BEST IN THE WEST XIII

champs Josh Blanchard & Anthony Cruz

Josh Blanchard and Anthony Cruz captured major victories in unique and exciting action in the Best in the West Junior Matchplay Challenge, presented by the Junior Bowlers Tour.  Over $5,000 in scholarships were awarded.

A packed house of 122 bowlers competed in 'eliminator brackets' for seven hours on Saturday, accumulating points as they went, with the top 60% point scorers returning for Sunday's competition.  Eliminators continued on Sunday as the tension mounted, with every game getting more crucial before a final cut to the top 6 in each division.

In the scratch division, Blanchard and Robyn Ashley tied for the sixth and final spot, and Josh was able to win that rolloff 248-176 to advance to the finals.  Seeds 3-6 then played, with the top two scores advancing.  In that round, Blanchard's 199 was good enough to advance, as was Brian Weyrauch's 233, with Chris Varholdt (188) and Sam Cuevas (147) being eliminated.  

Brian and Josh then joined the top two seeds, Cameron Smith and Brandon Allred, for another round.  Blanchard easily advanced with a big 268, and Smith bowed out with 173.  Then, after Weyrauch finished with 202, all he could do was watch as Allred needed a mark in the tenth to advance.  After leaving a 2-pin, Brandon stunned the crowd (and himself) by missing it, and Weyrauch advanced to the final.

Brian had already had an outstanding event, rolling 300 and 290 on the house pattern on Saturday, and more than holding his own on the PBA Viper pattern on Sunday.  However, Blanchard was getting stronger and stronger as the tournament went on.  Josh, a junior Team USA member, put on a clinic in the final, defeating Weyrauch 233-202 for his sixth career JBT title, and a very nice $600 scholarship prize.

The handicap finals, following the same format, saw #5 Cruz (220) and #6 Mike May (273) advance out of round one, while #3 Kyle Frederick (209) and #4 Bryce Techmer (210) were eliminated.

Round two was another typically high-scoring match, with top seed Blake Kalaf (251) and Cruz (226) escaping fine efforts from May (226) and #2 seed Kyle Vitzthum (220) to reach the title match.

Kalaf had been at or near the top of the leaderboard for most of the event, the best performance of his JBT career.  However, he was up against a tough customer in Cruz, a veteran JBT bowler who has been near victory many times.  Anthony was able to string strikes late in the game for a 247-216 win, and a long-awaited first JBT title.  He did this throwing an Ebonite bowling ball, so an extra $100 was added for a $700 scholarship windfall for the San Diego bowler.

Not to be lost in the shuffle was an amazing three-game performance by 13 year-old James Hawkins, Jr.  The Anaheim, CA kegler with a very unique 'both-handed' style, bowling in the handicap division, put together an 810 3-game series, en route to a tie for 7th place.  The set was only the 10th 800 series in our 400+ tournament history!

Big thanks to Tim Brenden, Mike, Denise, and the terrific staff at BRC Zone Mesa for their usual great job hosting our events.  Want in on the fun?  Come on out to the next JBT event, it's as simple as that!

Best in the West- final results and optional scholarship winners  
11/26/2006        
All Conference      
       
Scratch Division      
rank name city, state points prize
1 Josh Blanchard Fresno, CA 57 $675
2 Brian Weyrauch Tempe, AZ 58 $485
3 Brandon Allred Las Vegas, NV 69 $320
4 Cameron Smith Santee, CA 62 $180
5 Sam Cuevas Lubbock, TX 61 $135
6 Chris Varholdt Chandler, AZ 61 $100
7 Robyn Ashley Farmington, NM 57 $90
8 Forrest Holland Escondido, CA 56 $80
9 Andy Reynoso Las Vegas, NV 54 $70
10 Chris Weyrauch Tempe, AZ 53 $60
11 Andy Byer Albuquerque, NM 52 $30
12 Labriel Leach Tucson, AZ 51  
13 Kyle King Phoenix, AZ 48  
14 Derek Thurber Phoenix, AZ 45 $45
14 Preston Fukumizu Los Angeles, CA 45  
16 April Urban Henderson, NV 44 $15
17 Ken McElvaney Los Angeles, CA 41  
18 Matt Zang Tucson, AZ 40 $10
19 Matthew Jones Canoga Park, CA 39  
20 Theo Douthit San Diego, CA 37 $135
21 Kris George Glendale, AZ 36 $45
21 Matt Harris Los Angeles, CA 36  
21 Brent Larsen Glendale, AZ 36  
24 Tyler Addotta Tucson, AZ 34  
25 Jerod Florez Bosque Farms, NM 30  
26 Jeff Callahan Puyallup, WA 29  
27 Zach Simon Scottsdale, AZ 28 $25
28 Eduardo Perez Peoria, AZ 27  
28 Marc Burris Tucson, AZ 27  
30 Michael Cross Tucson, AZ 25  
30 Dan Bodinet Phoenix, AZ 25  
30 Kevin Schoenfeld Phoenix, AZ 25  
33 Allie Ijams Mission Viejo, CA 23 $15
34 Kevin Narciso Phoenix, AZ 22  
35 DJ Sloan Las Vegas, NV 16  
35 Shane Peck Riverside, CA 16  
37 Christian Jensen Anthem, AZ 14  
37 Chelsea Zemelka Phoenix, AZ 14  
37 Miguel Lopez Peoria, AZ 14  
37 Justin White Phoenix, AZ 14  
37 Tyler Shipman Phoenix, AZ 14  
42 Nicholas Lee Tucson, AZ 12  
42 Greg Garbera Glendale, AZ 12 $45
42 Rachelle Davis Tucson, AZ 12 $15
42 Adam Reynoso Las Vegas, NV 12  
42 Matt McHann Las Vegas, NV 12  
42 Bill Grant Rio Rancho, NM 12  
42 Bryanna Dawson Phoenix, AZ 12  
42 CJ Crowley Gilbert, AZ 12  
42 Eric Rubin Phoenix, AZ 12  
51 Marc Algeri Phoenix, AZ 10  
51 Kylee Bonneville Mesa, AZ 10  
51 Almanda Albani Phoenix, AZ 10  
51 Will Jackson Gardena, CA 10  
51 Jeff Mathews Las Vegas, NV 10 $15
51 Chris McHenry Tucson, AZ 10  
57 Randy Cote Tucson, AZ 8  
57 Steph Merrell Rio Rancho, NM 8  
59 Bear Wiltfang Lake Havasu City, AZ 0  
60 Manny Lakhan Los Angeles, CA 0  
       
       
Handicap Division      
rank name city, state points prize
1 Anthony Cruz San Diego, CA 59 $700
2 Blake Kalaf Chandler, AZ 73 $400
3 Kyle Vitzthum Glendale, AZ 67 $250
4 Mike May San Diego, CA 58 $150
5 Kyle Frederick Chandler, AZ 67 $125
6 Bryce Techmer Phoenix, AZ 61 $155
7 Brian Castelloe Carlsbad, CA 55 $150
7 James Hawkins, Jr. Anaheim, CA 55 $145
9 Kyle Bridgman Kingman, AZ 54 $85
10 Chris Huglin Gilbert, AZ 50 $65
11 Joshua Shoup Tolleson, AZ 46 $75
11 Jake Huff Chandler, AZ 46 $30
13 Taylor Knight Phoenix, AZ 45 $15
14 Greg Shoaf Chandler, AZ 43  
15 Zach Huglin Gilbert, AZ 41  
16 Shalynne Schmid Indio, CA 39  
16 Anthony Tripi Tolleson, AZ 39  
18 Jay Prewitt Chandler, AZ 37  
19 Martika Cabezas Cathedrail City, CA 36  
19 Kaitlin Mayall Chula Vista, CA 36 $60
19 Alex Baker Albuquerque, NM 36  
22 Kyle Klein Phoenix, AZ 35  
23 Robert Atherton Glendale, AZ 34  
24 Jacob Abstender Phoenix, AZ 33  
25 Brandon Longo Phoenix, AZ 32  
26 Taylor King Phoenix, AZ 31 $15
27 Danny Varholdt Chandler, AZ 30  
27 Benjamin Rumley Mesa, AZ 30  
29 David Fritz San Diego, CA 29  
29 Emmanuel Durazo Phoenix, AZ 29 $15
31 Courtney Dutton Chandler, AZ 28  
32 Jordan Bell Phoenix, AZ 27 $15
33 Tanya Nason Sierra Vista, AZ 26  
34 Rebeca Reguero Phoenix, AZ 25 $20
35 Samantha Aguilar Tucson, AZ 22  
35 Ashley Olriksen Albuquerque, NM 22  
37 Cody Vanderweyst Glendale, AZ 16  
38 Kyle Karpovich Chandler, AZ 15  
39 Sandy Truman Phoenix, AZ 14  
39 Kayla Frederick Chandler, AZ 14  
39 Guy Prewitt Chandler, AZ 14  
39 Rebecca Bodinet Phoenix, AZ 14  
43 Brooks Gould Gilbert, AZ 12  
43 Pamela Perez Peoria, AZ 12  
43 Eric Vitzthum Glendale, AZ 12  
43 Jonah Seawright Albuquerque, NM 12  
43 Kristen Lee Tucson, AZ 12  
43 Jordan Vanderweyst Glendale, AZ 12  
43 Derek Black Mesa, AZ 12  
50 Bethany Baker Tempe, AZ 10  
50 Gino Salaverria Phoenix, AZ 10  
50 Nicholas Rumley Mesa, AZ 10  
50 Justin Givler Phoenix, AZ 10  
50 Devon McCormick Tucson, AZ 10  
50 Dennan Boscarino Phoenix, AZ 10  
50 Justin Jordan Mesa, AZ 10  
57 Amy Johnson Mesa, AZ 8  
57 Cris Boyle Mesa, AZ 8  
57 Keanon Barton Phoenix, AZ 8  
57 Susy Monteith Orange, CA 8  
57 Arik Canning Mesa, AZ 8  
62 Jared Boscarino Phoenix, AZ 6  
       
       
Cuts: scratch 16 points; handicap 16 points    
Ebonite Ball Winner: Forrest Holland    
       
TOTAL AWARDED THIS EVENT: $5,035
       
       

 

 

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