Zapanta starts year with a bang

Raphael Zapanta picked up where he left off, winning the January roll-off for the Bing Energy Drink Prince/Princess of the Lanes competition Sunday at the Saipan Bowling Center.

Zapanta prevailed in the last three monthly roll-offs of 2008 en route to winning nine of the 12 monthly plums last season.

At the start of the 2009 season, Zapanta was still in top form besting seven other youth bowlers in the inaugural roll-off of the year.

The Saipan Southern High School student totaled 700 pinfalls in the four-game roll-off for a 97-pin lead over second placer Leeanne Yarobwemal (603).

Zapanta knocked 145 pins down in Games 1 and 2, improved his performance in Game (166) and saved the best for last recording 244 pinfalls in Game 4 for an average of 175 pinfalls.

Yarobwemal had the best start in the field with 166 pinfalls in Game 1, but he faltered in her bid for the January title after slowing down in the last three games (143, 135, and 159).

Marion McKenzie finished third after tallying 596 pinfalls, followed by 2008 Prince of the Lanes Zack Cruz (540), Nikko Guerrero (471), Troy Verdaguer (463), Marcel McKenzie (344), and Toby Verdaguer (234).

In the Budweiser King and Queen of the Lanes first monthly tournament, Raymond Zapanta and Linda Yarobwemal were leading the field after Sunday’s roll-offs.

Raymond, who tallied a total of 793 pinfalls in four games, was holding to a 49-pinfall lead over Simon Manacop (744), while Yarobwemal was having a slim 11-pinfall lead against Ron Cal, 716-705.

If Raymond and Yarobwemal’s scores were unbeaten last night, they get to keep the King and Queen titles for January.

Participants in the King and Queen races can bowl twice (Sunday and Monday), but only the highest score will be counted.

Twelve other female keglers joined the first roll-off of the month with Diane Chong (675) in third place, followed by Carol McKenzie (646), Emi Williams (645), Lala Taitano (626), Yho Villavicencio (624), Elena Soll (617), Lynn Santos (604), Mhel Regis (586), Marie Manansala (585), Gloria Omechelang (558), and Eileen Schardt (532).

In the King of the Lanes roll-off, Percy Omechelang (725) was in third place after Sunday’s tournament, followed by former youth bowler Jeremy Williams (672), Lito Teodoro (652), Kitz Barja (646), and Tony Yarobwemal (473).