DESERT OPEN  

runner-up Matt Jones and champ BJ Baker

BJ Baker capped off his second straight all-conference JBT Bowler of the Year season with an impressive victory in the 2006 Desert Open, presented by the Junior Bowlers Tour and hosted by AMF Christown.  Over $5,400 in scholarships were awarded to a 75-player scratch-only field.

The format was the exact same format used by the PBA National tour- 14 games of qualifying, followed by the top 32 bowling best-of-7 matchplay the rest of the way, making it possible to roll 37 games over the grueling weekend.  A PBA-style lane condition was used, putting a premium on shot-making and spares all weekend.

Prior to the finals, the story of the weekend was the absolute clinic put on by California's Matt Jones.  The both-handed style bowler averaged over 235 on the weekend, first leading qualifying by over 230 pins, and then leveling his three matchplay opponents, including a 300 game in the round of 16.  It's very rare for a  bowler to outdistance the entire field by so much, so it really was an amazing run.

In round of 8 matches, Jones defeated Cameron Smith, the only other bowler to roll 300 on the weekend, in four games.  Also sweeping matches were Baker (defeating Steven Black) and Jeremy Medina (ousting Matt Harris).  The only match to be extended was a battle between Bryanna Caldwell and Cayson Coyle.  After Coyle got out to a 2-0 lead, Caldwell roared back to take the next four and advance to the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Baker defeated Medina 216-200, while Jones beat Caldwell in the other semifinal 214-175, to set up a terrific finale.

The title match was the epitome of immovable object versus irresistible force- Jones, by far the high average for the weekend, and Baker, who had gone an amazing 13-0 in matches this weekend.  In the match, Jones lost the carry that had been so consistently in his favor all weekend, and the confident Baker piled up two long strike strings to win the match 244-183.  The victory was the 18th of his outstanding JBT career, alone in 3rd place all-time.

Thanks to Pat Cook and her terrific staff for another fine job hosting the JBT!  The JBT begins its 11th season in late August- visit us at www.bowljbt.com for schedules, updates, and so much more!

Matchplay results

Round of 32

#19 BJ Baker def. #14 Brian Weyrauch    (197-190, 223-181, 168-166, 173-168)

#23 Charlie Hair def. #10 Lanndyn Carnate    (189-218, 156-154, 189-188, 170-171, 223-156, 223-156)

#6 Steven Black def. #27 Greg Garbera     (235-198, 192-199, 206-201, 245-210, 246-132)

#7 Will Jackson def. #26 Tiffany Chi    (187-168, 189-221, 173-163, 175-153, 204-180)

#11 Jeremy Medina def. #22 April Urban (247-210, 248-247, 215-157, 183-199, 223-180)

#15 Christian Jensen def. #18 Kris Beach (178-234, 179-180, 201-164, 200-186, 225-198, 183-193, 192-168)

#2 Matt Harris def. #31 Bear Wiltfang (178-201, 201-182, 192-184, 197-196, 237-174)

#1 Matt Jones def. #32 Chris Weyrauch (204-182, 169-182, 279-202, 246-178, 200-194)

#17 Chris McHenry def. #16 Marc Algeri (225-168, 209-168, 202-147, 230-195)

#12 Cameron Smith def. #21 Johnny Ray (300-169, 195-199, 186-165, 172-224, 215-167, 198-168)

#25 Kris George def. #8 Ken McElvaney (190-192, 160-156, 167-190, 184-169, 197-171, 214-177)

#5 Brandon Allred def. #28 Kevin Saunders (246-245, 226-148, 247-172, 182-192, 200-203, 190-213, 192-153)

#24 Bryanna Caldwell def. #9 Bill Grant (192-256, 214-209, 197-182, 269-166, 205-217, 164-203, 246-195)

#13 Curtis Jensen def. #20 Justin White (157-158, 177-161, 203-235, 162-154, 202-160, 226-142)

#4 Cayson Coyle def. #29 Brian Ballard (221-188, 258-201, 163-171, 215-140, 207-170)

#30 Shelby Shirlock def. #3 Kevin Valmonte (227-185, 192-213, 195-205, 175-204, 198-196, 205-195, 207-202)

Round of 16

Coyle def. Curtis Jensen (183-175, 236-158, 217-172, 236-193)

Baker def. Shirlock (235-201, 191-178, 183-176, 218-123)

Medina def. Jackson (166-175, 215-208, 163-150, 244-130, 215-169)

Black def. Hair (189-201, 233-136, 202-167, 201-144, 162-185, 172-197, 189-181)

Harris def. Christian Jensen (205-149, 201-198, 212-220, 213-227, 212-161, 183-195, 257-174)

Jones def. McHenry (182-201, 244-244, 300-169, 233-164, 254-238, 266-161)

Smith def. George (161-192, 238-182, 217-181, 164-155, 189-171)

Caldwell def. Allred (223-204, 222-189, 231-223, 170-225, 205-214, 205-175)

Round of 8

Jones def. Smith (251-221, 184-161, 214-167, 203-156)

Caldwell def. Coyle (164-225, 170-186, 246-224, 203-184, 205-199, 205-182)

Baker def. Black (224-220, 226-204, 238-178, 221-149)

Medina def. Harris (231-201, 191-191, 192-168, 203-162)

Semifinals

Baker def. Medina, 216-200

Jones def. Caldwell, 214-175

Finals

Baker def. Jones, 244-183