ACME BOWL

champs Brian Monnette & Brittany Bland with girls' champ Candice Goldfinch

        Brian Monnette got swift revenge for a recent defeat, while Brittany Bland tasted JBT victory for the first time, in exciting JBT Pacific Northwest Conference action at Acme Bowl in Tukwila.

        Bowlers competed in the 'super-survivor' format, with the low game and lowest overall totals eliminated round by round.  Qualifying leader Chris Tuholski survives as twelve semifinalists were carved down to the final three, and he was joined in that round by the previous day's finalists, Brian Monnette and champ Ryan Nikolas.  In that semifinal three-way match, Nikolas cruised with 247, while Monnette edged Tuholski 204-203, to setup a rematch of the previous day's title match.

        The new 'Tower of Pisa' lane pattern played so tough that nobody averaged 200 in qualifying, but Brian and Ryan each showed why they've been the only finalists the new season has known with great bowling again.  This time though, it was Monnette who came up with the big string in the title game, blasting 11 strikes in a 279-205 rout of Nikolas, good for his 5th career JBT title, and evening the score with Ryan on the season at 1-1, and making the early points race virtually even as well- it should be a great battle all year between these two talents.

        Zoe Mahn showed the form she used to win the TPC this summer in pulling way ahead of the handicap division field, but a lingering arm injury started to show in late matches.  However, she dodged a few low-game bullets to survive into the top three.  It looked like she might escape again in the semifinal match, but Payton Edwards edged her out by one pin, 170-169, while Brittany Bland fired a 234 to coast to the title game.

        The title match between Bland and Edwards got very interesting in the late stages, and a tenth frame gutter from Edwards left Bland needing any mark in the tenth for the win, and a nine count for a tie.  Brittany's first ball left a 10-pin, and she calmly converted it for the 198-190 win, and her first career JBT title.

        Mahn had another game to go though, as she faced top seed (and fifth place handicap division finisher) Candice Goldfinch for the day's Women's Series title.  Candice left no doubt about this one, firing the front seven for a wonderful 258-177 win over Mahn, good for her first girls' title of the season.

        Big thanks to Gary and the team at Acme for a great job hosting us on a busy day.  Want in on all this fun and excitement for all ages and all averages?  Check out our schedule and come on down, that's all you have to do!