Ciminelli Tops PBA Viper Championship on Sunday

Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, NY, with a strike in the 10th frame of his final game Sunday, captured the top berth for the Professional Bowlers Association’s Viper Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge at South Point Bowling Center, Las Vegas, NV.

 

The Viper Championship is the second of five PBA Tour events that compose the PBA World Series of Bowling V.
Ciminelli, who won his only PBA Tour title in the 2011 Earl Anthony Memorial, battled for the lead all day, but didn’t make the move into first place until the final frame of his 14th game. His 268 final game gave him a total of 3,244 pins (231.71 average) and the lead by 18 pins over Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas. England’s Stuart Williams finished third and Australia’s Jason Belmonte earned the fourth berth in the Nov. 2 Viper finals with a 3,178 total, 32 pins ahead of D.J. Archer of Friendswood, Texas, who rolled the only 300 of the Viper event in the final game.

 

“Considering how demanding the lane conditions were, I threw a lot of strikes,” Ciminelli said. “The lanes were just downright tough, especially after the high scores we had Saturday (in the Cheetah Championship).

 

“The first three games today, I had the pocket, but I couldn’t knock pins over. I figured the day was going to be short, just like it was Saturday. But I changed balls and the pins started falling. It didn’t matter if I hit the pocket light, heavy, whatever. As long as I kept my feet slow and got the ball out on the lane, everything fell into place.”

 

NFL all-pro wide receiver Terrell Owens, who is making is professional bowling debut in the World Series, averaged 145.71 on the Viper lane condition Sunday.

 

“Bad day,” he said. “It’s frustrating because I know I can do better, but it’s all a learning process. I’m a competitive person. I’m not going to give up.”

 

All qualifying rounds from the World Series are being covered live on PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel, and via “live scoring” on pba.com. For daily, monthly or yearly subscriptions to Xtra Frame, click on the Xtra Frame link on the pba.com home page.

 

PBA VIPER CHAMPIONSHIP presented by PBA Bowling Challenge

South Point Bowling Center, Las Vegas, Sunday

 

SEMIFINAL ROUND STANDINGS (after 14 games; top 4 advance to ESPN stepladder finals at 3 p.m. PT on Saturday, Nov. 2, at South Point Exhibition Hall B)

1, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,244.
2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,226.
3, Stuart Williams, England, 3,207.
4, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 3,178.
5, D.J. Archer, Friendswood, Texas, 3,146, $4,000.
6, Joonas Jehkinen, Finland, 3,112, $3,500.
7, Shota Kawazoe, Japan, 3,107, $3,000.
8, E.J. Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 3,097, $2,500.
9, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,091, $2,200.
10, Paul Moor, England, 3,053, $2,000.
11, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 3,050, $1,800.
12, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 3,032, $1,700.
13, Dom Barrett, England, 3,017, $1,650.
14, Patrick Girard, Canada, 2,998, $1,600.
15, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 2,995, $1,550.
16, Mike Keily, Golden, Colo., 2,994, $1,500.
17, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 2,973, $1,450.
18, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 2,971, $1,400.
19, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,957, $1,350.
20, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 2,933, $1,300.
21, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2,913, $1,263.
21, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 2,913, $1,263.
23, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 2,897, $1,225.
24, Greg Ostrander, Freehold, N.J., 2,891, $1,200.

 

300 Games: D.J. Archer.

Pete Weber Moves Ito the Lead at Barbasol PBATournament of Champions

Pete Weber of St. Ann, MO, in his bid to tie the late Earl Anthony for the most Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) major titles won, charged into the second round lead in the Barbasol PBA Tournament of Champions (TOC) Wednesday night at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis, IN.

Weber, at age 50, averaged 242.19 including the only 300 game in the second round to finish with a 16-game total of 3,875 pins. With eight more qualifying games remaining Thursday before the cut to the top 24 for round-robin match play, the PBA Hall of Famer, Weber held a 41-pin lead over reigning PBA Player of the Year Sean Rash of Montgomery, IL.

Weber, a 36-time PBA Tour titlist, ranks fourth on the all-time PBA Tour titles list behind Walter Ray Williams Jr. (47), Earl Anthony (43) and Norm Duke (37). He is trying for his 10th major championship to equal Anthony’s record and his 37th overall title to tie Duke for third place on the career titles list. He won two of his major titles – the 1991 U.S. Open and 1992 Touring Players Championship – at Woodland Bowl.

“I kinda like it here. I have always enjoyed bowling here,” Weber said. “Winning this one would let me complete the Triple Crown for the second time (he has won the other two legs of the Triple Crown multiple times; the U.S. Open a record five times and the PBA World Championship twice).”

No player has ever won all three PBA Triple Crown events twice.

“I’ve bowled well all year, but something was missing,” Weber added. “My brother Rich straightened it out. It was just a smidgeon in my timing, but it worked. I just feel a lot more confident, and when you have a good reaction and good carry, it just loosens the swing up that much more.”

History is on the line, but Weber isn’t concerned about it.

“I don’t think about the majors. That’s the least thing I worry about,” he said. “It’s not Sunday. I’m thinking about making the top 24 first, and then if I make it to the TV show on Sunday, I’ll think about winning. Not now.”

Rash, with 3,834 pins, was followed by Osku Palermaa of Finland with a 3,825 total; first-round leader Scott Norton of Mission Viejo, CA, in fourth place with 3,812 and Stuart Williams of England in fifth place with 3,757 pins.

The TOC continues Thursday with the final eight-game qualifying round at 10 a.m. The top 24 players based on 24-game pinfall totals will then advance to an eight-game round-robin match play round at 5 p.m. The final two eight-game match play rounds will be held Friday at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. After 48 games, the top five players will advance to Sunday’s live ESPN stepladder finals at 2:30 p.m. ET.

All qualifying and match play rounds of the Tournament of Champions (and the PBA Hall of Fame induction ceremonies Saturday night) will be covered live, exclusively on PBA’s online bowling channel, Xtra Frame. For subscription information, visit pba.com.

BARBASOL PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Wednesday

Round Two (after 16 qualifying games)

1, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 3,875.
2, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 3,834.
3, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 3,825.
4, Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 3,812.
5, Stuart Williams, England, 3,757.
6 (tie), Dom Barrett, England, and Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3,703.
8, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 3,701.
9, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 3,676.
10, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,675.
11, Mike DeVaney, Hemet, Calif., 3,671.
12, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 3,668.
13, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 3,651.
14, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 3,648.
15, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,644.
16, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 3,639.
17, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 3,631.
18 (tie), Andres Gomez, Colombia, and Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 3,617.
20, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 3,606.
21, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,602.
22 (tie), Mike Fagan, Dallas, and Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 3,588.
24, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,586.
25, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 3,564.
26 (tie), Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, and Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,551.
28, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 3,541.
29 (tie), Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., and Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 3,537.
31, Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 3,534.
32, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 3,521.
33, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 3,516.
34 (tie), Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., and Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 3,504.
36, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 3,500.
37, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 3,496.
38, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 3,469.
39, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 3,466.
40, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 3,465.
41, John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 3,455.
42, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3,450.
43, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 3,438.
44, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 3,436.
45 (tie), Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, and Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,419.
47, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,415.
48, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,401.
49, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 3,367.
50, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 3,361.
51, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 3,345.
52, George Branham III, Indianapolis, 3,247.
53, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, withdrew, injury.

300 Games: Mike Scroggins, Scott Norton, Scott Newell, Pete Weber.

Belmonte Over Malott for USBC Masters Title

Australian two-handed star Jason Belmonte picked up his first major title and became just the second foreign player to win the United States Bowling Congress Masters on Sunday in front of a capacity crowd at Brunswick Zone Carolier.

Belmonte defeated Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, 258-245, to win the $50,000 first-place prize and a major title on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. The victory was his sixth career PBA Tour title.

“This is without a doubt the greatest feeling I’ve ever had on a pair of the lanes,” said Belmonte, who joined Finland’s Mika Koivuniemi as the only foreign players to win the Masters. “You come out on the PBA Tour, the hardest tour in the world with the greatest players in the world, and at the top of that tree are the majors. To finally get atop one and check the view out for the first time is golden. It’s absolutely beautiful.”

The title match was filled with drama in the final frame as Belmonte delivered three strikes, including a heart-stopping second shot in the 10th when a pin darted across to take out the 10 pin at the last second.

Belmonte’s perfect 10th frame, capping a string of six strikes in a row, forced Malott to match him with three strikes of his own to take the title by one pin. Malott’s first shot barely struck with the 4 pin falling late, but his second shot went high and left the 3-6-10, giving the title to Belmonte.

“Watching that 4 pin fall at first I was like ‘oh no,’ but then I had an overwhelming feeling that if it was meant to be it would be,” said Belmonte, who went undefeated in the double-elimination match-play bracket to earn the top seed for the finals. “It was like the tension just doubled, and there was already a lot of tension. I can assure you the last thing I thought I was going to see was Wes not get the ball to the pocket.”

After the loss, Malott said a distraction caught his eye on the second shot in the 10th and caused him to pull the ball left.

“Someone in the crowd caught me in the 11th frame. I don’t want to say anything against the fans in New Jersey because they’ve been great, and it happened to some other guys during the week, but it’s a bummer, a heart-breaker,” Malott said. “It happened during the biggest tournament of my career, when I had a chance to win, but I’ll take the positives from this week and move forward. That’s all I can do.”

Malott, who entered the day as the No. 3 seed, advanced to the title match with a 202-185 victory over England’s Stuart Williams in the semifinal. Malott took down PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III of Jackson, NJ, 255-248, in his first match of the day.

The stepladder finals started with a bang as Bohn opened the first game with the first eight strikes against Koivuniemi in a 278-246 victory.

The Masters, which featured a total prize fund of $325,000, is part of the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour. A sold-out field of 468 players from 13 countries started the week in their quest to take home the trophy.

 

Final standings

1, Jason Belmonte, Australia 258 (one game), $50,000

2, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 702 (three games), $25,000

3, Stuart Williams, England, 185 (one game), $18,000

4, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 526 (two games), $13,000

5, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 246 (one game), $10,000

Palermaa First Finalist For PBA World Championships

Finland’s Osku Palermaa took a big step forward in his quest to win his second Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) title, advancing to the finals of the PBA World Championship by eliminating PBA Tour veteran Jack Jurek of Lackawanna, NY, and England’s Stuart Williams and Dom Barrett in the Don Carter Division finals that aired Sunday on ESPN. 

Palermaa, Europe’s premier two-handed bowling star, won the first of four PBA World Championship elimination rounds at South Point Hotel Exhibition Hall in Las Vegas, NV, with a 223-188 victory over Barrett in the final game of the Carter finals. The divisional finals consist of three one-game rounds, starting with four players, and eliminating the lowest-scoring player after each game with the surviving player advancing to the PBA World Championship finals on Jan. 15.

In the opening game, Barrett led the group with a 257 game, Williams followed with a 215, Palermaa posted a 187 and Jurek was the first man eliminated with a 169. Back-to-back unconverted splits in the second and third frames contributed to Jurek’s early exit.

Barrett again led the group in the second game with a 201, Palermaa was second with a 188 and Williams was eliminated with a 170 game. In game three, three splits which he failed to convert doomed Barrett’s bid to advance to the World Championship final round.

The Carter finals were conducted on the PBA’s Viper lane condition, selected by Williams as the highest qualifier in the field of four.

Palermaa, who won his first PBA Tour title in the GEICO Shark Championship during the 2010 PBA World Series of Bowling, will join the winners of the Billy Hardwick, Johnny Petraglia and Mike Aulby Division finals in the PBA World Championship finals on Jan. 15 on ESPN. The PBA World Championship offers a $50,000 first prize and the first major title of the 2011-12 PBA Tour season.

“It was difficult today,” Palermaa said. “We didn’t make the lane condition easy. The key was to try to bowl a clean game, because no one was going to strike a lot.”

Palermaa, one of 52 international players who represented 16 countries in the World Series of Bowling, said his international experience was a big help in Las Vegas.

“We bowl on everything in all different kinds of environments,” Palermaa said of his world-wide experience. “We have to be good on all kinds of conditions or we don’t get a paycheck.

“I’ve been battling a flu-like virus for almost two months,” he added. “I’m feeling better, but if I can bowl like this in the finals, maybe I’ll want to be sick again.”

The Billy Hardwick Division finalists will be the next World Championship group to bowl. Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, MI, who won the 2009 PBA World Championship for his only PBA Tour title, is the top qualifier in the Hardwick group and selected the Scorpion pattern as the lane condition for the second eliminator round. Other Hardwick Division players will be Venezuela’s Ildemaro Ruiz, Colombia’s Andres Gomez, and four-time PBA Tour titlist Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, NY. Ruiz, who is making his PBA television debut, and Gomez are both seeking their first PBA Tour titles.

The Hardwick Division finals air Sunday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. A special pre-game show will be webcast beginning Wednesday on pba.com’s Xtra Frame and a post-game Xtra Frame interview with the winner will immediately follow Sunday’s telecast.


PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DON CARTER DIVISION FINALSSouth Point Exhibition Hall, Las Vegas

Round One (lowest score eliminated): Dom Barrett, England, 257; Stuart Williams, England, 215; Osku Palermaa, Finland, 187; Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 169 ($4,000).

Round Two (lowest score eliminated): Barrett 201, Palermaa 188, Williams 170 ($4,500).

Championship (winner advances to PBA World Championship finals): Palermaa def. Barrett ($5,000), 223-188.

PBA World Championships on ESPN