Sunday, May 19, 2024 – Central Lanes Bowling Center, Tamuning, Guam
The Budweiser King of the Lanes monthly title boiled down to the last frame with a double strike to win between two National Team bowlers. Ray San Nicolas was forced to double after missing a pin ten in the foundation frame, as southpaw Jeremiah Camacho struck in the fill ball. In the end, Ray San Nicolas delivered, by pounding the pins with two heavy pocket shots to reclaim the title, his second win of the year. The win elevates San Nicolas to the top of the leaderboard and secures his spot in the year-end finals.
3rd seed San Nicolas and 5th seed Camacho set up the final match by ousting the top two seeds of the tournament during the semi-final rounds. San Nicolas edged second seed, Daniel Lee, after the latter left a pin ten in a must-strike situation to lose by a mark. Top seed Noah Taimanglo bowled a 211 game but ran into a Camacho strike machine posting nine of twelve strikes for a 267 game. Both lower seeds entered the semi-final matches by winning their first two elimination matches. San Nicolas beat 9th seed Ty Etheridge and 8th seed Sean Lee, while Camacho displaced 10th seed Corey Granillo and 6th seed Matt Cruz.
Taimanglo led the qualifying field with a 215 average after four games. Southpaw Daniel Lee was 26 pins adrift followed by San Nicolas, Cameron Santos, Camacho, Matt Cruz, Cisco Uncangco, Sean Lee, Ty Etheridge, and Corey Granillo. The top ten proceeded to the elimination round until the final match decided the title.
The prince storyline continued for a fourth consecutive month with first-time tournament bowlers winning the title. This month’s title was claimed by AJ Banayat who used his handicapping advantage to move through the elimination rounds. Banayat qualified in 6th place where he faced off against 7th seed Kevin Fejeran. Banayat beat his first four competitors with scratch scores knocking off Fejeran in round one by five sticks, 5th seed Arlene Reyes in round 2 by eight pins, and dismissed top seed and brother-in-law Nick Nisperos in the semifinals by three marks. In an intense finale, Banayat’s handicap advantage was the deciding factor as he slipped past 2nd seed John Raymundo 147+58 to 154+27 for the crown and an automatic entry to the year-end finals.
Nisperos led the prince division during the qualifying rounds held earlier in the day. Raymundo finished in second followed by Sabrina Fletcher, Alex Santiago, Reyes, Banayat, Fejeran, Jesse Quinata, Rudy Palaganas, and Sheila Bangs proceeded to the elimination rounds.
The next Budweiser King and Prince of the Lanes will be held on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at the Central Lanes Bowling Center, at 1:15 p.m.
Guam Bowling 