at Sunset Lanes and earned $775, with Helen Waite earning $200 for taking the women’s division.
Former touring pro Brian LeClair was the champion of the Sportsman’s Open. He cashed for $525, and Kim Gardner won $200 for taking the women’s crown.
Ron Gardner came out on top in the final regular-season event at Olympic Lanes in Menands. He won $575. Jenean Bailey was the women’s division champion.
STRIKES & SPARES
Justin Carl of Albany finished off a wire-to-wire victory by defeating Morgan Ruggeri of Johnstown, 189-159, in the championship game of the Capital District Youth Scholarship Tour members-only tournament at Hi-Way Recreation last Saturday. Carl earned a $400 scholarship, and Ruggieri won a $250 scholarship. Other scholarship winners were Ricky Rovelli of Albany ($225), points leader Jonathan Bowman of Peru ($125), Zachary Doty of Nassau ($100), Casey Schoonmaker of Albany ($75) and Patrick DeVoe of Delmar ($50) in the boys’ division, along with Natasha Bidwell of Schenectady ($150), Lindsey Rosen of Troy ($100) and Allison Carola of Mechanicville ($50) in the girls’ division. The season-ending CDYST Masters will be held May 10 at Town ’N Country Lanes. Only members who have competed in four tournaments are eligible.
The Towne Bowling Academy and Carbone Auto Group’s inaugural Kentucky Derby Day tournament, the culmination of the point-system events at Towne BA all season, will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $40, and top prize will be a minimum of $1,000. There will be a prime rib dinner included in the entry fee. There is a minimum of $1,500 added purse money. One in four bowlers will cash. Bowlers must have competed in at least four point tournaments to be eligible for the Derby Day event.
Sportsman’s Bowl will offer spring leagues on Tuesdays (junior youth, youth bumper, and semi-classic) and Thursdays (senior mixed league, PBA experience league, adult-youth league and mixed league). Open bowling will be offered on Fridays and Saturdays. Sportsman’s also will be open Sundays from noon to 6 p.m., beginning July 20.
The Rolling Greens “Summer League” begins Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Call RG at 381-4848 for more information.
The annual USBC Schenectady Bowling Association Hall of Fame and awards ceremony will be held June 3 at the Water’s Edge Lighthouse in Glenville.
This is my final bowling column of the year. See you next fall.
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