February 20, 2009
By: Mark Martin
MDUSBC
SENIOR MASTERS
Larry
Walker of Garden City proved why he is a member of the Detroit Bowling Hall of
Fame by winning the MDUSBC Senior Masters title at Classic Lanes in Rochester
Hills and taking home the top prize of $3,000.
Once
in the championship match against Albert Amella III of
“I’ve
always wanted a masters title and to win the Senior Masters ranks third among my
bowling highlights right behind being on Team
“I’ve
always said that if I won a masters title you could cut off my left arm and my
bowling career would be complete”, said the left hander.
Amella
qualified 10th with 1,293. He lost his first match creating a long
road to the finals. After his loss to John Masiello of Southgate 460-395 he came
back with wins over defending champion Jim Burton of Novi 446-385, Steven Hubble
of Westland 432-324, Rodney Lechevalier of Livonia 392-352, Ed Austreng 465-447,
Michael LaRocca of New Hudson 416-391, Paul Hutchinson of Dearborn 454-415, Doug
Evans of Clinton Township 394-349 and David Maiorana Sr. of Rochester Hills
430-425 en route to the championship match. Once in the final match he lost to
Maiorana
qualified eighth with 1,295. In match play he beat 2007 champion Lee Snow of
Wixom 404-356, Leonard Cianciolo of Warren 403-346, top qualifier Donald
Clifford of
Evans
qualified 30th with 1,242 and lost in the first round to Dwayne
Griggs 518-390 before rebounding with wins over John Ciantar of Monroe 383-310,
Philip Horowitz 469-389, Frederick Bauss III of Eastpointe 503-359, Donald
Clifford 369-352, Anthony Dadeppo of Troy 421-413, Griggs in a revenge match
470-409 before falling to Amella 394-349. He averaged 209.4 and took home $750
for his fourth place finish.
Dwayne
Griggs cashed for $500 in fifth place and averaged 220.6.
Paul
Hutchinson finished sixth for $500 and averaged 207.2.
Michael
LaRocca finished seventh for $400 and averaged 212.6.
Anthony
Dadeppo ended up eighth picking up $400 after averaging 210.6.
Top
qualifier Donald Clifford of
Nick
Beelaard of
Other
Oakland County seniors who cashed were Ed Austreng of Waterford Township for
$275, Dan Mayer of Waterford Township $275, Mark Hatchigian of Novi $250, Philip
Horowitz of West Bloomfield $225, Larry Dagenais of Troy $225, Lee Snow of Wixom
$200, Jim Burton of Novi $200, Jeff Suma Sr. of Auburn Hills $120 and Lyle
Schaefer of Southfield $120.
Sponsors of the MDUSBC Senior Masters are Turbo 2-N-1
Grips,
The
MDUSBC Senior Masters Tournament is an USBC certified event operated by the
Metro Detroit USBC Association, the largest local association of the United
States Bowling Congress with more than 70,000 members.
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MORE
JOHN NOLEN
By
now everyone’s aware that John Nolen of
John is a product of the very strong bowling market that we are all exposed to every day. Even though he has burst onto the national scene recently with his December PBA Regional Players championship and the Masters title it was a long time coming.
Toiling in leagues and tournaments he has honed his skills preparing for this point in his bowling life. His five Budweiser Michigan Majors titles and two Michigan Junior Masters titles were examples of his preparation.
While Nolen has bowled all over, he has been involved in leagues at 300 Bowl, Airway Lanes and Century Bowl in Waterford Township and Cherry Hill Lanes North in Clarkston in the past 10 years as an adult bowler. Many of the leagues were PBA Experience leagues.
Nolen was grated a commissioner’s exemption in this week’s Lumber Liquidators PBA GEICO Plastic Ball Championship meaning that John has truly arrived. Typically commissioner’s exemptions are reserved for a local favorite bowler in the city where the event is being held or a hall of famer such as Brian Voss who received one this week also. A commissioner’s exemption eliminates the need for the bowler to qualify for the tournament.
Another
example of John arriving was relayed by fellow
“I caught up with John during the practice round on Monday. While talking with John up comes Walter Ray Williams and he said to John ‘I don’t want to bowl you again’”, said the surprised Austreng.
The
previous week at the Dick Weber Open in
Just another sign of the respect Nolen has received from the all-time PBA title holder and others.
In last week’s event, it was critically important to Nolen, to finish as the top seed for the television show.
“I worked hard to be the top seed and it paid off. I didn’t show up to finish fifth.”, said Nolen. “As the top seed I had the option of which lane to finish on and with the rack on the right lane being off a little off I decided to finish on the left lane.”
This decision was critical as his opponent Danny Wiseman was forced to finish on the right lane leaving a 10-pin in the 10th frame and making Nolen the USBC Masters champion.
“The week has been pretty crazy.” he said. “I had a number of calls and text messages, but didn’t respond to them during the week of competition because my focus was on the competition.”
Nolen has never had a bowling coach, but now with the helpful eye of Lindsay Baker he has taken his game to another level.
“She knows my game probably better than I do and she’s not afraid to call me out when I make a stupid move or don’t make a change soon enough.”
When
I caught up with John, he had driven all night from
In
case you hadn’t noticed, several
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BOWLING
ON TV THIS WEEKEND
The
Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour will feature the GEICO Plastic Ball Championship
from suburban
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HONOR SCORES
300
Games
Date,
Name, Hometown, Center, League
Feb. 4, Marvin Holly, Commerce Twp., Century Bowl, Barhoppers
Feb.
5, Gregory Hester,
Feb.
6, Michael Moore,
Feb.
8, James Williams,
Feb.
10, Joseph Cook,
Feb.
10, David Gumtow, Clarkston, Cherry Hill Lanes North,
Feb.
10, William Kandilian III,
Feb.
10, Susan Harrington,
Feb.
11, Anthony Zainea,
Feb. 11, Gary Rymiszewski, Metamora, Collier Lanes, Mid Week Five Men’s
Feb. 11, Robert Lewis, Warren, Bowl One Lanes, Ford General Classic
Feb.
11, Ronald Mueller,
Feb.
12, Bryan Levine,
Feb.
12,
Feb. 12, Brian Kozlowicz, Clarkston, Cherry Hill Lanes North, Waterford Men’s
Feb. 12, Steven McGartland, Clarkston, Cherry Hill Lanes North, Waterford Men’s
Feb. 12, Jerome Waske, Clarkston, Cherry Hill Lanes North, Waterford Men’s
Feb.
12, John Kutsoginis,
Feb. 12, Eric Gale, Commerce Twp., Century Bowl, Thursday Men’s House
Feb. 13, Kim Carthane, Pontiac, Fiero Lanes, Friday Nite High Liters
Feb.
13, Chris Gagnon,
Feb.
13, Allen Bordui Jr.,
Feb.
13, William Britton,
Feb.
14, Michael Mahrle,
Feb.
15, Gene Cooper,
Feb. 16, Paul Hypio, Pleasant Ridge, Plaza Lanes, Plaza Men
Feb. 16, George Schester Jr., Madison Hts., Universal Lanes, Monday Night Men’s
Feb. 17, Anthony Simpson Jr., Pontiac, Classic Lanes, Untouchables Mixed
Feb.
17, Derrell Hester,
Feb.
17, Andrew Bennett,
800
Series
Feb.
12, Jarrod Holle (810),
Feb.
13, Allen Bordui Jr. (823),
Feb.
16, James Nelson (803),
Feb.
17, Andrew Bennett (870),
Mark Martin writes a weekly bowling column for The Daily Oakland Press and is the association manager of the Metro Detroit USBC Association. He can be reached at (248) 443-2695, faxed at (248) 443-2690 or e-mailed at mark.martin@mdusbc.com.