AMF DEER VALLEY

champs Ben Canfield & Jake Bryan

        Two two-handers triumphed for title number two in exciting JBT Arizona Conference action at AMF Deer Valley Lanes. 

        Joe Lewandowski opened up the scratch division stepladder finals with a 246-216 win over Curtis Lindeman.   Lewandowski then defeated Cortez Schenck 223-183, but the 13 year-old Cortez was consoled not only with the fourth place finish but by the thrill of firing a 300 game earlier in the day, the second-youngest bowler in JBT history to do so!   Canfield then stopped Lewandowski in a low scoring semifinal 178-173 to reach the title game.

        Top seed Riley Dempsey, the current scratch all-conference Bowler of the Year, was only 1-7 in title matches this season heading into the contest with ASU bowler Canfield, and it looked like he was going to break through for a win here, until an open tenth frame gave Canfield new life.  Now needing only a 20-fill in the tenth to win, Ben spared on his first ball, and calmly struck on the fill shot for the thrilling comeback 204-203 win, and the second title of his JBT career.

        Carter O'Neal opened up the 8-bowler handicap division stepladder finals with a 242 game that beat fine efforts from Kevin Badke (231) and Rashaad Jordan (219).  Zachary Rapp's 236 round two game then eliminated O'Neal (223) and Alexis Atkin (209).  Another ASU bowler, Krista Day, then rolled 224 to get by Rapp (209) and Megan Carlson (192) to reach the title match.

        Top seed Jake Bryan had earlier fires the other 300 game of the day, the first of his career and a rarity in the handicap division.  When his two-handed shot is on it can be devastating, and it was here as he poured on the strikes to beat Krista, who still had an excellent performance all day long, 245-196 for the title.  It was Jake's second win also, and the first time we can think of that two two-handers won on the same day.

        Marina Stever (not a two-hander) defeated top seed Jory Koizumi (who averaged over 240 in qualifying) 210-182 to capture the day's Impact Bowling Women's Series event.  Look out for her at the 2012 Girls TPC this July!

        Thanks as always to the great crew at Deer Valley for hosting our Tour again.  Over $2,100 in scholarships were earned by bowlers of all averages and ages 21 and under.  Want in on all this fun?  Just check out our schedule, and come on out to the next JBT event, that's all there is to it!