AMF TEMPE VILLAGE

champs Derek Acuff & Cassie Collins

        Derek Acuff dominated, while Cassie Collins needed overtime to win, in exciting JBT Arizona Conference action at AMF Tempe Village.

        The exciting 'survivor' action features low-bowler out tension on each pair as qualifiers are knocked out until one remains.  Twenty scratch survivors were carved down to four, and in those semifinal matches, Derek Acuff trounced all-time JBT titles leader Kyle King 268-236, while Danny Varholdt got exactly the 20-fill in the tenth he needed to get past Cameron Smith (#4 in all-time titles) 224-223.  In the resulting title match, Acuff, who averaged nearly 250 since a game four ball change, stayed red-hot, beating Varholdt 247-183 for the win, the 12th of his career (good for 13th on the all-time list).

       In the handicap division, twenty-four survivors were whittled down to four, and in those semifinals, Cassie Collins stopped Stan Bunce 202-174, while in a high scoring battle, Shelby Dempsey beat Jake Hilton 273-245.  The ensuing all-female title match remained neck and neck, and Shelby's 18-fill in the tenth resulted in a 187 tie, forcing a two-frame rolloff.  Visibly nervous, Collins still came through with the shots she needed to win the rolloff 48-45 and earn her first career JBT title.

       Jory Koizumi defeated Marina Stever 246-187 to win the day's Impact Bowling JBT Women's Series match. It was Jory's fourth Women's Series win, while Stever picks up more valuable points in the Girls Bowler of the Year race.

      Thanks to the crew at Tempe Village for hosting our event, which awarded over $1,900 in scholarships to bowlers of all averages and ages.