2022 JBT Las Vegas Main Event- Scratch Singles

champion Costa Gastouniotis and runner-up Lucas Finley

        Costa Gastouniotis of Goleta, CA defeated Lucas Finley, Longmont CO, 288-258, to win the scratch singles division of the 2022 JBT Las Vegas Main Event, hosted by the South Point Bowling Plaza and sponsored by the Brands of Brunswick, IAM Bowling, South Point, and the Junior Bowlers Tour.

        Finley began a climb from the #8 seed of the finals with a 248-169 win over #5 Austin Grammer.  On the other side of the bracket, 21-time JBT champ Hunter Mayes beat another Colorado bowler, #7 Tyler Close.  Finley kept it rolling in round two, stopping #4 Cesar Padilla 236-206, while Costa began an amazing run with a 279-214 win over Mayes.  More of the same from Gastouniotis resulted in a 266-253 semifinal thriller over Nick Larsen, while Finley ended top seed Solomon Salama's quest to become the first three-time Main Event singles winner with a 195-170 victory to set up the final.

        Two-time JBT champ Finley and one-time winner Gastouniotis were not the 'big names' on the entry roster, but each proved they were right where they belonged in a major title match as each ran the front five on the challenging (for mere mortals) pattern.  A sixth frame 9-count meant all Lucas could do was watch as Costa rang the string to ten.  A shot at Main Event history ended with a 2-8 on his next shot, but it's likely he didn't care, as that wrapped up an astonishing 833 set, the Main Event title, and $4,500 scholarship windfall.  Finley earned $3,000 for the runner-up performance, down to a solid $600 for Close.

        Complete results are at our website, www.bowljbt.com.  Huge thanks to everyone for attending, and all our sponsors, vendors, hosts, and volunteers, who all help make an event of this scope possible.  The JBT Las Vegas Main Event returns to the South Point Plaza December 26-30, 2023, please help us spread the word to all ages and skill levels!