20th CENTURY LANES

champs Daniel Hanson & Connor Gracia

        Makayla Douglas stole the show, but Daniel Hanson and Connor Gracia proved to be the most super of survivors in grueling and thrilling action at Portland's 20th Century Lanes.

        In 'super-survivor', after a cut to the top half after five games, three bowlers are eliminated each round: the lowest overall game, and the two lowest overall pinfall totals.  In the scratch division, all eyes were on Makayla Douglas.  Her +266 five game total is one of, if not the highest, 5-game female total in JBT history.  Even more impressive is that she was an unbelievable 201 pins ahead of second place qualifier Austin Gratzer at +60, and that difference is also believed to be a JBT record.    Makayla kept up the torrid pace through six rounds of eliminations, with her 267 round six game obviously surviving, while Josh Mullen (191), Tyler Boe (+21), and Eddy Smith (+21) were eliminated. 

        Down to three, the bowlers hit a tough pair, and Hanson (187) and Jesse Covington (193) were probably as stunned as anyone to find themselves surviving, while Douglas' fantastic day met an abrupt end with a 179.  In the resulting finale, Hanson remained in control the whole match, winning 213-192 for the third scratch title of his still-young JBT career.

        In the handicap division, Jake Tucker had his career best JBT day to lead qualifying, but even the leader can go out with one bad game in super-survivor, and he fell in the round of 15.  Eventually the field was cut down to six, and in that round, Zoe Mahn (180) was eliminated with low game, while Jake Mullen (+90) and Kelsey Abrahamsen (+131) bowed out on total pinfall- by just six pins in Kelsey's case.  With the top three remaining, Connor Gracia (232) and Kevin Obrist (228) moved on, while Sebastian Polhill (174) bowed out in third place.

        Three of the last four handicap division winners were ages 9, 9, and 11, and this title match reversed that trend, as Connor (21) and Kevin (20) squared off in one of the oldest possible title matches.  Both bowlers rolled solid (if nervous) games, but in the end Connor spared in the tenth for a 213-204 win.  After a long journey, the veteran Gracia finally captures the first title of his JBT career.

        Douglas got a small measure of revenge with a hard-fought 192-186 win over Correen Lieber to win the day's Impact Bowling Women's Series event.  It's already her third win, making her the first qualifier for the 2013 Girls TPC next summer!

        Thanks as always to the crew at 20th Century for a great job hosting our events!