The Michigan Junior Masters Association’s annual Adult – Junior tournament was recently held at Airpot Lanes in Jackson, Michigan. This annual event brings our youth members together with an adult partner to see who can conquer the field and reign supreme for the upcoming year. This year we had 102 teams looking to become the next champion and the competition was very exciting all the way through.

Twenty-four male teams and eight female teams advanced from the six game qualifying session on Saturday to go head to head on Sunday. Aaron Ohl (Ann Arbor, MI) and Ron Ellis (Willis, MI) led the way on the guy’s side shooting a fine 2711 for their qualifying games while Kara Richard (Tecumseh, MI) and Christine Bator (Warren, MI) led the girl’s with 2662. The scores were pretty high compared to our normal events due to the fact we were using a slightly modified house pattern for the weekend.

In the matchplay portion five teams of males advanced to the Baker step-ladder finals and those teams were not decided until the final game of match-play. The team of JAlen White and Paul Kwiecien, both from Lansing, MI., rolled a big score of 495 in the last match play gane just to fall nine pins short of making the top five and moving on the step-ladders. It was the second year in a row that the team of White / Kwiecien finished in that number six slot.

Step-ladders proved to be an interesting battle as teams switched from full game play to Baker team scoring which has each bowlere throwing every-other frame. The adult bowler was the first to shoot each match which meant the junior bowler had the tough task of finishing close games as the anchor bowler in the tenth frame.

In the first match Michael Erlingis (Lansing, MI) and Jon Schiller (Milford, MI) faced off against Brad Burgess and John Kelley, both from Sterling Heights, MI. Schiller had won the event last season as the junior bowler and was looking to win back-to-back titles, this time as the adult. Things started well enough as Erlingis / Schiller took the first match 215-172 to move up the ladder. Nic Sutherland (Grand Blanc, MI) and Charlie Brown (Grand Rapids, MI) were next in line to make their claim at the coveted title. Sutherland and Brown started a little slow but then found the groove they needed and threw strikes in seven of the last eight shots to win the match 238 – 208.

Sutherland / Brown next faced the team from Pennsylvania Richard Galya Jr. (Pittsburg, PA) and Chris Creeks (Zelienople, PA). Sutherland / Brown started slowly again this game but the explosion on the backside of the game was not there this time as Galya / Creeks continued to bowl their consistent pace that they had all weekend to win the match and advance to the finals 222-180.Erik Stanley

In the finals, Erik Stanley (Warren, MI) and Brian Odom (Wayne, MI), were waiting their turn to bowl. Stanley / Odom had outpaced the field during match-play to earn the top spot but now could they win from that position, which has been very hard to do this year in MJMA. As the match started things went back and forth in a very tight match as both teams seemed to struggle finding the proper lines to their respective pockets. However, Stanley / Odom put together a double near the end of the game and when Galya / Creeks opened in the 8th frame it gave the edge to Stanley / Odom and they took advantage by closing the door with a 223-195 win.Brian Odom

The win was the first MJMA title for both Stanley and Odom, who was a junior member for a number of years before moving to adults. Along with the championship Stanley took home a $700.00 scholarship while Galya Jr. took home $600.00 for the runner-up spot. Stanley also earned the Junior Gold qualifying position for the event and will be going to Indianapolis in July to help represent MJMA at the National Tournament.

The ladies had just as much excitement as four teams advanced to the step-ladder finals including two former winners of the event. Kara Richard and Christine Bator led the girls and were seeded first after match-play. Bator is one of the former winners at this event and is currently on Junior Team USA for the third year in a row. But there were three other teams looking to take their shot at knocking off the top team to win the title for themselves.Tawni Vollmer

Tawni Vollmer (Tecumseh, MI) and Kristy Kerr (Essexville, MI), Kerr is also a former winner in this event, faced off against Tori Ferrie and Marliss Tapp, both from Kalamzoo, MI. Vollmer / Kerr found it early and often and put together a striking exposition as they steam-rolled to a 254-178 first round win. Next up was Samantha Johnson (Wyoming, MI) and her partner Robin Orlikowski (Walker, MI). In a match that was very close all the way through it was Vollmer / Kerr putting together the ninth and tenth frames they needed to win the match 247-228 to advance to the title match.Kristy Kerr

In the finals, both teams went at each other early but Vollmer / Kerr were not to be denied and they put together the strike and spare combinations to allow them the win the event 246-209. Vollmer won her first MJMA title with the victory after finishing second in three other events this season. Kerr adds an adult win in the event to go along with her junior title she won a few years back. Along with the win Vollmer takes home a $400.00 scholarship while Richard takes $350.00 for second. Another Richard, Jordan Richard, was the Junior Gold qualifier for this event and will joint Stanley as the MJMA representatives in Indianapolis from this event.

The next MJMA event is the 21st Annual Bob Klaczkiewicz Memorial Junior Doubles tournament to be held at Candlelite Bowl in Bridgeport, Michigan on January 30-31, 2010. We are limited to 48 teams for this event so you need to get the entries in early for this one. If you have any questions regarding the event please contact the Tournament Director using THIS FORM or call 616-780-2095.