SO CAL INVITATIONAL

champs Zach Greim and Stephanie Hong (center) with Katelyn Abigania and Lindsay Greim

        Zach Greim and Stephanie Hong each earned $1,000 top scholarships as champions of the 2019 Junior Bowlers Tour So Cal Invitational, held at Bowlium Lanes in Montclair.

        After five qualifying games, sixteen bowlers in scratch and handicap divisions played nerve-wracking triple elimination matchplay.  Greim had earned the top seed with a blistering opening set, and was able to get through eight rounds of matchplay with two losses.  That earned him a second bye, while Las Vegas star Cerell Cardines eliminated Kyle Reed, setting up the title match.

        Cerell, a 13-time champ, could have shut out Zach with a tenth frame strike, but left a stunning split which he almost but didn't convert, giving Greim a chance at a win with a strike.  He came through with the hit to earn the title, $1,000 top prize, and 6th career JBT title.

        Zach's sister Lindsay Greim has blossomed into a JBT star in her own right this season, and was in position to add Invite champ to her resume with only one loss through nine rounds.  However, Hong, another quickly rising female star, had other ideas.  Needing to win twice to take the title, Stephanie squeaked by game one, and then blasted 246 scratch in the final to win her second JBT title and $1,000 top scholarship prize.

        Katelyn Abigania completed a dominant season in the Priorty Girls Scratch subdivision, beating Avery Domaguin for the $200 top prize, and here ninth Girls win this season.  Greim completed his dream day with a $200 win over Katelyn's brother Joshua Abigania in teh U17 side event, helping boost him to $1,230 in earnings in just one day!  

    In all, $5,383 was earned by bowlers of all averages age 21 and under.  They qualified for this bonanza by having two top-4 JBT finishes throughout the season, or finishing in the top 32 in the season-long points.  The top 20 in points now advance to the Touring Players Championship to play against the best from all nine JBT states for over $20,000!   Start your journey towards these big bucks by bowling JBT events all year when season 24 begins in September.  Check out dates, locations, and much more at www.bowljbt.com!