GOLDEN PIN LANES

champs Riley Dempsey & Jerod Walker

        Riley Dempsey ended a long victory drought, while Jerod Walker captured his first title, in exciting JBT Arizona Conference action at Tucson's Golden Pin Lanes.

       In an all-Tucson opener to the scratch division stepladder finals, Nick Lee defeated Delano Coveris 212-170.  29-time champion Cameron Smith then ousted Lee 223-204.  Dempsey then stopped Smith 212-175 to reach the title match.

       Top seed Bryan Van Sickle was enjoying the best JBT event of his career, qualifying in the #1 position for the first time.  Unfortunately, we've seen that lead to shaky performances in this new situation in the past, and that was the case this time as Bryan struggled a bit.  The veteran Dempsey took full advantage, striking early and often to secure a 223-168 win and the 13th title of his JBT career.  More notable was the fact that it was the first title of the entire 11-12 season for the defending all-conference JBT Bowler of the Year, despite numerous close calls.  Now that the ice is broken, look out scratch division!

        Rashaad Jordan, excited enough to have qualified for the Invitational at his home house (Cactus) this June, squeezed out a 176-168 win over Candace Gardner in round one of the handicap stepladder finals.  Jordan then found the line in a big 230-176 win over Californian up-and-coming star Trevor Thompson.  Fellow Cactus bowler Walker then stopped Jordan (in a match that took roughly four minutes) 219-175 to reach the finals.

        After struggling in previous JBT events, Scott Wilhelm had a dominant day en route to the top seed.   He continued to strike in the title game, but his spare shooting started to let him down, and his second miss of the 3-6-10 in the tenth frame proved to be the difference in a 194-188 loss- heartbreaking for him, but thrilling for Walker, who walked away with the first title of his JBT career.  Both Jerod and Riley earned $25 bonuses as champions of the event, courtesy of Bowling Dynamics Pro Shops.

        Kristen Lee defeated Courtney Dutton 222-203 to capture the day's Impact Bowling Women's Series, her third of the season, qualifying her for the Girls TPC this July in Las Vegas!

        In total, over $1,300 was earned by bowlers of all averages and all ages 21 and under- want in on the fun?  Just check out our schedule and come on down to the next JBT event, it's that simple!

For more info, feel free to write us at jbtsouthwest@aol.com.