MOJAVE DOUBLES CLASSIC

Scratch champs John DeBenedetta and Zach Hattori; Handicap champs James Hawkins and Justin Givler

    A very high scoring doubles event saw a team of Nevada stars win the scratch title, and an interstate team of JBT stars win the handicap title, at the JBT Mojave Doubles Classic, hosted by South Point.

   Bowlers tore up the South Point house pattern, highlighted in the juniors by Allie Ijams' 289 opener and Alyse mcGinnes' 290 efforts, and trumped by Vegas star adult bowler Steven Villanueva, who opened the event with 300-831, vaulting him and junior partner Brandon Allred near the top of the leaderboard.

   Junior starts Kyle King and Matt Jones opened up the scratch division Baker-format stepladder finals with a 234-183 win over Californians Jeremy Glover and Will Jackson.  Alyse McGinnes and adult partner Jason Heggemeier then got the strike in the tenth to beat King and Jones 237-213.  The tables were turned in the semifinal, as McGinness got the first strike in the tenth but not the second, giving Zach Hattori and John DeBenedetta the 211-204 nailibiting win in the semifinal.

   Top seeds Allred and Villanueva made it an all-Nevada all-star shootout for the title, with carrying the corner pins being the key to victory.  Both teams ended up tied at 183 through 9 frames, leaving it up to the anchor bowlers.  Zach, up first, got his strike, while Villanueva calmly countered with 10 in the pit of his own.  Hattori then mixed up a light hit for strike #2, but Steven's next shot left a 7-pin, giving Zach and John the exhausting 213-203 win, and Zach's 5th career title.

   The handicap stepladder was all about the brother team of Zak and Dylan Lucas.  They opened the finals with a 189-167 win over April Urban and Paul Johnson.  Zak and Dylan followed with a 244-208 win over Brian Ballard and Alicia Sullivan, and reached the title match with a 175-142 win over Samantha and Warren Meyers.

   Justin Givler (AZ) and James Hawkins (CA) combined to form an interesting team, and fulfilled that potential by leading the event through 7 games.  They took advantage of a tiring Lucas team to win the title game 218-183, giving the men in maroon their third JBT titles each.

   Big thanks to South Point for another terrific hosting job, and all the JBT alumni and other adults who took the time to bowl with our juniors, making our Doubles events always some of our most fun each year.  Over $2,500 was awarded to the 68 team field.  Want in on the fun?  Come on out to the next JBT event, it's as simple as that!