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Cameron LaPlant (857) storms into top spot as finals field is set in 45th Staten Island Singles Classic

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By Staten Island Advance Sports Desk
silive.com | Click Here for full story

Cameron LaPlant sent a loud and clear message to the competitors in the 45th Staten Island Singles Classic that he should be taken seriously in Saturday’s Top 24 finals.

LaPlant, 21, rolled an 857 scratch series on the final day of qualifying Saturday to easily surpass Andrew Link and Calista Iavarone, who each rolled a 784 series on the opening weekend. LaPlant, a righty, fired games of 290, 278 and 289.

Link and Iavarone finished tied for second.

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Bowling: Link, Iavarone share early Staten Island Singles Classic lead

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By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
silive.com | Click here for the Full Story

Andrew Link and Calista Iavarone each rolled into the top spot after the first weekend of qualifying in the Staten Island Singles Classic at Rab’s Country Lanes.

The two each shot a 784 series. Link rolled games of 279, 255 and 232 for a 766 scratch series. His 18-pin handicap gave him a 784 set.

Iavarone, competing with a 27-pin handicap, shot games of 277, 236 and 244 en route to a 757 scratch series.

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‘It has such a rich heritage’: One man reflects on what the S.I. Singles Classic means to him

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By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
silive.com | Click Here for the full story

Bob Garzone posing with a bowling ball

Bobby Garzone captured his only Staten Island Singles Classic crown in 1979. (Staten Island Advance)

With the 45th edition of the Staten Island Singles Classic right around the corner, former champion Bobby Garzone couldn’t help but reflect on the prestigious event, which was created by Donnie Walters, one of the names synonymous with Island bowling.

“Back in 1978 (the inaugural tourney), there weren’t many, if any, singles tourneys, at least none that proved to stand the test of time,” said Garzone, a former Islander, who now resides in Florida. “I was just finishing my years with the US Navy. I was fishing around for a new career which had me doing many different time shifts.

“Donnie was my neighbor for decades but I got to know him much better seeing him when we worked the same hours. He encouraged me to ‘step up my game’, and competing in the Staten Island Singles Classic was the best way to do that.”

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Michele Sweeney and Jason Todaro Crowned Annual Valentine’s No-Tap Mixed Doubles Tournament Champions

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Rab’s is proud to announce Michele Sweeney and Jason Todaro as the 2023 Champions of the Annual Valentine’s No-Tap Mixed Doubles Tournament.  The 2023 tournament, held in memory of Iona Weisenstein, was a resounding success, attracting a record number of teams from across the tri-state area.

Michele and Jason’s outstanding performance, defeating 186 teams of duos, led them to victory, with a total team score of 1723.  Michele rolled an impressive 865 series, matching up with Jason’s 858 three-game set.  They were presented with the Iona Weisenstein Memorial Cup, along with a prize of $1,200 for their win.

Heather Medoro and Pete Tirado finished in second place with a total score of 1706, while Kristina Fritsch and Steven Bonanno rounded out the top three with a 1705 total series.

During the tournament, three bowlers, Michele Dash, Kristy Pizzimenti, and Jennifer Jansen, rolled perfect 900 no-tap series en-route to their finishes. Jennifer Jansen even rolled two during the event.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Annual Valentine’s No-Tap Mixed Doubles Tournament,” said Nazareth Laursen, Tournament Director.  “We were honored to hold this event in memory of Iona Weisenstein, who loved this event and competed annually, and we are delighted that so many bowlers came out to bowl.”

For full results, visit: https://bowlatrabs.com/bowling/tournaments/annual-valentines-no-tap-mixed-doubles-tournament/

For more information on upcoming tournaments and events, check out the Up-Coming Events and Tournament Pages here at bowlatrabs.com.

 

Staten Island Singles Classic: From beginning of tourney to end, Mickey Endress leaves no doubt

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2022 Staten Island Singles Classic winner Mickey Endress stands between tournament director Michael Ruffe, left, and his mom, Peggy Lee Endress. (Photo courtesy of Mike Giovinazzo)

2022 Staten Island Singles Classic winner Mickey Endress stands between tournament director Michael Ruffe, left, and his mom, Peggy Lee Endress. (Photo courtesy of Mike Giovinazzo)

By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
silive.com | Click here for Full Story

Mickey Endress owned the 44th Staten Island Singles Classic from start to finish in 2022.

The right-handed Endress, who took over the qualifying lead during the opening weekend and held onto the top spot throughout the qualifiers, slipped past southpaw Jason Wichnovitz, 235-224, in the title game of the 24-person finals Saturday at Rab’s Country Lanes.

It was Endress’ first S.I. Singles Classic crown.
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Staten Island Singles Classic: Mickey Endress takes early qualifying lead

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By Staten Island Advance Sports Desk
silive.com | Click here for the full story

Mickey Endress, bowling scratch, rolled games of 267, 241 and 243 en route to a 751 pinfall and the early qualifying lead in the 44th Staten Island Singles Classic — A Donnie Walters Tradition — Saturday at Rab’s Country Lanes.

“I think the shot was very fair and it gave an emphasis on shot making and leaving makable spares,” said Endress. “I bowled on tough stuff before so I’m confident on those types of shots especially when I leave makable spares on my misses… I had only three opens today so that was key for me.”

Melissa Kammerer currently sits in second place with a 734 set and is followed by Steve Chiarella (724) and CJ Cariffe (724), who are tied for third, and Sal Fabozzi (717), who is currently fifth.

Chiarella (1991) was one of seven past champions who competed on the opening day of the event. The others are three-time winner Jeff Scire (’95, ‘18′, 19), Sean McAuliffe (’07), Alan Liu (’10), Bill Salvatore (’12), Michele Dash (’15) and Todd David (’17)

The current cut is only 607, but that will change for sure

Qualifying continues next weekend for six more squads slated for Saturday and Sunday at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. each day.

For the full standings click here.

Standings after first weekend

Name Scratch W/Hcp

1 Mickey Endress* 751 751

2 Melissa Kammerer** 710 734

3 Steve Chiarella** 721 724

3 CJ Cariffe* 679 724

5 Sal Fabozzi 687 717

6 Tim McAuliffe 714 714

7 Steve Miglino 686 686

8 Joe Lampariello 665 665

9 Josh Warner 599 635

10 Joe Scianna 634 634

11 Rob Butler 630 630

11 Joseph Vann 606 630

13 Tom Hollywood Jr. 629 629

14 Sean McAuliffe 626 626

14 Steve Miglino 626 626

16 Michelle Dash 552 624

17 Anthony Everts 615 618

17 Jeff Scire 618 618

19 Robert Devito 584 617

20 Russell Moran 547 616

21 Alan Liu 614 614

22 Jeff Martin 611 611

23 John Schnellbacher 574 610

24 Adam Abdelaziz 595 607

Unofficial: Pending 4/3/2022 Average Verification

* Denotes Squad Leader

** Denotes High Female / Senior

13th Annual Staten Island USBC Masters Championship Tournament proved to be lucky for this bowler

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By Staten Island Advance Sports Desk
silive.com | Click Here for the Full Story

Rosebank resident Jeffrey Martin didn’t give himself much of a chance heading into Saturday’s 13th Annual Staten Island USBC Masters Championship Tournament at Rab’s Country Lanes.

After all, the righty had qualified for this event (about five or six years ago) only one other time and placed eighth, and he was going against some of the Island’s top keglers.

In the end, none of that seemed to matter as Martin wound up coming from seventh position following qualifying to win four straight games in the finals to claim the event on a tough lane condition.

In the championship game, Martin defeated Bill Salvatore, 176-172, in a nail-biting, back-and-forth match to earn the $1,100 top prize.

“Yeah, I was definitely surprised (to win) and it just made me feel good that I could compete with the best,” said Martin.

Eight bowlers advanced to the match-play finals, including 2020 champion Jeff Sciré — who was automatically seeded fifth in the finals — and two-time champion Tim McAuliffe Jr.

McAuliffe Jr. led all qualifying with a 1,026 five-game total, the only competitor for the day that averaged above 200 in the qualifying round on the tough 2021 USBC Masters Lane Pattern. McAuliffe also earned himself a $200 squad leader bonus. He remains the only competitor to have won the Masters title multiple times.

Meanwhile, Martin had advanced to the finals with a 947, including games of 164, 148, 206, 186 and a tournament-high 243.

“The conditions were very difficult,” he said. “You had to almost be perfect. You had to hit about one or two boards on the lane. You had to be extremely accurate. I made almost all my spares in match play which kind of carried me.”

15 Island bowlers compete in USBC Junior Gold Championships

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Brianna Mester and Brandon Handog advanced the furthest among the 15 Island competitors in the Junior Gold Championships. (Photos courtesy of the Mester and Handog families)

By Staten Island Advance Sports Desk
silive.com | Click here for the full story

INDIANAPOLIS — Youth bowling’s version of the Little League World Series was contested last week when the USBC Junior Gold Championships were rolled in Indiana.

Staten Island was well represented as 15 Islanders, most hailing from Rab’s Country Lanes, were among the more than 2,900 youth bowlers who competed for titles, spots on the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Junior Team USA 2022 and the largest scholarship prize fund in the event’s history ($502,100).

The 23rd installment of the USBC Junior Gold Championships took place across six bowling centers in the Indianapolis area. The event features top USBC Youth bowlers ages 7 to 18 from around the United States as well as Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. military zones. Each participant qualified to enter by advancing through local USBC Junior Gold qualifying leagues and tournaments.

Competition officially started Monday July 12, with bowlers rolling a total of 16 games in the qualifying rounds before advancing to the Advancer Rounds and Finals which were live-streamed on BowlTV.

While competition came to an end after the Qualifying Round for most, Islanders Brianna Mester and Brandon Handog continued on to the Advancers Round in their respective divisions.

Mester, competing in the U15 Girls division, finished 34th in a field size of 298 girls with a 21-game, 3,743 pinfall, averaging 178.24 for the week. Mester fell shy 57 pins from the Final Advancers Round earning a $250 scholarship prize for her finish.

Handog finished the week in 90th place amongst a field of 868 in the U18 Boys division. He finished with a 4,146, 21-game series, averaging 197.43 for the competition. Handog finished 47 pins shy of the top 64 cutline. Brandon received a $300 scholarship for his performance.

The 2022 event should be stronger and will take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Some Staten Island youth bowlers have already started qualifying for the event.

Complete Results below:

Qualifying Round:

U12 Division – Field Size: 93 Girls

GIRLS – 14 Advance to Final Advancers Round (cut: 2451)

74 – Kiara Lombardi 1948

U15 Division – Field Size: 631 Boys / 298 Girls

BOYS – 90 Advance to Advancers Round (cut: 2937)

478 – Joseph Guarnieri 2492

583 – Jeremy Vasquenz 2243

589 – Paul Cherry 2219

GIRLS – 43 Advance to the Final Advancers Round (cut: 2831)

13 – Brianna Mester 2987

U18 Division – Field Size: 868 Boys / 560 Girls

BOYS – 167 Advance to the Advancers Round (cut: 3097)

101 – Brandon Handog 3170 | 198.13 average

784 – Frank Koppie 2686

887 – Steven Souffrin 2632

1009 – Luciano Spagnuolo 2531

1083 – Victor Guastella 2450

1087 – Zachary Lababneh 2441

1124 – Patrick Taverner 2337

1131 – Enrique Rodriguez 2308

GIRLS – 80 Advance to the Advancers Round (cut: 2909)

298 – Maya Avilez 2634

530 – Su Denizer 2212

Advancers Round

U15 Division – Field Size: 298 Girls

28 Advance to the Final Advancers Round (cut: 3800)

34 – Brianna Mester 3743

U18 Division – Field Size: 868 Boys

BOYS – 64 Advance to the Final Advancers Round (cut: 4193)

90 – Brandon Handog 4146

Avilez & Brod advance to Junior Gold Championships as Rab’s Gold Shootout Champions

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Youth bowlers took to the lanes on Sunday November 22 to compete for titles in Rab’s Gold Shootout and their shot at advancing to the 2021 Junior Gold Championships to be held in Indy, next summer.

Maya Avilez rolled a 903 5-game series to take the win in the U18 Division, complete with the games of 178, 155, 205, 164, & 201!

Gavin Brod lead the U15 Division with games of 159, 184, 184, 171, & 203, 901 series.

Click here for complete results!

The next opportunity for youth bowlers to compete and earn their spots to the Junior Gold Championships will be Rab’s Gold Challenge on January 5, 2021!

Steve Soss captures New Year Singles Classic crown in dramatic rematch with Tim McAuliffe Jr.

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By Nick Regina | nregina@siadvance.com
Staten Island Advance | Click Here for Story on silive.com

Bayonne resident Steve Soss claimed his first title at the 45th Annual New Year Singles Classic at Rab’s Country Lanes on Saturday — but even he couldn’t believe it.

An epic finals match between the 30-year-old Soss and Tim McAuliffe Jr. left the crowd buzzing with every toss — but no one in attendance was prepared for how the 10th and final frame would shake out.

Trailing by just two pins, 208-206, through nine frames — Soss promptly stepped up and struck out on the final frame, leaving McAuliffe with the daunting task of matching the effort.

With 246 pins, Soss held the advantage but was forced to look on as McAuliffe immediately answered with a pair of strikes in his final frame before unceremoniously gutter-balling his final attempt, cementing Soss’ triumph, 246-238.

“I screamed, the relief of knowing that I won,” said Soss, as he watched the ball find the gutter. “I shouldn’t have won, there’s no words…I’m happy.”

“That’s never happened before,” remarked tournament director Jim Elliott.

Ironically, the epic matchup was a rematch of the 2014 final — which McAuliffe won.

“I was thinking here we go again,” said Soss after McAuliffe gained the advantage heading into the final frame.

“To throw a double and for him to then throw a double, watching him match it I felt like I was done,” added Soss.

The southpaw admits he didn’t fire his best games on Saturday, but he made big shots when it mattered most.

“Just made clean shots, can’t say I threw the ball great today,” admitted Soss. “But the shots that I made, I was able to finesse some.

“It feels good to be a part of it, at least now I get my name announced every year,” joked Soss. “Just keep bowling and trying to bowl good.”

As for McAuliffe, who fired a 298 in his first game on Saturday, the result is tough to swallow.

“After the second or third frame I thought it would take 260 to win, I knew I might need every strike to win,” explained McAuliffe. “He gave me another chance…I just shot it a little right.

“It was a great match, the last time was close too, it was basically identical except for the result,” he added.

Nevertheless, the outcome is bittersweet.

“I was pretty lined up, stayed relaxed, made consistent shots, Steve’s a great bowler,” added McAuliffe. “It’s tough to get to the final, it’s too bad to let that one go.”

OTHER NOTABLES

The final was preceded by an equally exciting semifinal, in which McAuliffe downed Joey Weisenstein, who also fired a 298 in his first game of the day, 249-237.

In the other matchup, Soss edged John Eadicicco, 225-217.

Eadicicco, the 2013 champion, also competed in the very first NYSC in 1976.

Prize money: Soss ($1350), McAuliffe ($800), Weisenstein ($500), Eadicicco ($350), George Cretella ($275), Steve Kotowski ($250), Dan Brezo ($230), Kevin Ng ($215), Mike Marchese ($190), Anthony Arias ($170), Christian DeVito ($160), Joe Lampariello ($155), Ira Levy ($150), Jeff Scire ($145), Michael Pitkoff ($140), Zach Dobrin ($135), Carl Worley ($125), Pete Labella ($120), Bill Salvatore ($115), Rob D’Onofrio ($115), AJ Everts ($110), Tom Hollywood, Jr. ($110), Tom Hollywood, Sr. ($100), Darius Fuller ($100).