After the first full weekend of Professional Bowlers Association regional competition for the new 2011-12 season officially got underway on April 1, three first-time champions qualified to make their debuts in the 2012 PBA Tournament of Champions.

It was a double-header in Lakewood, Wash., on April 3 where Blaine Weninger of Aurora, Ore., defeated Curtis Messer of Aberdeen, Wash., 232-212, to win his first PBA Northwest Region standard title in the PBA Northwest Tacoma Dodge Open at Bowlero Lanes while Noel Vazquez of Sacramento, Calif., defeated Kevin Croucher of Grants Pass, Ore., 209-193, to win the companion Senior Tacoma Dodge Open for his first PBA victory.

Across the nation, Shane Baker of Anderson, S.C., defeated Matt Taylor of Knightsdale, N.C., 264-259, to win the PBA Marion Non-Champions Open at Lightning Lanes in Marion, N.C., Sunday. Baker topped a field of 96 non-champions to claim his first South Region title and a $2,000 prize.

Dino Castillo (right) of Carrollton, Texas, won his second PBA Southwest Region title when he stopped Josh Maxson of Killeen, Texas, 216-188, to win the 2011 Marble Falls Open at Lake Country Lanes in Marble Falls, Texas, on Sunday. Castillo, who rolled a pair of 300 games during the tournament, took home $2,250.

As the PBA Senior Tour ramps up for its season-opener in the PBA Senior Don Carter Open at Carter Family Bowl in Winter Garden, Fla., April 17-21, PBA Senior Tour players had a couple of warm-up opportunities.

Jeff Zaffino of Warren, Pa., topped Mike Hastings of Millsboro, Del., 200-198, to win his 16th regional title in the Rossi Lanes Senior Open presented by Storm Products in Elmira, N.Y. And, in the Central Region,

Kenny Parks of Hammond, Ind., defeated Curt Aemisegger of Wauconda, Ill., 277-220, to win the PBA Central Region's third annual Victory Lanes Senior Open in Galion, Ohio. The win was Parks' fifth in senior regional competition.

This weekend's PBA Regional lineup includes the joint Central/Midwest Lafayette Community Bank Classic at Star Lanes in Lafayette, Ind.; the South Region Wild Magnolia Senior Open at Sport Lanes in Martinsville, Va., and the East Region Roto Grip Open at Hoe Bowl Catskill in Catskill, N.Y.

For tournament entry information, visit pba.com and click on "Regional Tour" under the "schedule" dropdown tab.

 

PBA Playoffs Conference Championships "Pre-Game Show" on Xtra Frame

The "pre-game show" leading into Sunday's telecast of the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs Conference Championships round is currently airing on pba.com's Xtra Frame, the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour's exclusive online video streaming service.

Sunday's lineup features the East Conference Championship (East Region winner Steve Jaros vs. South Region winner Randy Weiss), the Midwest Conference Championship (Central Region winner Dick Allen vs. Midwest Region winner Jack Jurek), and the West Region finale (Southwest Region winner Jason Belmonte vs. West/Northwest winner Chris Barnes) on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET.

The three match winners advance to the Lumber Liquidators Dick Weber PBA Playoffs championship round which will air live from Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis on Sunday, April 17, at 1 p.m. ET.

 

Japan Cup postponed until 2012

In the wake of the devastation caused by earthquakes and a tsunami in recent weeks, the Japan Cup – one of the most anticipated international competitions of the year for PBA Tour players over the past 25 years – has been postponed until 2012, the PBA has announced.

 

Fellow Finn spoils Koivuniemi's Hall of Fame celebration in Germany

Leading Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Player of the Year candidate Mika Koivuniemi (pictured left) was inducted into the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame as part of the second annual Track Dream Bowl Palace Open in Munich, Germany, but a fellow Finn ruined his party.

Koivuniemi was knocked out of the tournament in the quarterfinal round by Sweden's Johan Hellden, 524-496, in a two-game match, and Finland's two-handed star, Osku Palermaa (right), stepped into the spotlight as the tournament winner, defeating Hellden in the title match, 516-459.

Palermaa, who won his first PBA Tour title in the 2010 GEICO Shark Championship in Las Vegas, will compete as a PBA Tour exempt player during the 2011-12 season. First prize in Munich was €10,000.

Parker Bohn III also advanced to the quarterfinal round in Munich, but was ousted by England's Paul Moor, 504-481.

 

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