KEARNY MESA BOWL

champs Mark Myers & Harley Sweigart

           Mark Myers and Harley Sweigart survived the 'oadotat' format to capture JBT titles in exciting Southern California Conference action at San Diego's Kearny Mesa Bowl.

            'Oadotat' is an acronym for 'one and done or two and through': After a 5-game cut to the top 16, matchplay began, with the higher seeded bowler needing only one win to win matches, while lower seeds had to win twice.  This makes the pinfall in the first five games extremely important, even though pinfall is dropped for matchplay.  As a direct result, 14 of the first 16 matches were won by higher seeds, with only #15 Valry Swaim and #11 Wesley Low pulling off the upsets. 

            In the scratch division final four, #4 Steven Manier won twice to beat top-seeded Kyle Holder, while #2 Myers took out #2 Cameron Smith in the first game.  This set up a title match where Steven needed to win twice, and he came through in game one 187-181 in a weird game where neither bowler struck on the left lane.  The deciding game was also low scoring, but Mark remained in control the whole time for the eventual 202-191 win, and the seventh title of the defending Bowler of the Year's career.

            In the handicap division final four, #4 Megan Carlson took two games to defeat newcomer #8 Trenton Romleski, while #3 Sweigart dismissed #7 Vincent Nolan in the first match.  Harley kept on a roll in the finals, controlling the first game en route to a 223-188 win, and the second title of his JBT career.  Megan's runner-up finish was the best of the veteran's career.

            Karlie Loop defeated Valerie Riggin 192-185 for the day's Women's Series event, the first of three wins she'll need to get into the Women's All-Conference Championship next summer.  Riggin's second consecutive runner-up finish still gave her a good early lead in the female points race.

        Thanks as always to Kearny Mesa for hosting us.  Over $1,600 in scholarships were awarded- want in on all this fun?  Come on out to the next JBT event, that's all there is to it!