BUENA LANES

champs Jon Mamakos & Alex Zwingmann; Women's Series champ Courtney Schultz

        Jon Mamakos and Alex Zwingmann earned their first career JBT titles each, while Courtney Schultz notched her first Women's Series win, in exciting Southern California Conference action at Buena Lanes in Ventura.

        Brandon Turner opened up the handicap stepladder finals with a 238-178 win over Kirk Chui, who was making an amazing fifth consecutive finals at JBT events held at Buena.  Turner then got by Jacob Camacho, who also made the top-5 the previous day on a different condition, 200-176, and followed with a 242-173 win over first time finalist Austin Garrett to reach the title match.

        Top seed Alex Zwingmann used the high game of the tournament (284) to leap into the top seed, and remained in control in the title match against Turner.  The 216-186 final score gave him the first title of his young JBT career.

        The scratch division combined our tension-filled 'nervewracker' format with the choose your own fate twist of 'pick yer poison' for an intense tournament.  The top seeds picked their poison well, as the #1 through #5 seeds all advanced out of the round of 16, with #6 Matt Cormack losing only because #2 Brandon Kraye picked him to bowl. 

        In the round of eight, #1 Shane Peck beat #4 Kaitlin Mayall in a nervewracker rolloff 10-7.  #2 Kraye was upset by #15 Mark Myers 10-9 in a nervewracker, while #5 Cameron Smith swept #9 Kyle King and #12 Mamakos swept #3 Steven Manier.  In the semifinals, Myers upset Peck 2-0, while Mamakos swept Smith in two close games to set up the final.

        Myers was looking for back to back titles in a weekend, when he had previously been unable to win most of his JBT matchplay games, especially in this format.  All that was erased this weekend, but he found himself a tough opponent in Mamakos, who saved his best bowling for last in a 220-173 game one win on a tough pattern.  The final game was perhaps the best match of the day, as Jon finished at 248, forcing Myers to get all 3 strikes to win by a pin and cause a rolloff.  Mark got the first hit but not the second, and the 248-237 win wrapped up the first career title for the Camarillo bowler.

        Courtney Schultz captured the event's Women's Series title match with a 190-169 win over Kaitlin Mayall, who had been the highest female 5-game qualifier by over 100 pins.  Courtney now joins 12 other girls eligible for the $500 bouns at the Girls Invitational to be held this summer.

        Thanks as always to the great crew at Buena for hosting our Tour.  Over $1,600 in scholarships were awarded to bowlers of all averages under 21- want in on the fun?  Check out our schedule and come on out to the next JBT event, it's really as simple as that!