Plenty of Suspense and LOTS of good food headlined the day on Saturdayat Bowlero Lanes in Lakewood.  With Bowlero providing loads of pizza & beverages, The Tour provided Hawaiian BBQ and numerous Tour Members bringing additional yummies, there wasn't a chance of anyone going home hungry on this day.  The 'Best 3 of 4' formatnormally draws a good turnout, but with the State Fair in Puyallup in its final weekend coupled with beautiful weather, turnout was much lower than expected.  There were 16 Bowlers making the Cash list with the Cut Line at a slightly lower than normal, 711.

 

It's been awhile since the 9-Tap Jackpot was hit but there has been a few people that have made serious runs at it.  Saturdaywas no exception as Matt Carlson, who was already in the lead for the consolation after he hit 3-taps in his first game, stepped up in his 2nd game and hit the front 6-taps only to fall short on his 7th shot by slightly missing left of the headpin.  Matt later admitted that the nerves may have gotten to him a bit as he was well aware of the attention he had grabbed from pretty much everyone in the building.  For hitting the Front 6,Matt earned himself $500.00 in addition to his 9th Place finish.  Way to go, Matt! 

In the Tournament competion, leading the day off with an impressive performance, shooting an awesome 820 in his first Regular Tour Event was Schrader White.  Schrader joined the Tour in last week's Satellite Tournament at Triangle Bowl in Longview and is now 2 for 2 on the Cash List.  White's lead held on through the 2nd Squad until Dan Elliott made his move in the 3rd Squad, firing a BIG 837.  As Dan departed for the day, headed to a Toby Keith concert at the Fair in Puyallup, it's suffice to say that he had high hopes for his score holding up through the Final Squad.  Unfortunately for Elliott, in the Final Squad several bowlers had serious intentions of knocking him off the Top.  Four bowlers...Bill Jones, Cecil Abay-Abay, James Black and Irvin Anderson all came out firing and had legitmate chances to take the title going into their last game.  In the end, there was no stopping 'Big Game' James Black as he fired a 300 in his 3rd game then wrapped it up in his 4th with a 273 and a massive 869 total score!  James' throw-out game was a 244 (w/hcp) and gave him a 4-game total of 1073, his highest since the memorable "score fest" at West Seattle Bowl in October 2013.  The win for our 2013 'Bowler of the Year' is his 2nd Career Tour Title, previously having won at Imperial Lanes in back in 2012.  With the $1,700.00 pay day for James, he now makes his way into the Elite $20,000.00 Club as he had been only $1,523.00 short.  James used hisHammer 'Taboo' ball which was drilled for him by Chad Turner at Majestic Lanes and we're thinking he was exaggerating a little when he says that 75% of his strikes went 'Brooklyn'.  James wanted to thank his friends and bowling partners Adrienne Summers & Samson Ibale for their support and positive attitudes toward him.  With the winning check, Black says that he'll save it for future Tournaments and an upcoming trip to Arizona in November.  Way to go, James!