WILDFIRE LANES

champs Jakob Butturff & Mike Rose

        Jakob Butturff returned to the winner's circle, while Mike Rose picked up his first JBT title, in exciting Mojave Conference action at Wildfire Lanes.

        Nick Pollak dominated the qualifying round with his best JBT 5-game total, a whopping +257, but fell in the quarterfinals of the 'survivor' matchplay rounds.  Down to four bowlers, Butturff ousted Jamison Peyton (who made his first career top 5), and Brandon Russom reached his first title match by defeating previous day's runner-up Russ Oviatt.  Despite the loss, Oviatt earns the top 'weekend warrior' bonus with the best combined finish on the weekend.

        It's been a lot of Cortez Schenck talk on Tour lately, but this time Jakob, who has been busy with the successful ASU college team, reminded everyone that he is still very much at the top of the JBT ladder as well.  After a 165 opening game, Butturff averaged an amazing 259.8 the next seven games, with a low of 245- that's a really good way to get to the title match in survivor format.  The title match was a different story as open frames plagued both bowlers.  Russom, who chopped the 2-4-5 twice, was given a huge reprieve when Butturff left a 7-10 in the tenth.  However, Brandon couldn't come up with the double he then needed, and Jakob escaped with a 192-179 win and the title.  It's his 29th career title, and is a warning shot in what might become a terrific title battle between him and Cortez the rest of the season.

        Twenty handicap bowlers advanced to the survivor rounds, and when top seed Joe Gerencser got knocked out in the quarterfinals, the field was  down to just four.  In those matches, Rose eliminated Alexis Atkin, and April McDonnell stopped 7 year-old Tyler Hedges to set up a title game between two non-champions.

        The title game was close the whole way, but in the end Rose edged out a 207-205 win, earning his first career JBT title.

        Atkin was again the top qualifier for the day's Women's Series, but this time Crystalene Pineda came up with a 179-177 win, good for her first Women's Series title.

        Thanks to everyone at Wildfire for a fun weekend!  Want in on the fun?  Come on out to the next JBT event, that's all there is to it!