February 24, 2022 Chase Kaufman

Two more events hit the books last weekend as the South Region hosted the PBA50 Paradise Lanes Spartanburg Open and the Central Region held the PBA/PBA50 Doubles/Clutch Lanes Central Open. Both events awarded points toward the regional standings as players attempted to climb the leaderboard to qualify for the end-of-the-year Regional Players Invitational.

CENTRAL REGION

PBA/PBA50 Doubles/Clutch Lanes Central Open

Starting in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, the Central sector hosted 48 hopeful pairs of athletes vying for 2,500 points toward the Central standings and a 2022 doubles title on their résumé. Each bowler rolled eight individual games for a 16-game qualifying total as a team.

Ronnie Russell and Dave Wodka led the way, out-averaging 2nd place by over seven pins. A shade over a 227 average was the mark to land in the top quarter of the field and advance to single-elimination bracket play. As bracket play began, the first two rounds pitted teams against each other in a best-of-seven baker series until the semifinals and finals where a best-of-five format took over.

After Graham Fach and Michael Haggitt took out one-seeded Russell and Wodka, Fach and Haggit faced the Midwestern partners of Sean Rash from Illinois and Tom Hess of Iowa. Fach and Haggitt snagged the victory, 3-1, and moved through to the finals. In the other semifinal matchup, Kerry Smith and Ryan Shafer battled Thomas Larsen and Brad Angelo where it was Larsen and Angelo who grabbed the win, 3-1, thanks to a baker 300 in game four. In the finals, Fach and Haggitt continued their run as the eighth seed winning once again by a total of three games to one. Fach claimed his first regional doubles title and 7th regional title overall, while Haggitt put his third PBA50 title in his pocket.

Fach now leads the PBA Central Region with 2,500 points and Haggitt finds himself just under 400 points behind PBA50 Central Region leader Parker Bohn III.

PBA/PBA50 Doubles/Clutch Lanes Central Open Final Results

  1. Graham Fach/Michael Haggitt 2,500 points, $2,000 each
  2. Thomas Larsen/Brad Angelo 1,500, $1,000
  3. Sean Rash/Tom Hess 1,150, $800
  4. Kerry Smith/Ryan Shafer 950, $800

PBA Central Region Points Leaders

  1. Graham Fach, 1,500
  2. Thomas Larsen, 1,500
  3. Sean Rash, 1,150
  4. Kerry Smith, 950
  5. Matthew Ogle, 850

View the full PBA Central Region leaderboard

PBA50 Central Region Points Leaders

  1. Parker Bohn III, 3,065
  2. Michael Haggitt, 2,695
  3. Tom Hess, 2,650
  4. Chris Barnes, 1,685
  5. Dave Wodka, 1,625

View the full PBA50 Central Region leaderboard

SOUTH REGION

PBA50 Paradise Lanes Spartanburg Open

Now we move down about 500 miles to check in on the South Region’s first event this year. 120 bowlers entered Paradise Lanes for eight games of qualifying hoping to get into the top 40 to continue onto the advancers round. Mac Sanders cruised through the eight games, averaging 233 and topping second place by 68 pins. Scott Thomsen just squeaked in at -4 in 40th place while six bowlers missed the cut by single digits.

Four games later, the field cut to 16 bowlers for a single-elimination bracket where Mac Sanders stayed in the lead to grab the No. 1 seed. Michael Painter snuck into the final spot by four pins after 12 games, but he must have left his glass slipper at the bowling alley because in bracket play he ran through the field for a Cinderella story indeed.

Painter’s run started with the ousting of one-seeded Sanders followed by Andrew Farrow Jr., and Terry Wiley. Hailing from Emerald Isle, North Carolina, the No. 2 seed Chris Johnson was Painter’s final opponent. Painter dropped the first game 204-189 but came back to win the next two games 205-194 and 177-166 and rode back home in a pumpkin carriage with a giant check in his hands. The win marks Painter’s first PBA50 title and the second regional title of his career.

Holly Dorsey, Michael Painter, Mac Sanders

PBA50 Paradise Lanes Spartanburg Open Final Standings

  1. Michael Painter 7,500 points, $2,500
  2. Chris Johnson 4,500, $1,300
  3. James Winterfeld 3,450, $1,200
  4. Terry Wiley 2,850, $1,100
  5. Bill Vannoy 2,550, $875

View the full PBA50 South Region leaderboard

The Central and South will be the next regions back in action at the beginning of March with the PBA50 Strike Zone Lanes Central Classic in Canton, Ohio for the Central Region and the PBA and PBA50 Lightning Strikes Challenge in Fort Myers, Florida for the South Region. Later in the month, the Northwest will start their Regional Tour as will the Midwest. The full schedule of events can be found right here at pba.com.