2006 Main Event Girls Scratch Division

runner-up Emily Maier and champ Kaleena Henning

Kaleena Henning outlasted a very talented finals field to capture the Girls Scratch division of the 2006 Las Vegas Main Event, presented by Ebonite International and the Junior Bowlers Tour.

After three days of qualifying competition, the filed was whittled down to 30 for six games of head-to-head matchplay, after which the top 8 advanced to a modified bracket-style stepladder finals.  In round one of the finals, #8 seed Mandy Pezzano, who snuck into the finals by just 13 pins, upended #6 Jessica Helwi 223-209, while #5 Emily Maier defeated #7 Kirsten Sorensen in a big way, thrilling the crowd with the first ten strikes en route to a 289-212 win.  

In round two, Maier stayed hot, defeating #4 Bryanna Caldwell, the JBT's all-time winningest female bowler, 224-215.  Meanwhile, #3 Henning looked to be headed towards a tough loss to Pezzano, but a missed spare in the tenth turned the tables one more time, and Kaleena escaped with a 213-207 win to advance.

In the semifinal matches, Maier got by #1 seed and defending Main Event champion Danielle Schilling 237-216, while Henning defeated the #2 seed Ashley Rubin to reach the title match.

The title match was a classic battle between two very talented bowlers, with both girls seemingly striking at will through the early stages.  In the end, though, Henning came through with the hits she needed for a 234-215 win, and the $1,500 first place scholarship prize.  Maier's excellent run through the stepladder was still good for the $1,200 runner-up prize.

Thanks again to Ebonite, as well as to Texas Station for a first-class hosting job.  In all, $53,589 in scholarships was awarded to a 1,000+ entrant field.  Find all the Main Event results and learn more about the Junior Bowlers Tour at www.bowljbt.com, and we'll see you at Texas Station in 2007 for the next Main Event! 

For more info, feel free to write us at jbtsouthwest@aol.com.