9 Tap Tour Franchises . . . 

Seems like the 9 Tap Tour franchises are in sync with each other as Puget Sound had 8 different ties hit the cash list and both Hawaii and Las Vegas ended its' tournament with Co-Champions.  Earlier in the year, the franchises crowned its women champions all on the same night.  How is that, real strange? 

Hickam Bowling Center . . . 

Our 9 Tap Tour tournament  returned to Hickam Bowling Center, foranother “Beat the Board” format and like always, the format provided our members with great excitement and close scoring.   We again crowned Two 9 Tap members  Co-Champions as both members  shared the “Limelight” at Hickam's 9 Tap Tournament!  Scores were slightly higher  than we had wanted but still gave all of our members a chance to take home the top prize.  Bailey Lee, formerly of the Aiea Whiz Kids, who is home from Creighton U., decided to join the tour and started the day off with a nice 1059 and an insurmountable lead going into the second squad. The second squad proved no better than a 994 tie with Joe Odette and eventual Champion Al Melchor.  In the third squad it seemed like the flood gates opened as scores went higher.  Joe Odette started his last squad lighting up the scoreboard with a scratch 297 and continued with games of 231 and 233 but had some malfunction and ended with a 181 for 5th place.  

Ricky Laguana shot a scratch 300 but had inopportune splits at the wrong time that prevented him from returning to the winners circle and  a white champions shirt, a 4th place finish.  Eric Zotter scored games of 236, 233, 166?, 241 plus handicap and 6th place.   Al Melchor re-entered the third squad coming off a nice 994 series in the second squad and started off with scores of 288 and 240 moved a pair of lanes shot a nice 263 to give him a chance to win his first title.  After a couple of errant frames, put a double (2 strikes) together but then things got bad and  "braddah went gasping for air (CHOKE)" or was he trying to spread the Aloha! Not!!!  Al ended his 4th game with a 152 score.

In the 3rd squad, Matt Butler was cruising along bowling so consistently that nobody was paying attention.  He  started off with scores of 244, 213 moved a pair of lanes, shot 210 and 224 to complete his scoring and a tie for the title.  Congratulations to Co-Champions Al Melchor and Matt Butler  for winning their  1st Title and earning a blue champion shirt.  "Wow,  How Awesome".  Al Melchor, U. S. Army retired E-8, will give his share of winnings to his number #1 fan and supporter Janet, then "run like hell".  Nah!  Al's other passion is running  marathons and will compete in his third marathon at  the end of the year.  Matt Butler, U. S. Navy active, is giving his wife his share so "she won't roll her eyes when he needs new bowling equipment".  Wow! Good Luck, Matt!  How ironic is this, both Champions got their equipment drilled at "Game On" Pro Shop, operated by Roy Yamanuha.  There you go tour members, "Game On" at Ft. Shafter Lanes.  Take it to Roy, a proven winner!