Talavera leads PBA Classified Tournament winners

Five-time perfect gamer Robert Talavera was among the winners in the 2010-2011 Philippine Bowling Association/Budweiser Classified Tournament played in two weekends at the Saipan Bowling Center.

Talavera ruled the centerpiece Class A event, besting six other keglers. He topped the qualifying roll-off on June 26 after carding 1,200 pinfalls in six games to automatically advance to the stepladder finals.

Joining Talavera in the playoffs were Richard Leong (1,101 pinfalls) and Raymond Zapanta (1,044), who placed second and third in the qualifier, respectively. The two bowlers went on to duel in the semis on July 3 with Leong winning, 186-174, to earn the right to meet Talavera in the finals.

In the championship match, Talavera needed only one game to win the Class A title, 188-166. Talavera was awarded a trophy and $350 cash during the event’s banquet at SBA last Saturday, while Leong and Zapanta also went home with trophies and $250 and $150, respectively. Fourth placer Jon Eparwa was awarded $100, fifth placer Raul Dumapit received $65, and sixth placer Ron Epan pocketed $45.

Two other divisions had their qualifiers and stepladder finals with Melvin Malvar and Ronald Batac prevailing the Class B and C, respectively.

Malvar clinched the Class B plum after beating Andrew Sablan in the finals, 161-38. Malvar had a six-game series of 1,123 pinfalls to top the field of 10 bowlers and march into the finals. The next two finishers—Joe Sto. Domingo (1,110) and Sablan (1,016) collided for the slast finals berth with the latter winning, 219-190.

Malvar went home with a trophy and $300, while Sablan and Sto. Domingo got $200 and $100, respectively. Cash prizes were also handed to Bernardo Paraiso, Atoy Banting, Tony David, Ramir de Leon, and Ron Cal for completing the Top 8.

Batac notched the Class C title against Rene Cariaso. Batac lost Game 1 of the finals, 179-182, but recovered in Game 2, 214-170, to win the championship and $250 cash prize. Cariaso and third placer Ben Aizon pocketed $150 and $80, respectively.

Batac moved into the finals after ruling the qualifier with his 1,036 pinfalls in six games. Cariaso also finished second in the qualifier with his 1,014 pinfalls, faced the third seeded Aizon (1,000) in the semis, and won, 213-174, to book the last finals ticket.

Completing the Top 8 were Elena Soll, Mel Regis, Yho Villavicencio, Resty Ancheta, and Gigi Zapanta.