PARKWAY BOWL

champs Ronnie Fujita & Austin Thompson

        Ronnie Fujita and Austin Thompson wrapped up the 2011-12 So Cal Conference regular season with big wins in exciting JBT action at Parkway Bowl.

        Alexis Atkin, in the hunt for all-conference handicap Bowler of the Year, opened the handicap stepladder finals with a 216-172 win over Trenton Romleski.  Atkin then played Randi Speiler, and it was yet another highly competitive match between the two, with Alexis escaping this time, 238-233.   It was another thriller in the semifinals, which ended in a 237 tie between Alexis and Austin Thompson.  Austin won the ensuing rolloff to advance to the title match.

        Though his brother had the lone title in the family, it was Austin's consistent season-long performance that had earned him the points lead going into the event.  Top seed Greg Adler had taken the lead away from Speiler in game seven, but struggled in the final game, while Thompson took the momentum from the tiebreak win and exploded for a 263-185 win, earning the first title of his JBT career and putting him in commanding position for the Bowler of the Year award.

        All-time JBT titles leader Kyle King, who earlier had the event's high game with a 298, opened up the scratch division stepladder finals with a 235-223 win over Mark Myers.  Harley Sweigart then continued to impress in his transition to the scratch division, defeating Kyle 257-234.  Steven Manier then came on to stop Sweigart 238-194 to advance to the title match.

        Top seed Ronnie Fujita has been nearly unstoppable in 2012, and it continued here as he led six of the eight rounds to grab the top position.  He poured on the strikes in the title match, perhaps aided by a totally unnecessary 'rally cuff', defeating Manier 267-205 for the fifth title of his JBT career.

        Top seed Lana Lycan and Randi Speiler battled in one of the best Impact Bowling JBT Women's Series matches of the season, with Speiler coming out on top 237-235 for the title, the crucial third of the season for her.

        Each winner (and a lucky raffle winner) earned copies of Mark Baker's "Game Changer" book, as well as additional $100 bonuses.  Big thanks to 'Bakes' for his constant support of JBT!

        Thanks as always to the crew at Parkway for hosting our event, which awarded over $2,000 to bowlers of all averages and all ages.  The field is now set for the So Cal Invitational, which will determine Bowler of the Year and TPC berths.