MIRA MESA BOWL

champs Derek Acuff & Kyle Punzalan

    Derek Acuff made JBT history with the first 300 game in the title match in nearly eleven years, while Kyle Punzalan hung on to win his first title, in exciting JBT So Cal Conference action at San Diego's Mira Mesa Bowl.

    Peter Rantins opened up the handicap stepladder finals with a 220-199 win over fellow first-time finalist Eric Ruger.  Leah Zweig then defeated Rantins 200-187.  Punzalan, who is Rantins' brother, then avenged the family with a 210-190 win over Zweig to advance to the title game.

    Top seed Kennison Andrews destroyed the pins mid-tournament to build up a solid lead which he held on to the rest of the day, but he struggled in the first half of the title game, giving Puzalan a big early lead.  Kyle returned the favor in the second half though, opening in four of the last five frames to give Andrews a chance to double for the win.  When Kennison was unable to get the first strike, a relieved Punzalan claimed the 198-191 win and the first title of his JBT career.

     13 year-old Cortez Schenck opened up the scratch division stepladder finals with a 237-228 win over previous day's champion Ronnie Fujita.  Harley Sweigart, who made the switch from handicap to scratch, proved that was a good choice with a 225-202 win over Schenck in round two.  Harley then snuck by Curtis Lindeman 231-221 in a well bowled semifinal to reach the title match.

     Top seed Derek Acuff had taken the lead away from Lindeman with a big semifinal set, but figured to have his hands full against fellow lefty Sweigart, who was bowling in his home house.  However, Derek left no room for doubt as he pured the first nine strikes to win the title, despite a fine 225 from Harley.  Now three away from tying one of our oldest and most coveted records, his shots weren't quite as perfect, but he got them all to fall, and Derek joined Matt Jones, who in April 2001 rolled the only other 300 game in a JBT title match- what a way fro Acuff to win his 9th career JBT title!  

    Brittany Kolatzny defeated Marina Stever 192-138 to win the day's Impact Bowling JBT Women's Series event, the second of three wins she needs to qualify for the Girls TPC this July.

    Thanks as always to the crew at Mira Mesa for hosting our events.  Over $1,700 in scholarships were earned by bowlers of all ages and averages- want in on the fun?  Come on down to the next JBT event, it's that simple!