GOLD COAST LANES

champs Ben Canfield & Tyler Fujimoto

        Ben Canfield and Tyler Fujimoto are at the extremes of the JBT height and age spectrums, but they're both champions, earning titles in exciting Mojave Conference action at Gold Coast Lanes in Las Vegas.

        Eric Hatchett and Dallas Leong opened the scratch division stepladder finals with an unusually high scoring (albeit mulligan-aided) match on the super-challenging Bear pattern, with Eric coming out on top 258-242.  Hatchett then got past KJ Martinez 224-181.  Canfield stopped Hatchett's run with a 246-229 semifinal win to move on the title match.

        Cortez Schenck used a huge 274 game six to vault into the lead, but did not have the right look on the championship pair, rapidly burning through the four 'mulligans' he had stockpiled, while Ben only needed to use one to lock up a 227-174 win, and the 23rd title of his illustrious JBT career.

        Dee Handley began the handicap stepladder finals with a 191-183 over Abby Franklin.  Tyler Hedges then won round two over Dee 204-169 to set up a most interesting semifinal match.  Hedges suddenly became the older and taller Tyler on the pair, as the 9 year-old took on 6 year-old Tyler Fujimoto (check out the picture below).  Giving 50 pins was a new experience for Hedges, and his consequent struggles helped Fujimoto to a 212-172 win to move up to the title match.

        Zach Rapp survived very well on the brutal pattern, as his +52 score, which doesn't even make the first cut some days, was good enough to lead the tournament today.  What carry he had found went away in the title game, though, as too many 9 counts sealed a 204-179 victory for Fujimoto.  Tyler becomes the fourth youngest bowler to win a JBT title, behind Ashley Lamb, Stacey Lamb, and Sebastian Polhill.  We say any age and any average, and Tyler is the latest to show just how true that is!

        Leah Glazer was the top girls' qualifier by one pin over Dee Handley, but it was Dee who came away with a 192-149 win for the day's women's series title.

        Thanks as always to the team at Gold Coast for hosting our Tour.  Want in on the fun?  Just check out our schedule and come on down!