Our event this weekend was at AMF Peoria which we haven’t been to in exactly three years! It’s a coincidence that we returned to the center the same date as we had the last event here. We had a pretty good turnout for a Saturday event considering all the other events going on in the Valley. We had 63 entries (47 qualifying and 16 economy parlay), with 21 cashers a 1 in 3 cash ratio and a pay out of over $3,200.00 in main and side event prizes! The players bowled on the 38ft Atlanta pattern that proved to be very difficult. The cut scores were pretty low being around +30, which means the players didn’t even need to bowl their average for series to advance. The pattern did allow for players to play a variety of angles though you couldn’t get too far outside or else you’re ball would not come back. The key for today was to leave something makeable and to pick up your spares.
As always we like to welcome all of the new bowlers that came out to join us in their first ever event. Welcome Ackrianne McDaniel, Kenneth Lindsey, Jr., Donald Jensen, Stephanie Byrd, Nathan Hollingsworth, Larry Henkel and Mark Wright to the SFT AHT family! We hope all of you had a good time at your first event! A big congrats to Ackrianne and Nathan who made the quarterfinals in their first ever event! We had a couple of Parlay Power Players this weekend in Scott Sparks and Nathan Hollingsworth, who were able to make the quarterfinals on their $25.00 parlay entry. Congrats to Don Stone and John Rozell on making their first quarterfinals. Also congrats to Ron Gonzales, who won Momma’s Mystery Pot, with a score of 201, for $65.00. This event’s winner of the free plastic ball raffle, with an option to upgrade to any Track ball for $85.00, was Don Stone!
Since this was a 2-squad event, we would go straight into the quarterfinals with no re-oil between the last squad and the quarterfinals. We would see each Division have only 5 bowlers with the C Division having 6 quarterfinalists. So, we would cut to the top bowler in each Division with only the C Division having a Semi-Final match to see who would meet the other Division winners. You #1 seed in the A Division would be Brandon Loss (+103). In the B Division we would see Parlay Power Player Scott Sparks come out on top as the #1 seed (+91). The C Division would have newcomer Ackrianne McDaniel as the #1 seed (+109) and she would have to face off with SFT veteran Steve Convirs (+30).
The only Semi-Final match would be a back-and-forth affair with Steve using his experience to stay calm and make spares. Ackrianne would open in the fifth and sixth frames while Steve would double in the fourth and fifth to make up the handicap difference and put some pressure on Ackrianne. Ackrianne would open in the ninth, by narrowly missing a 3-pin, to give Steve the lead. Steve would get up in the tenth and close out to win the match, 235 to 202.
Going into the Final match we would see Steve Convirs looking to get his hands on his 2nd AHT SFT title. Scott Sparks was looking at getting his first title in his 2nd appearance in the title match. Brandon Loss was making his first title match and looking to win the title as well. The favorite for the match had to be Brandon, as he has been on fire all day, as he dominated the A Division in both of the qualifying and quarterfinal rounds.
The Final match would start off with Steve struggling to get lined up on the pair. Both Brandon and Scott would stay even with each other through the first two frames. Scott would get a small lead by doubling in the 2nd and 3rd frames while Brandon would open in the third. Steve would open in the fourth and fifth, then double in the sixth and seventh to make up his opens. Scott would start to lose carry and pick up spares until the seventh frame where he would chop the 6-9-10. Brandon would make his open frame in third by throwing the next five strikes in a row to build a lead, but would chop the 1-2-4 in the ninth to open the door for Scott and Steve. Steve would strike in the ninth frame and punch out in the tenth to finish at 212. Scott would get up and nine-spare in the ninth and strike in the tenth. Scott would need to double up in the tenth to force Brandon to strike in the tenth. Scott’s 2nd shot would hit flush in the pocket, but leave a stone 9-pin which he would pick up for finish at 219. Brandon would get up in the tenth needing to mark and get eight to win. Brandon’s first shot in the tenth would hit the pocket, but leave a ring ten pin. Brandon would get up and calmly pick up the spare. Now he only needed eight pins to win. Brandon’s fill shot looked good off his hand, but seemed to pull the shot a bit and the ball smashed high through the nose to only get seven for 218!!! This would give Scott his first AHT SFT title and $650.00 by only 1 pin!!! Congrats to Brandon for the great bowling and 2nd place finish. Also, congrats to Steve Convirs on 3rd place.
Thank you to everyone that came out today and supported the event! We will see you all next Sunday at Bowlero Kyrene for our final event of the Winter quarterly circuit!
FINALS - Brandon Loss vs. Scott Sparks vs. Steve Convirs
