Our event this weekend was at AMF McRay for another 2-squad tournament. This would be the last one of the 2023 Spring Quarterly Circuit (April to June) and we would have several bowlers vying for a place in the top 4 in quarterly points. We would see another good turnout with 108 total entries (82 qualifying and 26 economy parlays), 31 cashers and a 1 in 3.48 cash ratio, paying out over $7,500.00 in main and side event prize funds. The bowlers bowled on the new 2023 version of the 35ft PBA Cheetah oil pattern. The pattern was considered a short pattern at 35ft but had a lot more volume and forced a lot of bowlers from moving left as the carry down transition to moving right towards the gutter and slowing their ball speed down to get their ball to react correctly. The key for this weekend was trying to make high quality shots and pick up your spares. The cut scores were low for the first squad but once the lanes started to carry down the scores would go up and bowlers would need to get 5-10 pins above their average each game to advance.
We want to send a warm welcome to Sergio Hilburn and Stephanie Sell who all came out for their first tournament this weekend! We hope you had a great time, and we look forward seeing you at our future tournaments! Congrats to Robbie Patterson and Brian Allen on being this weekend’s Parlay Power Players. Both Robbie and Brian were able to turn their $30.00 economy parlay entry into a quarterfinals check. We would see one Momma’s Mystery Score winner this weekend! On the first squad we would have a couple of bowlers have their number called for $500.00 but they were not in the Momma’s Mystery Pot. On the second squad of the day, we would see Cameron Downing win $500.00 with a score of 177. Your winner of the free plastic ball raffle, with an option to upgrade to any Track high-performance ball for $85.00, was Kyle Ponzo!
Since this event was only 2 squads there would be no re-oil before the quarterfinals. This resulted in some lower scores with the standings being very tight as bowlers needed to bowl at least their average with one or two good games to make the cut. We had 26 quarterfinalists and with our 1 in 3 cut ratio, from the quarterfinals to the semi-final round, we would cut to the Top 2 bowlers in the A Division while we would cut to the Top 3 in the B & C Divisions.
The A Division would see Bryton Bobbitt (+67) emerge as the #1 seed and he would have to face off against Kyle Ponzo (+61). The B Division would have former AHT SFT Player of the Year Sean Ashley (+131) as the #1 seed, and he would take on #2 seed Jonathan Ferrell (+96) and #3 seed Jeff Kraus (+57). The C Division #1 seed was Conrad Brasgalla (+111), and he would go against #2 seed Allan Kudlock (+57) and #3 seed Audie Atkins (+38).
The A Division semi-final match would be a close one for most of the match. The deciding factor would come in late in the match as Bryton would miss a key spare and would give Kyle a chance to win the match with a mark and count in the tenth. Kyle would put away the match as he would strike out to defeat Bryton, 243 to 208.
The B Division semi-finals was a real nailbiter it would all come down to the tenth frame. Jeff Kraus would finish up first and he would close out the match with a score of 203 for third place. It would come down to Jonathan Ferrell and Sean Ashley as they would be neck and neck going into the tenth frame. Sean would pull out the win as he would barely get by Jonathan, 225 to 223.
The C Division semi-final match would see Allan Kudlock jump out to an early lead as Conrad Brasgalla and Audie Atkins could not put things together to catch up. Allan would go on to finish the match with a huge score of 264. Conrad would finish up with a score of 216, for second in the division, and Audie would come in with a score of 185 for third.
The Finals would see all three bowlers looking to win the $1,100 first place prize. Allan Kudlock was making his first Finals and looking to win his first title. Allan has been working on his game over the last year or so and it was great to see his hard work finally paying off. Sean Ashley was looking to win his fifth title, which would be his first in almost three years. Sean was our 2019 AHT SFT Player of the Year and almost went back-to-back in Player of the Year awards until a shoulder injury would sideline him for the last couple of years. It was good to see Sean finally recover from his injury and put in the work to himself back into the Finals. Kyle Ponzo was looking to win his second title of the season as he had won his first title in April at Let it Roll Bowl and also looking to win the 2023 Spring Quarterly Circuit points race with a top 2 finish.
The Finals would see Sean Ashley start off the match with a strike. Kyle and Allan would keep up with Sean with strikes of their own. Sean would leave a 7-pin on his next frame and would miss the spare attempt as the ball would hook just in front of the pin. Kyle and Allan would start to pull away as they both struck in the second frame. Sean would hit the transition in the third frame as he would wash out leaving the 2-4-10. Sean would pick up the spare attempt as he would hit the 2 & 4-pin off the wall and back into the 10-pin to keep his title hopes alive. Kyle’s third frame would see him hit a bit of the transition as he would hit the pocket light leaving the 2-5, which he would pick up. Allan would also see a bit of transition as he would miss a bit inside and his ball would snap left taking out the 4-7-8. Allan would almost make his spare attempt but would leave the 2-pin for an open frame. Sean would continue to struggle with transition as he would leave the bucket plus one (2-4-5-7-8) which he couldn’t convert. Kyle would strike in the fourth frame as he looked to make up the handicap difference that he was giving up to Allan and Sean. Allan would try to make up for the open frame as he would strike in the fourth to keep himself in the match.
Midway through and it looked like it was going to be a close one between Kyle and Allan. Sean would try to battle back with a strike in the fifth as Kyle and Allan also strike in the fifth to increase their lead. Sean would leave the 7-pin again on the right lane but this time would pick up the spare. Kyle would leave the 2-4-10 in the sixth frame but was unable to convert as the 2-pin would wrap around the ten pin. Allan would trip the 9-pin out late for a double to take the lead. Sean would hit the same transition as Kyle as he would leave the 2-4-10 on the left lane. Sean would miss the spare while Kyle would strike on the right lane. Allan would miss inside a bite and his ball would take off left leaving the 1-3-8. Allan would get the 1-3 but leave the 8-pin for an open. Eighth frame would see Sean and Kyle both miss spares while Allan would strike to remain in the lead. Ninth frame Sean and Kyle would strike while Allan would go Brooklyn but leave the 5-10 split. Allan could not convert the spare and it would give Kyle a chance to get back into the match. Sean would finish up the tenth with a score of 176 for third place and $400.00. Kyle would strike in the tenth for a double. Kyle would need another strike to force Allan to strike in the tenth but his shot would hit a bit light leaving the 2-pin, which he would convert, for a score of 209. Allan would get up needing a mark to win or 9 pins for a tie. Allan’s first shot in the tenth would go through the nose leaving the 3-6-10. Allan would need to pick up the spare to win and his spare shot looked good off his hand but would hook just enough to chop the 3-6 barely missing the 10-pin for a score of 209 to tie Kyle Ponzo! This would lead to a ninth-tenth frame roll off to determine our winner.
The rules to the roll-off would see each bowler’s handicap divided by 5, with the decimal playing in the event of another tie. Kyle Ponzo would receive 2 pins of handicap while Allan Kudlock would get 7.2 pins of handicap. Since Kyle was the higher seed, Allan would lead off on the left lane of the ninth frame. Allan would strike in his ninth frame as the left lane had been playing a lot tighter than the right lane. Kyle would get up and crush the rack for a strike in his ninth frame on the left lane. Kyle would move over the right lane for his tenth frame. Kyle would double and get nine in the tenth to finish with a score of 61. Allan would need a double of his own and four pins to win. Allan’s first ball in the tenth would go just a bit high in the pocket leaving the 6-pin as the 3-pin almost would knock it over but just not enough. Allan would pick the spare and strike on his fill ball to finish with a score of 47.2. This would give Kyle Ponzo his second AHT SFT title and $1,100.00! Congrats to Allan Kudlock for second place and $600.00. With Kyle’s win it looks like he is your 2023 Spring Quarterly Circuit winner and we’ll put up an announcement later this week regarding the results once points and averages have been finalized.
Thank you to everyone that came out this weekend to bowl our tournament. Also thank you to Tenna, Rebecca & the staff at AMF McRay for hosting us this weekend! Thank you to Michael Dragon and Tyler Andersen for helping to run this weekend’s tournament in place of Tawna. We’ll be back this coming Sunday at Bowlero Mesa on July 2nd for a 3-Squad Tournament! Hope to see you all there!
AMF McRay Finals - Kyle Ponzo vs. Sean "The Man" Ashley vs. Allan Kudlock for $1,100!
