BRC WEST COVINA LANES

champs Joe Grondin & Brittany Bland

        Joe Grondin and Brittany Bland captured JBT titles in exciting Southern California Conference action at BRC West Covina Lanes.

        Two newcomers opened the handicap division stepladder finals, with Timothy Kessler defeating Ryan Howieson 184-139.  Kessler then escaped with a 222-219 win over Renee Gentry, and followed with a 208-168 win over Eric Phillips to advance to the championship match.

        Top seed Brittany Bland is a two time winner in the Pac NW Conference this season, and she made her trip south well worth it, with a top-5 finish yesterday, and her tenth frame spare which locked up a 222-212 win in a well bowled title match by both, good for the third title of her JBT career.

        Frames were hard to fill on the tough Mexico City pattern in the scratch stepladder, as evidenced by Harley Sweigart grinding out a 186-177 win over Ryan Lee to begin the stepladder.  Dallas Leong then beat Sweigart 190-180, and followed with a 189-151 win over previous day's winner Cortez Schenck to advance to the title game.

        Joe Grondin took over the top seed in the last game of matchplay, and stayed in control for most of the well-bowled title match, but a tenth frame split gave Leong an opportunity to double in the tenth to steal the title away.  Dallas' first shot looked pure, but a pocket 7-10 denied him the win, and a relieved Grondin earned his 6th career title with the 212-194 final score.

        Gentry and Kaylee Am-Khong went at it again in the girls' title match, and after Renee's one pin win yesterday, it was more heartbreak for Kaylee this time unfortunately, as a missed tenth frame spare gave Gentry the chance to mark for the win, which she did for a 181-178 win an the weekend sweep of the women's events.

        Thanks to the crew at West Covina for hosting out Tour.  Want in on this fun for all ages and averages?  Check out our website and come on down!