2019 is now in the history books as we closed out another fantastic year on tour with our Annual Year End Championship Invitational at Narrows Plaza Bowl.  With a few surprising and unexpected absences, we wound up with 88 total entries in this year's festivities and we thank everyone for helping to make the massive 'all at once' check-in go so smoothly!  Especially Lynn, Margie & Leon at the check in desk!

We got the day rolling with our awards ceremony with lots of storylines, stats, hardware and prize handouts!  We led off by presenting the Top 10 in the 'Bowler of the Year' race which was won this year when Samson Ibale edged out our '19 Hall of Fame inductee, James Black.

There was much more hardware handed out as Samson was presented with the newly designed BOY ring and James with his Hall of Fame plaque and pennant!

Then it was time to bowl!  Tim Fierro wound up as the Top Qualifier for the day, shooting an impressive 836 to earn the Storm Ball of his choice.  Fierro wound up tied for 5th overall...nicely done, Tim!  We wound up with 18 cashers for the day, four who broke 800 as it took some very good bowling to get on the Cash List!  After a knock out round, then a 9th/10th roll off, we had our 'Sweet Sixteen' bracket set up for the Finals! and there were several great matches and games in that round, including Fierro edging Wayne Liddy 259-240, Oscar Gestoso put up a 316 (w/hdcp) game and what did Nathan Koprek need to do in order win as Bob Rouse edged him out 267-263...OUCH!                   'Elite 8' (left to right) Gestoso, Hufford, Shear, Rouse, Riley, Fierro, Peters & Roberts

Moving on to the 'Elite Eight' where Brian Peters needed a 244 to edge out Gestoso's 231 while Donnie Roberts, who bowled great all day, ran into Pat Riley who knocked him out with an incredible 285!                                        'Final Four' (left to right) Shear, Hufford, Riley & Peters

The 'Final Four' had four extremely hot bowlers pitted against one another as Chuck Hufford ended Skip Shear's run 211-204 while Riley was having a hard time missing as he dismissed Peters' 252-228.  This brought us to the showdown between Hufford & Riley and for the first time ever neither bowler was invested in the Winner's pot!  This was good news for our 3rd thru 8th Place bowlers as the pot money shuffled downward to them making for our 3rd Place finishers, Skip & Brian to get $1,056.00 each! 

The final wasn't a scorefest but it was a good one as it was back and forth most of the way until Chuck connected the knockout blow in the 8th & 9th frames for his 236-206 victory!  Pat had a great day and bowled super as he was in search of his first win.  All of this in front of his Dad, Ron and other family who were there to cheer him on.   This was Chuck's 4th Title and he did it wearing his Dexter Shoes while throwing his Storm 'Tropical Breeze' ball, drilled up by Fred Mattson.  Mr. Hufford was quick and to the point when asked what he'd do with his $1,200.00 winner's share..."proverbial bills", he said.  Hufford also told us that he was tired at the end, but was "calm throughout" and "Thanks to all of the friends I've made (on tour) and shout out to my Yahoo Fantasy Football buddy's 'Bunch of Bowlers'..."  Congratulations Chuck!