Thanks to yet another impressive turnout, the Tour has now opened 2014 with 4 straight $2000+ Champions!  141 Members participated this week and we believe that all but ONE were Seahawks Supporters.  We won't mention that one by name but HE was accompanied by HIS spouse, Pearl Sedeno.   Also, Keith Huntoon was uanable to bowl this week because incredibly, he is in New York/New Jersey to attend the Super Bowl.  Congrats, Keith a GO SEAHAWKS!!!  The Tour also would like to welcome and thank Brandon Hee, one of our Hawaii Tour bowlers who bowled with us this week.  Thanks to a 3-way tie for 28th place, an additional two bowlers were added to the cash list this week for a total of 30 cashers for the 2nd straight week.  Just FOUR bowlers cracked the 1000 mark this week but all three squads were represented by those four which shows very consistent scoring conditions.  The Cut-Line this week was 914.  Next week is a BYE week on the Tour but we are looking forward to our return (in TWO weeks) to Daffodil Bowl in Puyallup where we could possibly make it 5 for 5, as the Progressive Pot will be a  nice $2,435.00.  Four bowlers, (Mann, Kleist, Ma & Tabulina) tied with 4-Taps and $40.00 each as the 9-Tap Jackpot made another jump up to $2,698.00.

 

After the 1st Squad, the lead was held by Paul Mann, the sole bowler from the squad to break the 1000 mark, hitting it on the number (1000).  Mark Hitchcock stepped up in the 2nd squad & posted the only 1000+ score from that squad, squeaking by Mann with a 1002.  The 3rd squad providedplenty of excitement as Osmond Greenthreatened early but came up a little short with a 998 and a 4th place finish.  Cecil Abay-Abay was quietly on fire and posted a solid 1022 but everyone seemed to have their attention on Tara Strand andhow could you not?  Tara was pacing all over the place in between shots showing lots of emotion and admittedly, self-induced stress as she knew that she was close to taking her very first title.  In the end, Tara picked up a HUGE pressure packed spare in the 10th frame to finish at 1039, taking the Title and a very nice winner's check of $2,286.00.  Abay-Abay finished 2nd, taking home $1014.00 and Hitchcockwas 3rd with a solid $557.00. 

 

After finishing, when asked when she thought she had a chance to win, Tara said that during the 3rd game she knew she was doing well and was getting nervous.  During that game, she had three straight splits and converted a 3-10 split in the 5th frame and then a very impressive 2-10 split in the 6th frame.  It was at that point where she started to really think she had a chance to do it!   "I was a nervous wreck but was also excited, lucky and IN THE ZONE!"  Tara would like to thank all of her supporters on the Tour and, "especially my husband" (James Strand).  Additionally, a BIG thanks to Leroy Cofield who let her borrow his nail clippers while they bowled.  Tara, who works at Good Samaritan Hospital, has been on the Tour since 2011 and had a previous best finish of 2nd place that same year along with a 5th place last October.  She had her Ebonite "Cyclone"drilled by Jason at Paradise Bowl where she bowls in Thursday Night's Eagles Mixed League.  Tara plans to use her winnings on a family trip to Disneyland this coming Summer.  CONGRATS Tara on your first Win!