Sunday, May 18, 2025 – CENTRAL LANES BOWLING CENTER, Tamuning, Guam
Central Lanes Bowling Center was buzzing with excitement on Sunday afternoon as bowlers battled for supremacy in the latest edition of the Budweiser King and Prince of the Lanes tournament. With a short-oiled lane pattern posing significant challenges, competitors watched their balls slide unpredictably into the gutters. However, amidst the adversity, Ricky Duenas and Gevon Fernandez rose to the occasion, securing their first titles of the year.
In the King division, Duenas displayed resilience and precision, using a four-bagger in the title match to overcome an early deficit against his nephew, 2nd seed Brian Manibusan. Despite a strong showing, Manibusan’s missed spares proved costly, allowing Duenas to clinch victory and the prestigious King of the Lanes title.
Duenas, seeded 10th, faced a demanding path to the championship. In the semi-finals, he outmaneuvered top seed Ray San Nicolas, while Manibusan narrowly edged out 8th seed RJ Santos in a gripping showdown. Duenas had previously battled through the preliminary rounds, triumphing over 5th seed Joonsung Park and 6th seed Jeremiah Camacho to secure his spot in the semi-finals.
San Nicolas led the tournament field with an impressive 228-pin per-game average, outpacing his competitors by a remarkable 90 pins. Manibusan followed with a 205 average, while Noah Taimanglo rounded out the top three with a 202 average. Other top contenders included Matt Crus, Joonsung Park, Jeremiah Camacho, Cisco Uncangco, RJ Santos, Dwayne Taimanglo, and Duenas.
The Prince of the Lanes finals delivered a thrilling showdown, as Fernandez surged ahead with an early double while 7th seed Virgil Toledo struggled to find his rhythm, missing crucial spares. Despite trailing by 30 pins, Toledo mounted a remarkable comeback, forcing Fernandez into a pressure-filled final frame.
Fernandez needed to convert a challenging 1-2-4-7 spare and secure more than six pins on his final shot to claim victory. A turkey from Toledo briefly shifted momentum, giving him a slight advantage. However, Fernandez held his composure, striking when it mattered most and utilizing his five-pin handicap advantage to secure the Prince of the Lanes title after a dramatic 159-159 scratch score tie.
Toledo had earlier defeated top seed Leody Ersando, while Fernandez advanced by besting 8th seed Shane San Nicolas in the semi-finals. Toledo’s road to the finals also included triumphs over 6th seed Charlie Cabarles and 10th seed Angelica Malacas.
Ersando led the Prince division field, followed by Fernandez, Ezekiel Gatan, Kevin Fejeran, Manny Tagle, Charlie Cabarles, Virgil Toledo, Shane San Nicolas, Eyan Duenas, and Angelica Malacas.
The Budweiser King and Prince of the Lanes tournament will return on Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 1:15 p.m. at Central Lanes Bowling Center, where new contenders will seek their moment of glory.
Guam Bowling 