43 qualified for SBA finale roll-offs

Saipan Bowling Association has named the 43 players who are qualified to compete in the 2011 season-ending roll-offs at the Capitol Bowling Center.

For the SBA Budweiser King of the Lanes, 24 bowlers made the grade. The list include Ben Aizon, Edward Baluyan, Ronald Batac, Efren Cacdac, Alex Castro, Benjie Cruz, Jonathan Eparwa, Jerry Kaneshi, Jae Yong Kim, Yong Woon Lee, Simon Manacop, Percy Omechelang, Paul Pangelinan, Bernardo Paraiso, Joe Sto. Domingo, Lito Teodoro, Tony Yarobwemal, Raymond, Raphael, and Ruselle Zapanta, and Robert Talavera.

Those who qualified for the King of the Lanes either won in the 12 monthly roll-offs or competed in at least six tournaments this year. Defending King of the Lanes Talavera won the monthly roll-offs in February, June, and August; Manacop prevailed in March, July, and October; and Zapanta triumphed in January and December. Other monthly winners were Eparwa (March), Sto. Domingo (May), Angeles (September), and Castro (November)

The season-ending event for male bowlers will be held on Jan. 15 with only the Top 3 bowlers after the nine-game preliminary roll-off advancing to the stepladder finals. Registration will start at 1:30pm and the elimination will begin at 2pm. Entrance fee is $45.

In the stepladder finals, the top-ranked bowler after nine games will automatically marched into the championship match. The No. 2 and 3 finishers will then duel for the second and last finals berth. In the finals, the No. 1 finish needs to win only one to secure the championship. If the top-ranked bowler loses in Game 1, a deciding Game 2 will be played and the champion will be determined via total pinfalls in two games.

The same format will be implemented in the stepladder finals in the Queen of the Lanes and Fiji Water Prince/Princess of the Lanes, which will both take place on Jan, 8, also at the Capitol Bowling Center.

Four-time monthly winner Ron Cal (February, June, August, and December) leads the list of female keglers who qualified for next month’s competition. Joining her are Yho Villavicencio (January winner), Gloria Omechelang (March, July, and October), Diane Camacho (April and October), Elena Soll (September), Lala Taitano (November), Carol McKenzie, Myrna Santos, Mel Regis, Merlie Tolentino, and Gigi Zapanta.

Female bowlers who failed to win in the monthly roll-offs, but participated in at least four tournaments got entries in the finale. The 14 qualifiers will bowl in eight games to determine the three bowlers who will advance to the stepladder finals.

For the Prince/Princess of the Lanes, those who either joined in at least three events or won monthly crowns received a green light for next month’s competition. The list includes M.J. Aldan and Marion and Marcel McKenzie, John Taisacan, Ryan Batac, Nikko Gutierrez, Toby Verdaguer, and Leeanne Yarobwemal.

Aldan topped the monthly events six times (January to April, August and September), Marion McKenzie won five times (May to July, October, and December), while Taisacan prevailed in November.

The youth keglers will play in a six-game elimination to pick the Top 3 qualifiers for the stepladder finals.