In the grand tradition of basketball’s March Madness, the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs staged its own series of dramatic surprises Thursday night at Woodland Bowl.
Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli of Venezuela, who earlier in the day dominated the South Region, was eliminated from the tournament in Round Two when he finished the six-game round in 10th place. The top seven of 10 players in each Region advance to Round Three. Mike Edwards of Tulsa, OK, led the South Region in Round Two with a 1,407 pinfall total.
The Dick Weber PBA Playoffs is six-tournaments-in-one, featuring six independent regional groups bowling elimination rounds within their respective regions. The event is named in honor of the PBA Tour legend who grew up in Indianapolis.
In other Thursday night highlights, Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, FL, the PBA Tour’s all-time titles leader with 47, advanced in the Central Region in second place behind Region leader Dick Allen of Columbia, SC. Williams needs to win the PBA Playoffs, the final event of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season, in order to extend his PBA record of winning at least one title per year to 18 years.
Also in the Central Region, Troy Stus of South Lyon, MI, rolled a 224 game to win a one-game roll-off against PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber (197), Dick Weber’s son, and Kenneth Kolberg Jr. (191) of Cleveland, Ohio, after they tied for seventh place. Weber and Kolberg were eliminated from the playoffs.
In the East Region, Rhino Page of Dade City, FL, led his group after both rounds, finishing the second round with 1,421 pins, but 13-time PBA Tour champion Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, FL, finished ninth in Round Two and was eliminated after a fourth-place finish earlier in the day.
In the Midwest, Tom Hess of Urbandale, Iowa, who won his first PBA Tour title in the Bayer United States Bowling Congress Masters in February, paced his Region with 1,402 pins, but the drama in Hess’ group came from local favorite Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind., who was last after two games, but rallied with a 239 final game to earn the sixth of seven spots advancing to Friday’s Round Three.
Eugene McCune of Munster, IN, led the Southwest Region with 1,400 pins after barely sneaking into Round Two. Round One leader Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, advanced by placing fifth in Round Two.
Baltimore’s Danny Wiseman, a 12-time PBA Tour winner, paced the West/Northwest Region with 1,440 pins.
In Friday’s Round Three, the PBA Tour players who finished seventh through 12th on the 2010-11 points list will be seeded into the competition (Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, MI, in the East; Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, MI, in the Central; Norm Duke, Clermont, FL, in the South; Wes Malott, Pflugerville, TX, in the Midwest; Mike DeVaney, Murrieta, CA, in the Southwest, and Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, AZ, in the West/Northwest. After six games, the top five out of seven in each Region will advance to Round Four.
For Round Four, the six top seeds for the season – Sean Rash, Montgomery, IL, East; Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, MI, Central; Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, SC, South; Bill O’Neill, Southampton, PA, Midwest; Jason Belmonte, Australia, Southwest, and Chris Barnes, Double Oak, TX, West/Northwest – will enter the tournament for another six-game round. The top four of six per Region will advance to Round Five.
After Friday night’s Round Five, three survivors in each Region will advance to two Regional Championship and one Conference Championship television shows. The television rounds will be contested at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday for for delayed telecast on ESPN on Sunday, March 27, at 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 3, at 1 p.m. Eastern, and Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern, respectively.
The six Conference Championship survivors will return to Indianapolis on Sunday, April 17, for the final live telecast of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season. ESPN will air the finals at 1 p.m. Eastern. First prize in the event is $50,000.
All of the remaining elimination rounds are being covered live on Xtra Frame, pba.com’s exclusive online video streaming service. To subscribe, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame logo.
All rounds also are being covered via special brackets on pba.com.
DICK WEBER PBA PLAYOFFS - Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Thursday
ROUND TWO (after 6 games, top 7 per region advance to Round Three Friday morning):
East Region
1, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 1,421.
2, Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 1,382.
3, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 1,363.
4, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,356.
5, Jeffrey Voght, Canojaharie, N.Y., 1,331.
6, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 1,308.
7, Jeff Zaffino, Warren, Pa., 1,278.
Did not advance:
8, Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y., 1,246, $1,500.
9, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,194, $1,500.
10, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 1,144, $1,500.
South Region
1, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 1,407.
2, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,378.
3, Kip Roberts, Glenallen, Va., 1,347.
4, (tie) Tom Baker, King, N.C., and Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 1,345.
6, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 1,340.
7, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,331.
Did not advance:
8, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 1,320, $1,500.
9, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 1,269, $1,500.
10, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 1,204, $1,500.
Central Region
1, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,488.
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,463.
3, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 1,368.
4, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 1,353.
5, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 1,326.
6, Brian Thompson, Flat Rock, Mich., 1,320.
7, x-Troy Stus, South Lyon, Mich., 1,284.
Did not advance:
8, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,284, $1,500.
9, Kenneth Kolberg Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, 1,284, $1,500.
10, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 1,255, $1,500.
x-Stus (224) defeated Weber (197) and Kolberg (191) in a one-game roll-off for seventh place.
Midwest Region
1, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 1,402.
2, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 1,396.
3, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1,356.
4, Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., 1,341.
5, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 1,298.
6, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 1,270.
7, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,265.
Did not advance:
8, Stuart Williams, England, 1,261, $1,500.
9, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 1,251, $1,500.
10, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 1,214, $1,500.
Southwest Region
1, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,400.
2, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 1,361.
3, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 1,348.
4, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,343.
5, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,307.
6, D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 1,305.
7, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,277.
Did not advance:
8, Brett Cooper, Fort Worth, Texas, 1,252, $1,500.
9, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 1,199, $1,500.
10, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 1,164, $1,500.
West/Northwest Region
1, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 1,440.
2, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,391.
3, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 1,375.
4, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 1,357.
5, Gregory Thompson Jr., Dublin, Calif., 1,350.
6, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 1,335.
7, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,333.
Did not advance
8, Thomas Ault Jr., Portland, Ore., 1,331, $1,500.
9, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,280, $1,500.
10, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 1,194, $1,500.
ROUND ONE (after 15 games, top 9 per region advanced to Round Two Thursday evening):
East Region
1, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 3,564.
2, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 3,495.
3, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 3,408.
4, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,388.
5, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 3,351.
6, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 3,256.
7, Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y., 3,235.
7, Jeffrey Voght, Canojaharie, N.Y., 3,235.
9, Jeff Zaffino, Warren, Pa., 3,211.
Did not advance:
10, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 3,204, $1,200.
11, Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa., 3,202, $1,150.
12, Terry Miller, York, Pa., 3,199, $1,120.
13, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 3,198, $1,100.
14, David Beres, Waukesha, Wis., 3,192.
15, Jason Stadtler, Cherry Hill, N.J., 3,142.
16, John Furey, East Windsor, N.J., 3,118.
17, Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., 3,045.
18, Jason Weaver, Denver, Pa., 3,004.
19, Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., 2,988.
20, Charles Anderson, Sloatsburg, N.Y., 2,969.
21, Kevin Cartier, Beverly, N.J., 2,962.
22, Stephen Haas, Enola, Pa., 2,961.
23, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 2,888.
24, Michael Tweed Sr., Camp Hill, Pa., 2,743.
South Region
1, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3,521.
2, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 3,442.
3, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3,394.
4, Kip Roberts, Glenallen, Va., 3,363.
5, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 3,329.
6, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 3,318.
7, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 3,287.
8, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,255.
9, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3,247.
Did not advance:
10, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 3,237, $1,200.
11, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,220, $1,150.
12, Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md., 3,203, $1,120.
13, Dave Arnold, Dublin, Calif., 3,167.
14, Ronnie Horton, Christiansburg, Va., 3,165.
15, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 3,164.
16, Joseph Hostetler, Minerva, Ohio, 3,157.
17, Christopher Collins, Savannah, Ga., 3,089.
18, Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 3,079.
19, Ron Schoenbachler, Indianapolis, 3,065.
20, Seby Silvestri, Louisville, Ky., 3,050.
21, (tie) Richard Chmura, Lumberton, N.C., and Steve Taylor, Madison Heights, Va., 3,017.
23, Josh Chambliss, Charleston, S.C., 3,015.
Central Region
1, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,404.
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,357.
3, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 3,327.
4, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 3,314.
5, Brian Thompson, Flat Rock, Mich., 3,305.
6, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 3,302.
7, Troy Stus, South Lyon, Mich., 3,252.
8, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 3,240.
9, Kenneth Kolberg Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, 3,212.
Did not advance:
10, Jack Laffey, Indianapolis, 3,211, $1,200.
11, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 3,207, $1,150.
12, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,201, $1,120.
13, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 3,161.
14, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 3,137.
15, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 3,128.
16, Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 3,120.
17, Larry Verble, Mason, Mich., 3,063.
18, Tim Bell, Garden City, Mich, 3,061.
19, Paul Gibson, Brunswick, Ohio, 3,056.
20, Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio, 3,028.
21, Matt Freiberg, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,969.
22, Carleton Chambers, Detroit, 2,898.
23, Ted Rosenquist Jr., Valparaiso, Ind., 2,860.
Midwest Region
1, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 3,541.
2, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3,540.
3, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 3,445.
4, Stuart Williams, England, 3,433.
5, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 3,409.
6, Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., 3,402.
7, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 3,333.
8, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 3,274.
9, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 3,271.
Did not advance:
10, Marc Heninger, Tonganoxie, Kan., 3,212, $1,200.
11, Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, 3,198, $1,150.
12, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 3,189, $1,120.
13, Chad Maas, Waukesha, Wis., 3,168.
14, Mark London, Ingleside, Ill., 3,133.
15, Quinton Bohlen, Decorah, Iowa, 3,104.
16, Dallas Baldridge, Lenexa, Kan., 3,061.
17, Brian Menini, Brookfield, Mo., 2,987.
18, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 2,986.
19, Tim Mack, Indianapolis, 2,957.
20, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 2,946.
21, John Slavich IV, Schaumburg, Ill., 2,898.
22, Nick Weber, Foristell, Mo., 2,842.
23, Jason Wojnar, Chicago, withdrew.
300 game – Jack Jurek.
Southwest Region
1, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 3,475.
2, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 3,453.
3, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,401.
4, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3,385.
5, D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 3,360.
6, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 3,322.
7, Brett Cooper, Fort Worth, Texas, 3,301.
8, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 3,187.
9, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 3,182.
Did not advance:
10, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 3,147, $1,200.
11, Bill Alexander, San Angelo, Texas, 3,133, $1,150.
12, Chris Hibbitts II, Ft Worth, Texas, 3,116, $1,120.
13, Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan., 3,108.
14, Kurt Gengelbach, Carrollton, Texas, 3,088.
15, Jim Carter, Keller, Texas, 3,075.
16, Andy Patterson, Tyler, Texas, 3,036.
17, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 2,994.
18, Andy Mortensen, Tulsa, Okla., 2,977.
19, Danny Neill, Allen, Texas, 2,972.
20, Kris Koeltzow, Wheat Ridge, Colo., 2,936.
21, Robert McBride, Mesquite, Texas, 2,839.
22, Darren Comardelle, Gretna, La., 2,750.
23, Mike Keily, Littleton, Colo., 2,646.
300 game – Stevie Weber.
West/Northwest Region
1, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 3,576.
2, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 3,543.
3, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,524.
4, Gregory Thompson Jr., Dublin, Calif., 3,506.
5, Thomas Ault Jr., Portland, Ore., 3,435.
6, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 3,414.
7, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 3,405.
8, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 3,364.
9, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 3,351.
Did not advance:
10, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 3,322, $1,200.
11, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 3,315, $1,150.
12, Corey Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 3,303, $1,120.
13, Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 3,302.
14, Rick Francis, Linden, Calif., 3,275.
15, Jon Brandon, Santa Clarita, Calif., 3,207.
16, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 3,111.
17, Justin Howard, Rushville, Ind., 3,018.
18, Andre Eubanks, Los Angeles, 3,005.
19, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 2,972.
20, Kerry Fulford, Brownwood, Texas, 2,906.
21, John Wilcox, Kirkland, Wash., 2,576.
22, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, withdrew.
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Kulick was a near-unanimous selection with 46 of 48 first-place votes from BWAA members. With each vote worth five points and no second- or third-place votes (two and one point, respectively), Kulick totaled 230 points. Wendy Macpherson of Henderson, NV, received the other two top votes but finished third in the voting with 25 points behind Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, NY, with 43. Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, was fourth with 16 points and Brenda (Edwards) Padilla of Mansfield, Texas, fifth with 14. 
Kulick had one of the greatest years of any bowler in 2010. In January, she became the first woman to win a Professional Bowlers Association national title in the PBA Tournament of Champions. In April, she captured her second United States Bowling Congress Queens title. And just two weeks later, she won the U.S. Women's Open. 
