Holiday Bowl

champs Klarice Medina and Ahkeen Williams

            Ahkeen Williams and Klarice Medina captured their fist JBT titles each in exciting JBT NM-TX Conference action at Skidmore's Holiday Bowl.

            The ultra-demanding US Open pattern was laid out for the bowlers, putting an emphasis on shotmaking and the spare game all day long.  Matt Helmick, always tough on the tougher shots, opened the scratch division of the stepladder finals with a 206-156 win over Colorado's Jess Gagliardi.  Helmick then beat Ryan Scheer 205-166, as Scheer enjoyed back-to-back 4th place finishes on the weekend.  Helmick then got past Jacob Gill, making his first scratch finals, 178-137, to reach the title match.

            Williams, a successful handicap division bowler for many years, was also bowling his first event as a full-time scratch division bowler, and he debuted impressively, finishing as the only bowler plus (+9) after eight grueling games, to nab the top seed.  In a back and forth title match, Ahkeen escaped with the 185-180 victory, and his first JBT title, becoming one of the youngest scratch division winners in JBT history- way to go!

            Elizabeth Romero opened up the handicap division finals with a 202-184 win over Santiago Withers.  Olivia Silva then bested Romero 230-208, before Medina stopped Silva 212-195, to reach the title match.

            Top seed Andrew Esparza had come tantalizingly close to victory before, and gained the top seed after 8 games to get just one game away from victory.  However, in a low-scoring finale, Klarice escaped with a 184-182 victory, and her first JBT title.  At an 88 average, Medina again proves that any age and any average can win JBT events!

            Thanks to everyone at Holiday for another fine job hosting our Tour.  Over $1,500 in scholarships were awarded at this event- want in on all this fun and excitement?  Come on out to the next JBT event, it's as simple as that!