First win for Zapanta, Taitano

 After three fruitless attempts, Raymond Zapanta and Lala Taitano finally notch their first win of the season, following separate victories in the Saipan Bowling Association/Budweiser Kind and Queen of the Lanes’ April roll-offs held at the Capitol Bowling Center.

Zapanta, who failed to finish in the Top 3 in the first three monthly roll-offs, this time made it to he podium with his four-game total of 825 pinfalls. The IT&E employee started slow with 178 pinfalls in Game 1 last Monday, but showed tough form in the last three games, knocking down more than 200 pins (220, 224, and 203) for an average of 206.25.

Zapanta managed to overtake Sunday leader Joe Sto. Domingo, who posted 759 pinfalls (157, 236, 182, and 184) and averaged 189.75 in Day 1 of the two-day roll-off. Simon Manacop competed in Day 2 and his four-game total of 758 pinfalls (192, 223, 150, and 193) were good enough for a third place finish. Participants in the King and Queen roll-offs were allowed to bowl for two days, but only the higher score will be counted.

Taitano only joined the second day of the tournament and her four-game total of 698 pinfalls surpassed the 610 of Day 1 leader Elena Soll. Taitano had her best showing in Game 2, recording 191 pinfalls and tallied 178, 176, and 153 in the three other games for an average of 174.50.

The newly crowned April Queen of the Lanes won by only four pinfalls against Gloria Omechelang, who was the lone female kegler to post more than 200 pinfalls in a single game with her 206 in the final game. However, Omechelang only nailed 144 in Game 1 and had 179 and 165 in the next two games in Day 2 to fall short in her bid for her first monthly crown.

Rounding out the Top 3 in the women’s field was Carrie Camacho, who made 668 pinfalls (181, 158, 161, and 168) in Day 2 for an average of 167. Soll also bowled in the second day of the tournament, but her 613 pinfalls only brought her to sixth place behind Yho Villavicencio (636) and Ron Cal (622).

Two in a row for Aldan

In the Fiji Water Prince of the Lane, March winner M.J. Aldan made it two in a row after scoring 670 pinfalls in four games (190, 168, 130, and 182) and beating three other youth bowlers.

Aldan won by 62 pinfalls against runner-up Toby Verdaguer (618). Ryan Batac and Nikko Gutierrez completed the field and logged 509 and 481 pinfalls, respectively.