Kyle Barnes (Smyrna, TN) bowling in his first Alro Steel – MJMA event captured the boys title while Bethan McGeary (New Kensington, PA) won for the fourth time in her MJMA career at the 22nd Annual Cherry Hill Classic in Clarkston, Michigan. Both Barnes and McGeary were the high qualifiers from the Saturday qualifying but both needed to fend off stiff competition during the match play portion on Sunday.

Barnes struggled with a 6-6-0 match play record which allowed the rest of the field to gather him in. Jon Schiller (Milford, MI) led the boys field with John Kaashoek (Jenison, MI) second, Abed Daher (Brownstown, MI) third, Barnes next in fourth and Richard Galya (Pittsburg, PA) was fifth. Galya made the step-ladder finals by beating Tim Pfeifer (Cranberry Twp., PA) in the 20th game 211-192 to finish ahead of Pfeifer by two pins.

Barnes quickly regrouped and started his assault on the step ladder climb. Barnes threw a much needed three-bagger in the 6th, 7th and 8th frames and closed out Galya in the first match with a mark in the 10th frame, 200-192. Barnes continued his climb as next defeated Daher who hand a couple of untimely opens and Barnes also converted a split in the 9th to help in a 202-173 win. That put Barnes in the semi-finals against Kaashoek. Kaashoek’s only MJMA title had come in Clarkston, 5 years ago. Barnes was not going to let Kaashoek win the title again this year as he stayed clean until the 9th frame and won the match 193-180. In the finals, Barnes faced off against Schiller who was the only bowler to average over 200 during the entire event. Schiller started fast as he opened with the first five strikes but then back-to-back splits in the 6th and 7th frames and another split in the 10th proved to much to overcome as Barnes won the match and his first title, 218-200.

McGeary, unlike Barnes, was able to hold onto the top spot in the girl’s field as she led almost all the way through the event. Before she could bowl she needed a challenger and that was going to be decided between the other three step-ladder finalists.

In the first match Kayla Blanchard (Livonia, MI) faced Kristy Kerr (Essexville, MI) Kerr opened in the 1st and 10th frames but when Blanchard opened in the 10th as well, Kerr won the match 182-179 to move to the semi-finals. In the semi’s Becky Sulligan (Greer, SC) was waiting for Kerr. This match came down to the tenth frame as well as Sulligan opened after staying clean for the first nine frames and Kerr took advantage as she strung strikes in the ninth and the first two in the tenth to win the match 204-189 and advance to the finals.

The finals went back and forth all the way through but when McGeary opened in the 8th, it kept the door open for Kerr. Kerr then struck in the 9th and needed the first two in the tenth to win but after carrying the first strike, a stubborn 10 pin ended the hope and gave McGeary the title, 177-169.

In all, 113 bowlers attended the event and the place was packed. Greg Gumtow and the rest of the great people at Cherry Hill North did a fabulous job making sure we had everything we needed at every turn. Cherry Hill North was the location of the very first MJMA event 22 years ago and they have continue to support us each year.

The Alumni event was also held on Saturday as 23 former MJMA bowlers made their way to Cherry Hill North to try their luck once again. Last year’s title holder, Nathan Adams (Plymouth, MI) was back to defend his title but his run ended in the quarter finals. The semi-finals were represented by four former champions as Joe Hostetler (Minerva, OH), Ryan Van Hecke (Sterling Heights, MI), Brandon Gibson (Kalamazoo, MI) and Jason Wunderlich (Homestead, PA) made up the final four. Hostetler, who led the qualifying round, ousted Van Hecke 22-196 while Gibson found a line late and took out Wunderlich 190-135. In the finals it was all Gibson as he found the strike target and kept up the pressure and coasted to a 228-139 finals win. Gibson will now have his alumni champion banner hang for the next year until the next alumni event.

The next MJMA event is in Sturgis, Michigan on September 15th and 16th at AMF Sturgis Lanes. The space is limited to the first 96 entries and as of this printing we already have 68 paid entries. We had to turn away bowlers in Clarkston so do not be in the same position in Sturgis and get your entries in early. If you have questions please call Jerry Tarabek at 616-780-2095 or email at jtar2830@yahoo.com.