SURF BOWL

champs Matt Chesnut & Preston Carrasco with Solomon Salama, Nolan Am-Khong, & Secilia Kalvelage

            Matt Chesnut and Preston Carrasco joined the JBT champions' club, each earning titles in exciting action at Oceanside's venerable Surf Bowl.

            Ryan Lee began the scratch division stepladder finals with a 219-154 win over Kennison Andrews.  Lee then won a mulligan-aided thriller against Nolan Am-Khong 238-235.  Solomon Salama then relegated Ryan to third place for teh second straight day, beating him 248-204 to reach yet another title match. 

            Top seed Matt Chesnut rolled the high game of the tournament, a 288, in the final game of round two to blow past the field.  In a well bowled match on a tricky pattern, Matt came up with the strikes when he needed them late in a 225-212 win over the always tough Salama to earn his first career JBT title.

            Elias O'Hollaren opened the handicap division stepladder with a 215-199 win over Secilia Kalvelage.  Dawson Reese then continued his terrific season with a 223-178 win over O'Hollaren.      Dawson then struck out in the tenth for a thrilling 221-219 win over Emily Cheesman, who was still the best dressed bowler in the field, to advance to the title game.

            Top seed Preston Carrasco was a little worried about bowling with the big guys before the event, but it should have been the big guys worried about Preston.  Carrasco proved once again that any age and any average can do well in JBT, as he was brilliant all day and continued to be untouchable in the finale against Reese to earn his first career JBT title.

            It was a pair of firsts in the U17 subdivision, as Nolan Am-Khong fired 235 to win his first U17 event, while Solomon suffered his first U17 losing streak, as Kevin Banaag beat him the day before (we think he'll recover just fine).  In Priority Girls Scratch, Kalvelage had had such a bad day Saturday that she considered not bowling this event- wisely, she got herself sorted and was wonderful all day, capping it off with a win over Destiny Johnson for her first Girls Scratch victory.

            Gigantic thanks to Chris Andrews at MSC for a very generous contribution to the weekend's prize funds, which combined with our other great sponsors and terrific host Surf Bowl's accommodating rates, allowed over $4,000 to be awarded to all ages and averages!  Want in on all this fun for everyone?  Just check out our schedule and come on down!