Sunday, June 9, 2024 – CENTRAL LANES BOWLING CENTER, Tamuning, Guam
The women ruled the lanes during the June edition of the Budweiser King and Prince of the Lanes. Maria Wood defeated top seed Juan Blas in the monthly finals with a scratch score of 179 to 170. Blas showed his striking prowess on the medium oil length pattern during the match but had sparing issues and then dropped the ball into the channel after a double that gave hope to Wood in the final stanza. With an eight-pin handicap advantage, she calmly delivered a double in the final stanza to seal the victory and change the monthly title to the Queen of the Lanes.
The division semifinal showcased a festival of strikes as Blas opened the round with a five-bagger against Jay Leon Guerrero who trailed with a turkey by twenty pins mid-game. Leon Guerrero closed the gap with a double in the 6th and 7th but an errand shot in the 8th stopped the momentum and allowed Blas to secure the match advancing to the monthly finals, 254 to 198.
Aaron Elliott punched a four-bagger in the second semifinal bracket to take an early lead against Maria Wood. Wood stormed back after a seventh frame split by the second seed Elliott to take a twelve-pin lead. Elliott doubled on the 9th and 10th but fell short of the headpin in the eleventh shot that elevated Wood to her first monthly final of the year, 226 to 219. 4th seed Wood had to endure two earlier matches, she dispatched 3rd seed Cisco Uncangco in the quarter-final round and 8th seed Evan Duenas in the first elimination round on her way to claiming the crown.
Juan Blas led the four-game qualifier held earlier in the day with an 850 set followed by Elliott, Uncangco, Wood, Leon Guerrero, Ray San Nicolas, Robert Baker, Duenas, Cameron Santos, and Ricky Duenas advancing to the elimination rounds with a top ten finish.
Shannon Bukikosa-Esplana used the whole game to cut into a 29-pin deficit as she was crowned the Princess of the Lanes with a 166+31 to 98+60 final tally against 2nd seed Mary Jane Nisperos.
Nisperos secured her monthly final slot in the semifinal by beating Ken Gicos 163-138. Bukikosa-Esplana made it an all-women’s finale by topping top seed Sabrina Fletcher 187 to 142 as she overcame a ten-pin handicap deficit.
Bukikosa also took the scenic route to her first title of the year beating 7th seed Leody Ersando in the quarters and 10th seed Kevin Fejeran in the first round.
Sabrina Fletcher led the field of Prince qualifiers followed by MJ Nisperos, Evan Cali, Ken Gicos, Bukikosa-Esplana, Gomes Martinez, Leody Ersando, Zayne Zamora, Zaldy Ponce, and Fejeran advanced to the elimination round via their top ten finish.
The next Budweiser King and Prince of the Lanes will be held on Sunday, July 14 at 1:15 p.m. at the Central Lanes Bowling Center.
Guam Bowling 