Sunday, January 25, 2026 – CENTRAL LANES BOWLING CENTER, Tamuning, Guam
Pins were flying and tensions ran high during the inaugural IT&E King and Prince of the Lanes Monthly Championship at the Central Lanes Bowling Center on Sunday, January 25, 2026, as Guam’s top talents delivered a thrilling showcase of precision and competitive grit. In the King Division, Noah Taimanglo dominated the 45’ long pattern to seize the first-ever monthly crown, storming into the top seed with a blistering 266 in game four to edge early leader Cameron Santos by a mark. Taimanglo closed qualifying with 903 pins and a 225 average, while Santos followed with 893. The chase pack was equally fierce as Raoul Tomada surged six spots with a 247 to finish third at 843, trailed closely by Christof Pineda, Von Cabral, and RJ Santos—each separated by a single pin—followed by Ghabriel Alford, Jay Leon Guerrero, Corey Granillo, and Matthew Cruz completing the top ten.
Match play opened with immediate upsets as 10th seed Cruz stunned Cabral, and 6th seed RJ Santos struck in the tenth to eliminate Alford by three pins. Tomada and Leon Guerrero advanced comfortably, setting up a tense quarterfinal round where Santos slipped past Cruz from the foundation frame while Leon Guerrero toppled Tomada to reach the semifinals. Taimanglo then asserted his top-seed dominance with a commanding 223–192 win over Santos, while veteran National Team member Leon Guerrero delivered a clutch messenger to defeat second seed Santos 214–199. The championship match showcased youth versus experience as Taimanglo’s explosive shotmaking overpowered Leon Guerrero’s finesse. Despite drilling the pocket, Leon Guerrero was plagued by a stubborn pin 10 and pin 8, allowing Taimanglo to pull away for a decisive 244–215 victory and the inaugural King of the Lanes title.
The Prince Division delivered its own fireworks, led by rookie John Fejeran, who topped qualifying with the help of a strong 237 and his handicap advantage. Hot-handed Gevon Fernandez fired the division’s high scratch game of 264 to finish just four pins behind, while Dominic Cruz rebounded from a slow start with a 250 to post the second-highest scratch total. They were joined in the top ten by Xander Borja, Zayne Ayongco, Nathan Caasi, Tydus Baker, Dominic David, Gina San Nicolas, and Efren Tolentino. The elimination rounds quickly turned into the Tydus Baker show as the 7th seed swept past Caasi, then eliminated Tolentino—who had earlier edged Ayongco—before stunning top seed Fejeran 214–172 to erase a 19-pin handicap deficit and advance to the finals.
On the opposite side of the bracket, Cruz survived the most dramatic match of the day against San Nicolas, who led throughout with her handicap until the final frame. Cruz struck to stay alive, then watched a wild 3‑6‑7‑9 split nearly end his run before a fortunate three-count forced a tie. He struck in the roll-off to advance, then defeated Borja with a 211 and overpowered Fernandez 255–192 to reach the championship match. The final was a nail-biter as Baker opened with a double and capitalized on a Cruz miscue, though Cruz’s six-pin handicap advantage kept the match within a mark through nine frames. In the tenth, Baker spared and struck, leaving Cruz a narrow path to force another tie. Cruz buried the first shot but a stubborn pin 7 stood on the second, sealing the Prince Division title for 16 year old Baker in a dramatic finish.
The next IT&E King and Prince of the Lanes Monthly Championship returns on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Central Lanes Bowling Center, where the competition promises to grow even more intense.
Guam Bowling 