Gold Coast

champs Jakob Butturff & Jake Bryan

        J.B. were the winning initials in j.b. (junior bowling) action at Gold Coast Bowling Center, as Jakob Butturff and Jake Bryan captured J.B. (Junior Bowlers) Tour titles in exciting Mojave Conference action. 

       The Kegel Autobahn pattern yielded much lower scores than the previous day's event, but Dallas Leong had no trouble wit hit, averaging over 230 to claim the #1 seed for the 'oadotat' format.  This is a big advantage because in oadotat, higher seeds only need to win one game to win their match, while lower seeds must win twice.  Upsets are much rarer than traditional matchplay in this format, putting an emphasis on qualifying, but #16 Kyle Karpovich was unfazed, pulling off the 2-0 upset.  #15 Butturff had the answers as well, stunning #2 Zack Hattori to advance- the first time that the #1 and #2 seeds lost in the opening round of this format.

        Down to the final four, #4 Jordan Ferrer fired a big 267 to eliminate #8 Riley Dempsey, while Jacob was at it again, sweeping #6 Cameron Smith (after sweeping #5 Cortez Schenck the last round) to advance to the title match. 

        No double-digit seed has made the oadotat finals before, and Ferrer looked to be in position to stop Jakob's run, but a hand cramp had him j.b. (justifiably belligerent) as he fell 188-145 in game one, and though the cramp improved in game two, so did Jacob, winning game two 235-186 to pull off the 8-0 matchplay record and the win, something which we didn't think would be done for a long time from the #15 seed in this format.  The victory was the second of his budding JBT career.

        Utah's Skyler Moss threw two huge qualifying games en route to the #1 seed, but he too couldn't maintain his momentum, falling to #16 Kylie Shishima in round one and causing yet another first- the first pair of #1 seeds to lose the same day in oadotat.  #2 Bryan avoided the carnage, sweeping #15 Ethan Pasimio to advance.  Two rounds later four players remained, and in those matches #13 Brooke Martinez ousted #9 Alexis Atkin, while Bryan eliminated #6 Joe Gerencser in an absolute thriller 261-258 to set up the finale.

        Brooke was looking to capture a long awaited first JBT title, and make even more history as another double-digit seed to go 8-0 and win oadotat.  A great first game went down to the tenth frame, as Martinez' mark made Jake get the first hit to win.  Bryan stepped up and was j.b. (just brilliant) in throwing a perfect strike to lock up a 240-235 win, and earn the first title of his JBT career.

        Courtney Schultz fired a big 266 to earn the day's Women's Series title with a win over top seed Kyli Selley, the first of three she needs to qualify for the 2012 Girls' TPC this summer.  In all, over $1,500 in scholarships were earned by bowlers of all averages age 21 & under.  YOU ARE good enough to bowl JBT, and we want you to come experience the best events in under-21 bowling.  Just check out our schedule at www.bowljbt.com and come on down, it's that simple!

'J.B.' is the way to be!