AMF SHEA VILLAGE

champs Kyle King & KJ Martinez, Women's Series champ Courtney Dutton and runner-up Marina Stever

        Kyle King tied one of the most prestigious records in junior bowling, but KJ Martinez, Courtney Dutton, and Britni Glasspool took good shares of the spotlight too, in exciting JBT Arizona Conference action at AMF Shea Village.

        Our popular survivor format means low-bowler-out matches throughout the center after the regular 5-game qualifier.  That was not the best news for Mark Myers, who had a great shot at our all-time 5-game scoring record before settling 13 pins short at +311 for five games- wow!  However, no matter how high you score, you have to survive your survivor matches, and he bowed out in the round of 8, finishing in 5th place. 

        In semifinal matches, King got by Matt Herbert 234-22, while Anthony Tripi, who had survived with some lower scores, turned it up big time for a 258-214 win over Nick Lee to set up the title match.

        King would seem to have the statistical edge in his bid for title #42 and JBT history against Tripi, whose career high finish was 2nd and was making his first final of the season.  However, Anthony was uninterested in stats, and put up a brilliant game, only to be matched shot for shot by Kyle.  After a tenth frame strike, King left a 4-9 in the 11th frame, to finish with 258, and giving Tripi a chance to strike out to win.  Anthony flushed the first hit, but the second was a pinch high for a 4-pin, and the dramatic 258-248 finish gave King the record-tying win.

        The handicap field was eventually reduced to six survivor, and in that round Maura Swaim beat Megan Carlson 250-168, Marina Stever edged Derek Acuff 219-217, and Martinez ousted Kelsey Rhodes 219-191.   In a three-way semifinal, Martinez and Swaim advanced, while Stever was eliminated in third, to set up the title match.

        KJ, just shy of his 11th birthday, is yet another example of our slogan 'any age, any average' being fact, not fiction.  He got off to a fast start, but a determined Swaim made a huge comeback to bring the match down to the late frames.  However, KJ just kept on marking, and the resulting 239-216 win was good for his first career JBT title- his big brother and sister both have multiple top 5s, but KJ is the first in the family with the win!

        Courtney Dutton captured the day's JBT Women's Series event with a 224-222 win over Marina Stever in one of the best women's series title matches in recent memory.  Dutton is now eligible for the $500 bonus at the Girls Invitational, this August in Las Vegas.

        As if all this wasn't enough, Britni Glasspool thrilled the crowd by capturing the $500 PowerBowl jackpot!  Calling shots of 7 pins, 6, and then 5, she nailed all three for the windfall more than making up for an otherwise mediocre day.  Not bad for three shots of bowling, huh?  Again, folks, all ages and averages are cashing in on these opportunities that only JBT offers- if you're not here, why the heck not? 

        But wait, there's more!  Zach Simon and Michael Bonkowske picked up $25 scholarships each as winners of the Impact Challenge, presented by Impact Bowling, a huge supporter of JBT.  They are at 99th Ave and Bell in NW Phoenix- check them out, and say thanks!

       Thanks to the crew at Shea for another great job hosting our Tour.  Over $2,100 in scholarships were awarded, boosted by $100 each to Kyle and Taylor for winning with Ebonite, our title sponsor's equipment.  Want in on all this fun?  Check out our schedule and come bowl a JBT event soon, it's that easy!