GREEN VALLEY LANES

champs Cameron Smith & Blake Kalaf

     It's time for JBT Jeopardy!  The answer is: Cameron Smith and Blake Kalaf.  The question:  Who are two people you most definitely do not want to bowl against at Green Valley?   The champs from our 2008 event here both did it again in 2009 this week, in exciting Arizona Conference action. 

     Matt Herbert opened up the scratch division stepladder finals with a 246-184 win over Greg Garbera.  In another high scoring match on the house pattern, Eduardo Perez outstruck Herbert 256-234.  Perez followed that effort with a solid 247 game, but it turned out to be not nearly enough as Smith blasted a 290 game to advance to the title match.

     Top seed Riley Dempsey has had a breakout spring on Tour, with his first win at Deer Valley in April, and he continued the streak here by firing the event's only 300 game to open the tournament.  He lost the lead for only one game (to qualifying leader Rachelle Davis), but regained it for the semis and the finals.  In a title match that was closely contested, Dempsey, up first in the tenth, left a big split, giving Cameron the space he needed to win the match, defend his title, and pick up the landmark 10th victory of his JBT career, only the 16th bowler in JBT history to reach that lofty milestone- congrats Cameron!

      Kristen Lee opened up the handicap division title match in high scoring fashion with a 268-238 win over JD Sweet.  Kayla Goad then came up with a thrilling one-pin victory over Lee, 201-200.  Instant karma got Kayla in the semifinals though, as Blake Kalaf earned a one-pin win of his own, 205-204, to reach the title match.

     Top seed Michael Keller was making his first career JBT finals, and did so in fine style by grabbing the tournament's top seed in game seven.  However, the first title match of anyone's JBT career is a daunting proposition, and Kalaf's confidence at the site of his only other win helped him to a 224-187 win and his 2nd career JBT title.

     Thanks as always to Green Valley for being gracious hosts at our event, which awarded over $2,000 in scholarships to bowlers of all ages and averages.  Shannon Ryan and Andy Holick cashed in for $50 scholarships each as winners of the Impact Challenge, courtesy of Impact Pro Shop at 99th Ave & Bell in northwest Phoenix.  Want in on the best fun and excitement in junior bowling?  Come on out to the next JBT event, it's that simple!