ALPHA SCHOOL OPEN AT SUN LANES

champs Andy Byer and Mark Mares

   Andy Byer and Mark Mares cashed in big with JBT victories at the Alpha School Open, hosted by Sun Lanes in Las Cruces.

  Byer slipped into the number 5 seed for the finals, then ran the ladder for his third career victory.  In round one both bowlers struggled, but Andy was able to get by Bill Grant, who was forced to settle for another 5th place finish with the 183-166 loss.  Byer then ended the run of previous day's champ Justin De Dera, 225-171.

  Andy then really caught fire in the semifinals, rolling past Jeremy Medina 243-187.  While Medina of course wanted to win, his day was already made when he tossed a 300 game in qualifying, his second in JBT competition already this season, this one being extra special since a special, more demanding lane condition was laid out for the scratch division.

  Top qualifier Christian Jensen had led all eight rounds of the tournament, and had finally passed the $5000 mark in career scholarship earnings prior to the title match.  Unfortunately for Jensen, he was unable to get lined up in the title match, while Byer just got stronger and stronger with each shot.  Andy cruised to a 256-173 win, and the $400 first-place scholarship, his biggest one-day JBT payday ever.

   In the handicap division, thirteen games of bowling this weekend evidently wasn't enough for Heaven Pajala, as she and Bryanna Fry tied for the 8th and final stepladdder spot.  Pajala won the rolloff 95-81, and then won round one of the stepladder finals with a 210 game that defeated Paul Carper (186) and Marie Napolitano (194).

    Emily Milbank then rolled a 219 game in round two to defeat Dee Dee Harvey's 191 and Pajala's 203.  In the semifinals, Mark Mares took over with a 241 game, defeating good efforts by Milbank (191) and Preston Ryan (202) to advance to the title match.

   Top qualifier Justin Shipler had been at or near the top of the leader board all day long, and put up a great battle in the title match.  A tenth-frame open by Justin gave Mark all the room he needed, and Mares confidently doubled in the tenth for a 246-221 victory, good for his 2nd JBT SW title.  The especially vocal reaction by the crowd was well justified, as Mark's win caps off his continuing recovery from the terrible auto accident that almost claimed his life last December.  To persevere through everything, and actually win a JBT tournament less than a year after the fact, let alone even participate, is one of the more heartwarming stories we've had the privilege to present.

  Las Cruces has always done a great job hosting us, and all of their efforts, combined with Roswell's the day before, made for an outstanding weekend.   Tremendous thanks to Barbara DeDera and Alpha School for one of the best sponsorships we've ever had, allowing us to award almost $2400 at the event, and add a large chunk to the Invitational fund.  Also thanks to Sally and Bill and the Las Cruces YABA for their incredible fundraising work, and the day's other sponsors: Pizzeria Uno, Sun Lanes, Getz Funeral Home, Expert Care Inc., Maddox Plumbing, Las Cruces Men's Golf Association, Parker Amusement, Sisbarro Auto World, Golf Etc., Hoop-T-Dudes, and Pinetop Construction.

 
Alpha School Open at Sun Lanes- final results and optional scholarship winners
10/3/2004
Scratch Division
rank name city score prize
1 Andy Byer Albuquerque, NM p 62 $430
2 Christian Jensen Chandler, AZ p 219 $250
3 Jeremy Medina Santa Fe, NM p 130 $130
4 Justin DeDera Las Cruces, NM p 128 $100
5 Bill Grant Rio Rancho, NM p 67 $85
6 Kevin Saunders Goodyear, AZ p 42
7 Ty Brown Phoenix, AZ p 35 $45
8 BJ Baker Tempe, AZ p 23
9 CJ Brown Lubbock, TX even $25
10 Jerod Florez Bosque Farms, NM m 81  
11 Justin Medina Santa Fe, NM m 43
12 Stephen Gaucin El Paso, TX m 70  
13 Sarah Carity Flagstaff, AZ m 104 $15
14 Chris Ingram Phoenix, AZ m 115  
15 Brandy Silva Albuquerque, NM m 133  
16 Amanda Falk Tucson, AZ m 169  
17 Jay Lent Las Cruces, NM m 177
18 BJ Eichensehr El Paso, TX m 177
Handicap Division
rank name city score prize
1 Mark Mares Los Lunas, NM p 145 $440
2 Justin Shipler Roswell, NM p 152 $200
3 Preston Ryan Safford, AZ p 146 $100
4 Emily Milbank Albuquerque, NM p 129 $150
5 Heaven Pajala Albuquerque, NM p 94  
6 Dee Dee Harvey Las Cruces, NM p 107 $50
7 Marie Napolitano Las Cruces, NM p 103  
8 Paul Carper Rio Rancho, NM p 101 $40
9 Bryanna Fry Las Cruces, NM p 94 $20
10 Wendy Shelton Albuquerque, NM p 80 $30
11 Monique Ferralez Las Cruces, NM p 78  
12 Gabriel Whaling Las Cruces, NM p 75  
13 Martin Whaling Las Cruces, NM p 60  
14 Thomas Sanchez Las Cruces, NM p 52  
15 Albert Wilken Las Cruces, NM p 42  
16 Carlos Abeyta Alcalde, NM p 36  
17 John Freeman Silver City, NM p 34
18 Taylor Cruz Santa Fe, NM p 21 $75
19 Kyla Casaus Roswell, NM p 21  
20 Anthony Tripi El Paso, TX p 18 $40
21 Kyle Pearce Espanola, NM p 14 $60
22 Sarah Diaz Santa Fe, NM p 10
23 Charlie Elliott Santa Fe, NM p 8 $15
24 Kayla Jones Roswell, NM p 5  
25 Josh Guzman Las Cruces, NM p 3 $30
26 Annalicia Martinez Roswell, NM m 5 $15
27 Christa Harvey Las Cruces, NM m 5
28 Brooks Scarberry Roswell, NM m 8  
29 Kendra Jones Roswell, NM m 9
30 Jeremy Baca Albuquerque, NM m 15  
31 Christina Waldron Albuquerque, NM m 21  
32 Ashley Dale Las Cruces, NM m 23
33 Emma Armstrong Roswell, NM m 13  
34 Travis Shepan Las Cruces, NM m 13
35 Brandon Abeyta Alcalde, NM m 13
36 Alexandra Trujillo Las Cruces, NM m 22  
37 Marcus Banda Las Cruces, NM m 26
38 Ryan Gose Las Cruces, NM m 27  
39 Michael Hinojosa Las Cruces, NM m 27
40 Ashley Burns Las Cruces, NM m 29  
41 Christen Rogers Silver City, NM m 32  
42 Christopher Kopp Las Cruces, NM m 42
43 Janeyl Carper Rio Rancho, NM m 46  
44 LJ Matthews Las Cruces, NM m 51 $15
45 Rachelle Davis Tucson, AZ m 55 $15
46 Ryan Fast Las Cruces, NM m 57  
47 Brandy Main Las Cruces, NM m 57  
48 Jamison Spam Rio Rancho, NM m 66  
49 Ernesto Franco Roswell, NM m 72
50 Danielle Rogers Las Cruces, NM m 73 $15
51 Krista Casaus Roswell, NM m 77
52 Meagan Shipler Roswell, NM m 80  
53 Sarah English Roswell, NM m 81
54 Cory Shepan Las Cruces, NM m 95  
55 Joseph Rivas Las Cruces, NM m 96  
56 Spencer Shelton Las Cruces, NM m 98  
57 Shawn Rogers Silver City, NM m 98
58 Josh Arceo Los Lunas, NM m 105
59 Kara Casaus Roswell, NM m 109
60 Dustin Brezina Las Cruces, NM m 123
61 Amanda Johnson Rio Rancho, NM m 127
62 Trisha Harvey Las Cruces, NM m 131  
63 Pete Lopez Las Cruces, NM m 139
64 Jennifer Greggerson Las Cruces, NM m 149
65 Janine Rogers Las Cruces, NM m 198
66 Sergio Montoya Las Cruces, NM DNF
Cuts: scratch: minus 41, handicap: minus 10
300 Game: Jeremy Medina
High Games: scratch: Medina 300, Jensen 259, CJ Brown 258.  handicap: Pearce 278, Milbank 255, Mares 251.
Jr. Gold Qualifiers: none
Hi Female: Emily Milbank 960, Sarah Carity 896
Storm Ball Winner: Andy Byer
Stepladder Results:
Scratch:
Byer def. Grant 183-166
Byer def. DeDera 225-171
Byer def. Medina 243-187
Byer def. Jensen 256-173
Handicap:
Pajala (210) def. Napolitano (194) and Carper (186)
Milbank (219) def. Pajala (203) and Harvey (191)
Mares (233) def. Ryan (202) and Milbank (191)
Mares def. Shipler 246-221
TOTAL AWARDED THIS EVENT: $2,390