KEARNY MESA BOWL

champs Marco Flores & Yael Salama with Richard Paul III, Sterling Lopez & Brandon Lim; Girls winner Avery Domaguin

         Marco Flores and Yael Salama each earned their first JBT titles in exciting JBT Southern California Conference action at Kearny Mesa Bowl in San Diego.

        Bowlers were challenged by a tricky short pattern that kept scores low most of the day, but the top scratch bowlers really started to figure it out towards the end, as the last few 'super survivors' really showed their talents.  In the scratch division quarterfinal, Marco Flores rolled the second highest game of the event, a 276, and Solomon Salama was right behind with 252, joining qualifying leader Richard Paul, who "only" had 222 to form the final three.  In that match, Flores blasted 256 and Richard fired 246, leaving Salama in third with 196.   In the finale, it was Flores, untested in JBT title matches, sparing in the tenth to beat Paul, a northern California star with Team USA experience, 191-182, to earn his first career JBT title in style!

         The handicap division was also eventually whittled down to three bowlers, and in that match, Sterling Lopez (247) and Solomon's sister Yael (226) advanced over Brian Lim (213) to set up the finale.  In the title game, Lopez struggled a bit, while Yael finished with a flourish, doubling in the ninth and tenth for a 223-178 win over Lopez for her first career JBT title.  If she keeps this up, they may start referring to Solomon as "Yael's brother" instead of the reverse!

        The last thing Richard and Solomon wanted to do after their tough losses may have been to bowl again, but they put on a great show anyway in the U17 finale, with RPIII escaping 239-235, which also marked the first time Solomon has ever lost a U17 title match!  In the Priority Girls scratch division, 10 year-old talent Avery Domaguin broke through with a 224-146 win over Ashley Wilcox for the first of what may be many girls scratch wins.

        Huge thanks to MSC, Priority Girl, and Ebonite for significant contributions to the day's prize fund that help make So Cal JBT the place to be!  Want in on all we have to offer?  Just check out our schedule and come on down, that's all you have to do!