ALL-BAKER 5-PERSON SHOOTOUT

champs Matt Cormack, Randy Cote, Mike Ingeman, Brian Makan, and Dan Delano

A bunch of "No-Talent Lefties" proved themselves to be anything but, in capturing the JBT's first-ever 5-Person Team Tournament at Glenfair Lanes.

24 teams rolled 10 Baker-style games before a cut was made to the top 12 for best 2-of-3 Baker competition.  An intense, college tournament-like atmosphere made for perhaps one of the most fun JBT events ever, but the five pictured above might have had the best time, leading the qualifier with 2278 for 10 games.

Round one of matchplay saw all four matches swept, all by the higher seeds except the 6-11 match, where "The Crypts" upset "K&K Bowling Services" to advance.

In round two, the top four qualifying teams joined in, and three of those four survived in thrilling matches which all went to three games.  #4 "Ballin!" beat The Crypts 225-200, 202-214, and 222-213.  #1 "No Talent Lefties" beat #8 "Team B.B.A.C.K." 242-182, 192-293, and 248-179.  #2 "Alphabet Soup" beat #7 "hugs & Hand Pounds" 180-160, 185-199, and 242-150, while #5 "Are You Kidding Me?" provided the lone upset, beating #2 "The Tucson 5" 180-204, 202-195, and 223-173.  

In one semifinal match, "Are You Kidding Me?" (Rusty Rickett, Rachel Carr, Brian Weyrauch, Chris Weyrauch, Bear Wiltfang) beat "Alphabet Soup" (Chad Swiman, Bryanna Dawson, DeShaun Jefferson, Elias Ewert, Brian Ballard) 2-0.  In the other, The Leftys beat back "Ballin!" (JR Monteith, Matt Jones, Mike Cross, JD Nance, Darcie Staggs) 2-0 to set up the final.

The two righties on the no-talent Lefties (Ingeman and Cote) more than held up their end of the bargain as well, and the four ASU bowlers (and Cormack the Californian) were simply too much despite a game effort from their opponents.  The 241-183, 246-218 two-game sweep gave Delano and Makan their first JBT titles each, the second for Ingeman and Cormack, and #3 for Cote.

Two huge individual highlights of the day were Kyle King outlasting the other 119 bowlers to win the "9's Alive" jackpot and the $100 scholarship prize contested during game 6, and BJ Baker capturing the PowerBowl jackpot, raking in a $600 scholarship bonus- wow!

Huge thanks to Di and her crew at Glenfair for another great job hosting our Tour, and being willing to work with us on this experimental event that turned into a huge success that we'll be sure to repeat soon!