Angeles, Soll end drought

Raymond Angeles and Elena Soll finally broke into the win column this season after topping the August Budweiser King and Queen of the Lanes held over the weekend at the Saipan Bowling Center.

Angeles, who had unsuccessful attempts in ruling the men’s division in the first eight monthly roll-offs, took this month’s crown after collecting 779 pinfalls in four games. His winning score came in the first day of the tournament last Saturday. Angeles also bowled last Sunday, but his 707 pinfalls were only good for seventh place. Participants in the monthly roll-offs have an option to bowl twice, but only the higher score will be counted.

Simon Manacop competed in the tournament only once and his Sunday total of 761 pinfalls earned him a runner-up finish. He and Angeles were the only two bowlers to knock down more than 200 pins twice. Angeles had his best showing in Game 1 with 239 pinfalls and then logged 205 in Game 4. The September winner recorded 181 and 154 in Games 2 and 3 for an average of 194.75 pinfalls. Manacop’s highest score came in Game 4 when he nailed 222 pinfalls. He has 148, 213, and 178 in the first three games for an average of 190.25.

Rounding out the Top 3 in the 13-player field was Raphael Zapanta, who totaled 736 pinfalls, just two pinfalls ahead of fourth placer and brother, Ruselle.

Soll also had a slim winning margin over Yho Villavicencio in the Queen of the Lanes event with the former gaining 663 pinfalls against the latter’s 658.

Soll notched her first monthly tiara and slipped past Villavicencio after carding 175 pinfalls in Game 4 of the second day of the roll-off. Villavicencio was ahead after three games, 497-488, but dropped to second place when she only knocked down 161 pinfalls in Game 4 and averaged 164.50. Soll had a 165.75 average after recording 122, 199, and 167 in the first three games.

August winner Ron Cal completed the Top 3 with her 656 total. Cal slid to third after also slowing down in the final game where he only scored 158 pinfalls. Twelve female keglers joined the roll-offs.

In the Fiji Water Prince/Princess of the Lanes, M.J. Aldan started a new streak after reigning in the Saturday roll-off.

Aldan, who won the youth event from January to April, but lost to rival Marion McKenzie in the next three months before ending his skid last month, made it two in a row last weekend after scoring 610 pinfalls. He was the lone youth bowler to post at least 600 pinfalls last Saturday, as the best McKenzie could do was tally 572 pinfalls to settle for another runner-up finish.

John Taisacan had a four-game total of 479 pinfalls to place third and was followed by Toby Verdaguer (443), Ryan Batac (382), and V.J. Aldan (374).