Ryan Shafer wins PBA Xtra Frame Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic in Delaware
08/24/15
Ryan Shafer (pictured above with Gene Carter, left) of Horseheads, N.Y., ended a 12-year title drought Sunday, defeating Marshall Kent (right) of Yakima, Wash., 254-144, to win the PBA Xtra Frame Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic at Mid-County Bowling and Entertainment in in Middleton, Delaware.
Shafer, who turned 49 five days earlier, started the title match with seven strikes and ran away with the match when Kent ran into split trouble, leaving four and failing to convert any of them.
Shafer, a 29-year PBA Tour veteran and a 26-time PBA Regional title winner, earned $15,000 along with his fifth PBA Tour title and first since the 2003 Empire State Open in Latham, N.Y.
"It's been a long time, 12 years. I'm glad it's over. It really feels good," Shafer said.
"I've been through a rough few years. You start to feel like the young guys are really taking over," Shafer said. "You lose ball speed. The only thing you can do is practice a lot and make your spares, and grind it out. That's the kind of tournament I prefer. I like a lot of games.
"They were a little toasty, the second eight games today," Shafer said, referring to the lane conditions that got burned out during Sunday's 16-game match play competition leading up to the stepladder finals. Without re-oiling the lanes, conditions became difficult, but, he noted, "That's what I'm best at. I'm a grinder."
Shafer qualified seventh for Sunday's match play and then won 10 of his 16 matches, averaging 221 for the tournament to earn the top berth for the stepladder finals.
After rolling a 279 in the final game of match play to advance from eighth place to capture the third berth in the stepladder finals, Kent defeated No. 4 qualifier John Szczerbinski (left) of N. Tonawanda, N.Y., 225-189, ending Szczerbinski's bid for his first PBA Tour title.
In the semifinal match, Kent continued his hard loft-shot to the first arrow, throwing the final five strikes to edge PBA East Region veteran Tommy Gollick (right) of Oberlin, Pa., 244-242.
Gollick, a 38-year-old lefthander, also was trying for his first PBA Tour title in his first stepladder finals appearance, but when he left the 1-3-4-7 washout in the fifth frame and failed to convert, Gollick gave Kent a lead he was never able to overcome.
The PBA Tour's next event will be the Xtra Frame PBA Iowa Midwest Open from Thunderbowl in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Oct. 9-11. The tournament will be covered live from start to finish, exclusively on PBA's Xtra Frame online bowling channel.
Kyle Troup races away with qualifying lead in Gene Carter Pro Shop Classic
2015 PBA Tour Schedule & Champions
Mid-County Bowling & Entertainment Center in Middleton, Del., USA (August 21-23, 2015)
Championship Round:
1. Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 254 (1 game), $15,000
2. Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 613 (3 games), $7,800
3. Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., 242 (1 game), $4,000
4. John Szczerbinski, N. Tonawanda, N.Y., 189 (1 game), $2,500
Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 3 Kent def. No. 4 Szczerbinski, 225-189
Semifinal Match: Kent def. No. 2 Gollick, 244-242
Championship Match: No. 1 Shafer def. Kent, 254-144.
Players with position, hometown and 23-game total, including match play bonus pins; top 4 advance to the stepladder finals; places 5-24 show earnings
1, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 10-6, 5,399
2, Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., 10-6, 5,367
3, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 11-5, 5,315
4, John Szczerbinski, N. Tonawanda, N.Y., 11-5, 5,311
Missed Cut:
5, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 11-5, 5,297, $1,700
6, J.R. Raymond, Bay City, Mich., 8-8, 5,288, $1,300
7, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 9-6-1, 5,276, $1,100
8, Steven Arehart, Chesapeake, Va., 9-7, 5,223, $1,000
9, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 7-9, 5,196, $950
10, Matt O'Grady, Matawan, N.J., 9-7, 5,162, $925
11, A.J. Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 6-9-1, 5,125, $900
12, Rick Graham, Lancaster, Pa., 8-8, 5,082, $880
13, Kristian Rogers, Charlotte, N.C., 8-8, 5,064, $860
14, Connor Pickford, Charlotte, N.C., 8-8, 5,056, $850
15, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 7-9, 5,051, $840
16, Nick Christy, Newport, N.C., 8-8, 5,026, $830
17, Jon VanHees, Charlestown, R.I., 7-9, 5,006, $820
18, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 8-8, 4,988, $810
19, Chris Arcaro, Wilmington, N.C., 8-8, 4,962, $800
20, Tim Foy Jr., Seaford, Del., 6-10, 4,924, $790
21, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 6-10, 4,916, $780
22, Greg Ostrander, Freehold, N.J., 7-9, 4,902, $770
23, Adam Baer, Gettysburg, Pa., 5-11, 4,876, $760
24, Frank Gray, North East, Md., 4-12, 4,576, $750
2015 PBA Tour #15
29-year PBA Tour veteran ends 12-year title drought with fifth career victory
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Ryan Shafer (pictured above with Gene Carter, left) of Horseheads, N.Y., ended a 12-year title drought Sunday, defeating Marshall Kent (right) of Yakima, Wash., 254-144, to win the PBA Xtra Frame Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic at Mid-County Bowling and Entertainment in in Middleton, Delaware.Shafer, who turned 49 five days earlier, started the title match with seven strikes and ran away with the match when Kent ran into split trouble, leaving four and failing to convert any of them.
Shafer, a 29-year PBA Tour veteran and a 26-time PBA Regional title winner, earned $15,000 along with his fifth PBA Tour title and first since the 2003 Empire State Open in Latham, N.Y.
"It's been a long time, 12 years. I'm glad it's over. It really feels good," Shafer said.
"I've been through a rough few years. You start to feel like the young guys are really taking over," Shafer said. "You lose ball speed. The only thing you can do is practice a lot and make your spares, and grind it out. That's the kind of tournament I prefer. I like a lot of games.
"They were a little toasty, the second eight games today," Shafer said, referring to the lane conditions that got burned out during Sunday's 16-game match play competition leading up to the stepladder finals. Without re-oiling the lanes, conditions became difficult, but, he noted, "That's what I'm best at. I'm a grinder."
Shafer qualified seventh for Sunday's match play and then won 10 of his 16 matches, averaging 221 for the tournament to earn the top berth for the stepladder finals.
After rolling a 279 in the final game of match play to advance from eighth place to capture the third berth in the stepladder finals, Kent defeated No. 4 qualifier John Szczerbinski (left) of N. Tonawanda, N.Y., 225-189, ending Szczerbinski's bid for his first PBA Tour title. In the semifinal match, Kent continued his hard loft-shot to the first arrow, throwing the final five strikes to edge PBA East Region veteran Tommy Gollick (right) of Oberlin, Pa., 244-242.
Gollick, a 38-year-old lefthander, also was trying for his first PBA Tour title in his first stepladder finals appearance, but when he left the 1-3-4-7 washout in the fifth frame and failed to convert, Gollick gave Kent a lead he was never able to overcome.
The PBA Tour's next event will be the Xtra Frame PBA Iowa Midwest Open from Thunderbowl in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Oct. 9-11. The tournament will be covered live from start to finish, exclusively on PBA's Xtra Frame online bowling channel.
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Kyle Troup races away with qualifying lead in Gene Carter Pro Shop Classic
2015 PBA Tour Schedule & Champions
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Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic - Stepladder Finals
Mid-County Bowling & Entertainment Center in Middleton, Del., USA (August 21-23, 2015)
Championship Round:
1. Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 254 (1 game), $15,000
2. Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 613 (3 games), $7,800
3. Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., 242 (1 game), $4,000
4. John Szczerbinski, N. Tonawanda, N.Y., 189 (1 game), $2,500
Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 3 Kent def. No. 4 Szczerbinski, 225-189
Semifinal Match: Kent def. No. 2 Gollick, 244-242
Championship Match: No. 1 Shafer def. Kent, 254-144.
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Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic - Final Match Play Standings
Players with position, hometown and 23-game total, including match play bonus pins; top 4 advance to the stepladder finals; places 5-24 show earnings
1, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 10-6, 5,399
2, Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., 10-6, 5,367
3, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 11-5, 5,315
4, John Szczerbinski, N. Tonawanda, N.Y., 11-5, 5,311
Missed Cut:
5, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 11-5, 5,297, $1,700
6, J.R. Raymond, Bay City, Mich., 8-8, 5,288, $1,300
7, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 9-6-1, 5,276, $1,100
8, Steven Arehart, Chesapeake, Va., 9-7, 5,223, $1,000
9, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 7-9, 5,196, $950
10, Matt O'Grady, Matawan, N.J., 9-7, 5,162, $925
11, A.J. Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 6-9-1, 5,125, $900
12, Rick Graham, Lancaster, Pa., 8-8, 5,082, $880
13, Kristian Rogers, Charlotte, N.C., 8-8, 5,064, $860
14, Connor Pickford, Charlotte, N.C., 8-8, 5,056, $850
15, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 7-9, 5,051, $840
16, Nick Christy, Newport, N.C., 8-8, 5,026, $830
17, Jon VanHees, Charlestown, R.I., 7-9, 5,006, $820
18, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 8-8, 4,988, $810
19, Chris Arcaro, Wilmington, N.C., 8-8, 4,962, $800
20, Tim Foy Jr., Seaford, Del., 6-10, 4,924, $790
21, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 6-10, 4,916, $780
22, Greg Ostrander, Freehold, N.J., 7-9, 4,902, $770
23, Adam Baer, Gettysburg, Pa., 5-11, 4,876, $760
24, Frank Gray, North East, Md., 4-12, 4,576, $750
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