WESTERN BOWL

champs Brian Collier & Jeremy Larance

Brian Collier made it an historic double-play, while Jeremy Larance needed overtime to claim victory, in exciting JBT TX-NM Conference action at Amarillo’s Western Bowl.

Brian Burkett opened his first scratch division stepladder finals appearance with a 252-205 win over Colorado’s Nathan Shock in round one.  Justin Medina then defeated Burkett 204-169, setting up a rematch against the previous day’s champion, Brian Collier.  That match proved to be heartbreaking deja-vu for Justin, as Collier defeated him again, 197-164, to advance to the title match again.

Top seed Dan Romero was leading a stepladder-format JBT event for the first time, having had a strong showing all day long.  However, Collier is on the roll of his JBT career, and he began with the front five to create a hole for Romero he couldn’t quite dig out of, and the 224-203 final result was good for his second consecutive JBT title, marking the first time in the JBT’s 500+ tournament history that a scratch division bowler won his first two titles in the same weekend, and only the 7^th time that anyone has won two JBT events in one weekend.

Tyler Allen opened up the handicap division stepladder finals by defeating the only non-North Texan in the field, Joshua Barress, by a 176-157 score.  Jared Kellison stopped Allen’s run, 200-179 in the semifinal, to advance to his first title match.

Top seed Jeremy Larance used a 265 scratch game during qualifying to boost him up to the tournament lead, which he never relinquished.   Jeremy had the lead for most of the title match, but a missed spare in the tenth gave Kellison a chance strike out for a one pin victory.  After getting the first two, Jared got 9 on the fill ball for a 196 tie, the first title match tie in a very long time.  In the ensuing two-frame rolloff, Larance’s mark in the tenth wrapped up the win and his first career JBT title.  

Big thanks to Mr. Randy Webb and the whole crew at Western Bowl for their hospitality in all our visits to their beautiful center.  Over $1,320 in scholarships were awarded- want in on the fun?  Come on down to the next JBT event, it’s as easy as that!