PBA East Region's richest tournament sells out again
07/26/12
2012 PBA Spare Shots #30
Thanks to the returning sponsorship of Appletree Answering Service, the fourth annual PBA East Regional tournament at Mid County Lanes in Middletown, Del., will feature a sold-out field of more than 150 players competing for the region's richest first prize this weekend.
Under the sponsorship of Wilmington, Del.-based Appletree Answering Service, the Appletree Classic will offer a $10,000 first prize, matching the East Region record set at the same event last year. Dick Allen (right) of Columbia, S.C., won the 2011 Appletree title by 295 pins over Brad Angelo of Lockport, N.Y.
"We're excited to return as sponsor of the Appletree Classic," said Appletree CEO John Ratliff. "As a bowler myself, it's very rewarding to support players and the sport that I love and admire."
Ratliff, who started Appletree Answering Service in Wilmington in the mid-1990s, has grown his company to include more than 20 offices around the United States and Puerto Rico.
PBA member Shannon O'Keefe and husband Bryan (pictured with Hall of Famer Bill Lillard, center), a non-member, won the 13th Luci Bonneau Memorial Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles title on Sunday, July 22, at Palace Lanes in Houston, Texas, by 346 pins over Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., and reigning PBA Player of the Year Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill.
With the win, Shannon O'Keefe, a Team USA member, joins an elite group of women who have won two PBA Regional titles. Bryan O'Keefe doesn't receive credit for a PBA title because he is a non-member.
The O'Keefes are both employed by the United States Bowling Congress in Arlington, Texas. They combined for 9,196 pins to share the $8,000 first prize. Johnson and Rash, who combined for 8,850 pins, won $4,000.
Kim Terrell-Kearney and Dino Castillo finished third followed by Chris and Lynda Barnes, and Jovan Blankenfield and Matt Cabanski.
A sold-out field of 84 teams participated in the annual fundraiser. The entire event was covered live on PBA's Xtra Frame online bowling channel.
Joe Ciccone of Buffalo, N.Y., defeated Brian Kretzer of Dayton, Ohio, by 172 pins Sunday to win the PBA Central Region's Dan Kondas Memorial Scorpion Open presented by DV8 at Legend Lanes in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Ciccone (pictured with Legend Lanes GM Chris Ritzinger, left) finished with an 11-1 match play record and a total of 4,662 pins for 20 games, including match play bonus pins, to win the final PBA Central Region "animal pattern" championship.
Along with his 14th career regional title, Ciccone earned $2,400 and a paid entry into the 2012 World Series of Bowling as the highest finisher in the optional animal pattern championship series.
Chris Loschetter (right) of Avon, Ohio, earned an entry into World Series of Bowling IV as the overall points leader for the Central Region's four animal pattern events.
In the PBA Midwest Region, Dave Traber (left) of Hebron, Ill., handed "rookie" Derek Eoff of Madison, Wis., his fourth consecutive runner-up finish, 226-223, in the title match of the Midwest Region's Illinois Valley Viper Classic presented by Storm at Super Bowl in Peru, Ill., on Sunday.
The third of the Midwest Region's four "animal pattern" championships included a $2,500 prize along with Traber's 28th career title. Dave Beres of Greenfield, Wis., finished seventh, but earned a paid entry into the World Series as winner of an optional "animal pattern" competition.
In the PBA East Region, amateur Greg Bruff of York, Pa., defeated Joe Paluszek of Bensalem, Pa., 211-199, to win the Cap Card Scorpion Open presented by Columbia 300 at Cedar Lanes in Lebanon, Pa., on Sunday.
Bruff (pictured with Cedar Lanes proprietor Darrin Armel, right) , who was bowling in his third regional event, posted an 11-1 match play record and a 20-game total of 4,795 pins, including match play bonus pins, to earn the top spot in the stepladder finals. He earned $2,500, but does not receive credit for a PBA Regional title because he is a non-member.
In addition to his $1,400 prize as runner-up, Joe Paluszek earned the East Region's third paid entry into the 2012 PBA World Series of Bowling as highest finisher among players who entered the region's optional "animal pattern" championship series competition.
The East Region will also conduct its Cheetah Championship, the final event in the animal pattern series, Aug. 3-5 in York, Pa.
In Reno, Nev., Jeff Frankos of Daly City, Calif. and Terry Leong of Henderson Nev., teamed up to win their second PBA West/Northwest Region doubles title, defeating Marty Deh of San Jose, Calif. and Greg Thompson Jr. of Dublin, Calif., 450-377, to win the Sands Regency Doubles at High Sierra Lanes on Sunday. Frankos and Leong shared a $3,000 prize.
In the PBA South Region, former member and past champion Jason Mahr of Spring Hill, Fla., defeated PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., 259-234, to win the South Region Cheetah Championship at Spring Hill Lanes in Spring Hill, Fla., on Sunday.
Mahr, who won his only PBA South Region title at Spring Hill Lanes on the very same day five years earlier, posted an 8-4 match play record to qualify the second for the stepladder finals. He nipped Lee Vanderhoef of Greenville, S.C., 213-212, for the chance to meet Williams for the title. He earned $2,500, but does not receive credit for a PBA title because he is a non-member.
Walter Ray Williams Jr (left)., who led the third of the PBA South Region's four "animal pattern championship" events from qualifying through match play, earned $1,300. He also earned a paid entry into the PBA World Series of Bowling as the highest finisher in the optional "animal pattern" entry program.
Rounding out the July PBA Regional calendar over the July 26-29 weekend will be the PBA East Region Appletree Classic hosted by Mid County Lanes in Middletown, Del.; a joint PBA Midwest/Central Region Laraway Lanes Senior Open presented by Allstate Insurance in New Lenox, Ill.; a joint Midwest/Central Region Dragon Palace Open presented by Ebonite at Orland Bowl in Orland Park, Ill.; the PBA South Region's Anderson (S.C.) Senior Open at Boulevard Lanes, and the PBA West Region's Ebonite/South Point Mixed Doubles at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
In all PBA regional animal pattern championships, players can pay an optional animal pattern entry fee for the right to win a paid entry into the PBA World Series of Bowling, Nov. 2-11 at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
In all seven PBA Regions, the player who accumulates the highest number of competition points in the region's four animal pattern events (Cheetah, Scorpion, Chameleon and Viper) will earn a World Series entry, whether or not he participates in the "optional" entry program.
For complete Regional tournament schedules and entry information, click here.
PBA's Xtra Frame online bowling channel heads back to Las Vegas to cover the PBA West Region's Ebonite-South Point Mixed Doubles event July 28-29.
Xtra Frame then heads cross-country to Vanderbilt Hall in New York City's Grand Central Terminal to cover the finals of the 15th Teen Masters, Aug. 5-8, followed by a stop in the Midwest to cover the 2012 PBA Senior Tour finale, the Senior Decatur Open presented by Brunswick, Aug. 13-14 from Spare Time Lanes in Decatur, Ill.
Then Xtra Frame heads back to Reno, Nev., to cover the Reno Tri-Properties' (Eldorado Hotel/Casino, Circus Circus and Silver Legacy Resort/Casino) new Silverado National Open tournament Aug. 26-29 at the National Bowling Stadium.
If you have artistic abilities and a passion for the PBA, you're invited to help the PBA create a new T-shirt design for eventual sale through PBA's merchandising outlets, including pbastore.com.
If you'd like to enter the "design a PBA T-shirt" contest, email your proposed design to contest@pba.com. The top three designs will be voted on by fans on the PBA's Facebook page, and the winning designer will receive a $50 gift certificate from the PBA. For additional information, visit pba.com and look for the T-shirt design link.
If you missed the original air dates, you can still watch many of the GEICO PBA Summer Shootout shows on ESPN2. Re-air times include Saturday, July 28 at 3 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 4 at 12:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 5 at 3 p.m.). All times are Eastern.
2012 PBA Spare Shots #29 - July 19, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #28 - July 12, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #27 - July 6, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #26 - June 28, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #25 - June 21, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #24 - June 15, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #23 - June 8, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #22 - June 2, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #21 - May 25, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #20 - May 16, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #19 - May 10, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #18 - May 4, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #17 - April 26, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #16 - April 20, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #15 - April 12, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #14 - April 6, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #13 - March 29, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #12 - March 23, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #11 - March 15, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #10 - March 9, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #9 - March 2, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #8 - Feb. 23, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #7 - Feb. 16, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #6 - Feb. 10, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #5 - Feb. 1, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #4 - Jan. 24, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #3 - Jan. 19, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #2 - Jan. 12, 2012
2012 PBA Spare Shots #1 - Jan. 5, 2012
2011 PBA Spare Shots
Under the sponsorship of Wilmington, Del.-based Appletree Answering Service, the Appletree Classic will offer a $10,000 first prize, matching the East Region record set at the same event last year. Dick Allen (right) of Columbia, S.C., won the 2011 Appletree title by 295 pins over Brad Angelo of Lockport, N.Y.
"We're excited to return as sponsor of the Appletree Classic," said Appletree CEO John Ratliff. "As a bowler myself, it's very rewarding to support players and the sport that I love and admire."
Ratliff, who started Appletree Answering Service in Wilmington in the mid-1990s, has grown his company to include more than 20 offices around the United States and Puerto Rico.
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Shannon, Bryan O'Keefe win Luci Bonneau Mixed Doubles title
PBA member Shannon O'Keefe and husband Bryan (pictured with Hall of Famer Bill Lillard, center), a non-member, won the 13th Luci Bonneau Memorial Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles title on Sunday, July 22, at Palace Lanes in Houston, Texas, by 346 pins over Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., and reigning PBA Player of the Year Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill.
With the win, Shannon O'Keefe, a Team USA member, joins an elite group of women who have won two PBA Regional titles. Bryan O'Keefe doesn't receive credit for a PBA title because he is a non-member.The O'Keefes are both employed by the United States Bowling Congress in Arlington, Texas. They combined for 9,196 pins to share the $8,000 first prize. Johnson and Rash, who combined for 8,850 pins, won $4,000.
Kim Terrell-Kearney and Dino Castillo finished third followed by Chris and Lynda Barnes, and Jovan Blankenfield and Matt Cabanski.
A sold-out field of 84 teams participated in the annual fundraiser. The entire event was covered live on PBA's Xtra Frame online bowling channel.
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Regional Roundup: Ciccone wins Central Region Scorpion title
Joe Ciccone of Buffalo, N.Y., defeated Brian Kretzer of Dayton, Ohio, by 172 pins Sunday to win the PBA Central Region's Dan Kondas Memorial Scorpion Open presented by DV8 at Legend Lanes in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.Ciccone (pictured with Legend Lanes GM Chris Ritzinger, left) finished with an 11-1 match play record and a total of 4,662 pins for 20 games, including match play bonus pins, to win the final PBA Central Region "animal pattern" championship.
Along with his 14th career regional title, Ciccone earned $2,400 and a paid entry into the 2012 World Series of Bowling as the highest finisher in the optional animal pattern championship series.Chris Loschetter (right) of Avon, Ohio, earned an entry into World Series of Bowling IV as the overall points leader for the Central Region's four animal pattern events.
In the PBA Midwest Region, Dave Traber (left) of Hebron, Ill., handed "rookie" Derek Eoff of Madison, Wis., his fourth consecutive runner-up finish, 226-223, in the title match of the Midwest Region's Illinois Valley Viper Classic presented by Storm at Super Bowl in Peru, Ill., on Sunday.The third of the Midwest Region's four "animal pattern" championships included a $2,500 prize along with Traber's 28th career title. Dave Beres of Greenfield, Wis., finished seventh, but earned a paid entry into the World Series as winner of an optional "animal pattern" competition.
In the PBA East Region, amateur Greg Bruff of York, Pa., defeated Joe Paluszek of Bensalem, Pa., 211-199, to win the Cap Card Scorpion Open presented by Columbia 300 at Cedar Lanes in Lebanon, Pa., on Sunday.Bruff (pictured with Cedar Lanes proprietor Darrin Armel, right) , who was bowling in his third regional event, posted an 11-1 match play record and a 20-game total of 4,795 pins, including match play bonus pins, to earn the top spot in the stepladder finals. He earned $2,500, but does not receive credit for a PBA Regional title because he is a non-member.
In addition to his $1,400 prize as runner-up, Joe Paluszek earned the East Region's third paid entry into the 2012 PBA World Series of Bowling as highest finisher among players who entered the region's optional "animal pattern" championship series competition.
The East Region will also conduct its Cheetah Championship, the final event in the animal pattern series, Aug. 3-5 in York, Pa.
In Reno, Nev., Jeff Frankos of Daly City, Calif. and Terry Leong of Henderson Nev., teamed up to win their second PBA West/Northwest Region doubles title, defeating Marty Deh of San Jose, Calif. and Greg Thompson Jr. of Dublin, Calif., 450-377, to win the Sands Regency Doubles at High Sierra Lanes on Sunday. Frankos and Leong shared a $3,000 prize.
In the PBA South Region, former member and past champion Jason Mahr of Spring Hill, Fla., defeated PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., 259-234, to win the South Region Cheetah Championship at Spring Hill Lanes in Spring Hill, Fla., on Sunday.
Mahr, who won his only PBA South Region title at Spring Hill Lanes on the very same day five years earlier, posted an 8-4 match play record to qualify the second for the stepladder finals. He nipped Lee Vanderhoef of Greenville, S.C., 213-212, for the chance to meet Williams for the title. He earned $2,500, but does not receive credit for a PBA title because he is a non-member.Walter Ray Williams Jr (left)., who led the third of the PBA South Region's four "animal pattern championship" events from qualifying through match play, earned $1,300. He also earned a paid entry into the PBA World Series of Bowling as the highest finisher in the optional "animal pattern" entry program.
Rounding out the July PBA Regional calendar over the July 26-29 weekend will be the PBA East Region Appletree Classic hosted by Mid County Lanes in Middletown, Del.; a joint PBA Midwest/Central Region Laraway Lanes Senior Open presented by Allstate Insurance in New Lenox, Ill.; a joint Midwest/Central Region Dragon Palace Open presented by Ebonite at Orland Bowl in Orland Park, Ill.; the PBA South Region's Anderson (S.C.) Senior Open at Boulevard Lanes, and the PBA West Region's Ebonite/South Point Mixed Doubles at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
In all PBA regional animal pattern championships, players can pay an optional animal pattern entry fee for the right to win a paid entry into the PBA World Series of Bowling, Nov. 2-11 at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
In all seven PBA Regions, the player who accumulates the highest number of competition points in the region's four animal pattern events (Cheetah, Scorpion, Chameleon and Viper) will earn a World Series entry, whether or not he participates in the "optional" entry program.
For complete Regional tournament schedules and entry information, click here.
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XTRA Frame heads West for West Region Mixed Doubles event in Las Vegas
PBA's Xtra Frame online bowling channel heads back to Las Vegas to cover the PBA West Region's Ebonite-South Point Mixed Doubles event July 28-29.
Xtra Frame then heads cross-country to Vanderbilt Hall in New York City's Grand Central Terminal to cover the finals of the 15th Teen Masters, Aug. 5-8, followed by a stop in the Midwest to cover the 2012 PBA Senior Tour finale, the Senior Decatur Open presented by Brunswick, Aug. 13-14 from Spare Time Lanes in Decatur, Ill.
Then Xtra Frame heads back to Reno, Nev., to cover the Reno Tri-Properties' (Eldorado Hotel/Casino, Circus Circus and Silver Legacy Resort/Casino) new Silverado National Open tournament Aug. 26-29 at the National Bowling Stadium.
Â
Create A New PBA t-shirt design and win $50 gift certificate
If you have artistic abilities and a passion for the PBA, you're invited to help the PBA create a new T-shirt design for eventual sale through PBA's merchandising outlets, including pbastore.com.
If you'd like to enter the "design a PBA T-shirt" contest, email your proposed design to contest@pba.com. The top three designs will be voted on by fans on the PBA's Facebook page, and the winning designer will receive a $50 gift certificate from the PBA. For additional information, visit pba.com and look for the T-shirt design link.
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Last chance to watch GEICO PBA Summer Shootout on ESPN2
If you missed the original air dates, you can still watch many of the GEICO PBA Summer Shootout shows on ESPN2. Re-air times include Saturday, July 28 at 3 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 4 at 12:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 5 at 3 p.m.). All times are Eastern.
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