Victoria FerrisAndrew KlinglerThe Michigan Junior Masters Association held their 4th Annual Greater Plymouth Open at Plaza Lanes on September 18th and 19th. Once again Jerry Johnson, John Kohler and the staff rolled out the red carpet and 120 bowlers walked in to test their talents and try to earn their share of the $3,000.00 in scholarships that were awarded and a MJMA title.

Andrew Klingler (Holly, MI) shot 1701 for his eight game qualifier block to lead the guys’ side while Tawni Vollmer (Tecumseh, MI) led the ladies side shooting 1675 on the Kegel Boardwalk pattern that was used for the event. In all twenty-four guys and eight girls advanced to the match play portion of the event that began at 9:00AM Sunday morning.

After the eight games of match play, Sarah Lokker (New Baltimore, MI) had assumed the top spot for the ladies with newcomer Sydney Brummett (Fort Wayne, IN), Victoria Ferris (Kalamazoo, MI) and Vollmer rounding out the top four that would advance to the step ladder finals.

Ferris started fast against Vollmer in the opening match with six strikes in the first eight frames and coasted to the first round win 232-209. Ferris continued the striking show in the second match against Brummett, a first time step ladder competitor, and cruised to a 254-198 win to set up a finals match with Lokker.

Lokker started fast with a three bagger but opened in the fourth and gave Ferris the chance she needed. Ferris proceeded to throw six strikes in the next seven frames to put the match away and win her fifth MJMA title 235-210. The win ties Ferris with Lokker for the most titles by any active MJMA member, boys included.

Speaking of the boys, Klingler led the field again after match play and was nearly 300 pins ahead of second place Tylor Greene (Davison, MI) going into the step ladder finals. Joining them in the finals were Jalen White (Lansing, MI) in third, Ryan Powers (Portage, MI) in fourth and Nic Sutherland (Grand Blanc, MI) in fifth.

Powere and sutherland faced off in the opening match and it looked like Powers was not going to be denied as he powered his way to a win throwing ten strikes and recorded a 260-205 victory. The next match against White was a lot like the forst match with ten more strikes from Powers eliminate White, who had eight strikes of his own, 275-243.

In the semi-finals it was Greene holding the edge in the fifth, after Powers opened by missing a ten pin, but Powers quickly receovered by stringign the next four strikes to take the lead going into the tenth frame. After making a spare and getting his fill count Powers could only watch to see if there was going to be extra frames as Greene could have tied the match by striking out in the tenth. Greene thres a solid shot but an unbelievable hit left a 7-9 split that gave the win to Powers and his chance to face Klingler in the finals.

In the finals, Klingler showed why he had led the boys side all weekend long as he opened up with four strikes in the first five frames and cruised in for his first MJMA title beating Powers 236 – 186. Klingler took home $550.00 in scholarship for the win along with an additional $50.00 for the high qualifier position. Powers earned $450.00 while Greene ($375.00), White ($300.00) and Sutherland ($250.00) also took home their share on the boys side.

Junior Gold spots were also awarded to both the girls and boys side and Victoria Ferris and Ryan Powers earned their spots for the National Tournament to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada next July.

We also had something done in this event that had not been done in a regular MJMA tournament since we bowled at Salt River Lanes in 2008. Casey Shephard (Portage, MI) shot the first 300 game of the season during the boys match play session on Sunday. This was Casey’s first MJMA event so I am thinking he might be back to try it again in the very near future.

And speaking of the very near future, our next tournament stop will be in Bridgeport, Michigan on October 16 – 17, 2010 at Candlelite Bowl. Bob Klein and the rest of the staff at Candlelite normally host our Junior Doubles event in late January however, due to the Men’s State Team Tournamnet being held at Candlelite at that time, we switched things around and this year will be a singles event on the October dates normally reserved for Eastland Bowl in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Saturday session begins at 12:00 Noon and the match play portion will start on Sunday at 9:00AM.

With the field being limited to 96 bowlers we expected the field to fill quickly and it has. Prior to leaving the event in Plymouth, our Bridgeport event was already full. We do have a wait list for those entries that we received after we were full so please be sure to check the website at www.mjma.net to see if you have indeed made the field for that event.

Results for the Plymouth event will be posted soon on the website, so look for those along with other announcements for special events that are coming in the near future. We look forward to seeing everyone in Bridgport, Michigan in October.