Canada’s Francois Lavoie Wins PBA Xtra Frame Greater Jonesboro Open
2016 PBA Rookie of the Year uses error-free game to upset top qualifier Ryan Ciminelli
JONESBORO, Ark. (June 4, 2017) – In a tournament that put a premium on spare shooting, Quebec City native Francois Lavoie threw an error-free game to upset top qualifier Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, N.Y., Sunday, 224-152, to win the PBA Xtra Frame Greater Jonesboro Open at Jonesboro Bowling Center.
Lavoie, PBA’s 2016 Rookie of the Year and the 2016 U.S. Open champion, converted four spares and threw in a string of four strikes late in the game to knock off Ciminelli, who had otherwise dominated the event.
Ciminelli, a 31-year-old left-hander, cruised to Saturday’s qualifying lead by out-averaging his closest competitor by nearly 25 pins per game. Despite slowing his scoring pace to an overall 223 average on Sunday, he qualified no. 1 for the four-man stepladder finals by 304 pins over England’s Stuart Williams.
But the title match was his downfall. After failing to convert the 3-7 split in the second frame, Ciminelli also failed to convert the 3-5-6-9 in the eighth frame and missed a 6 pin in the ninth.
“I reminded myself of what I do best, and that’s keep the ball in play,” Lavoie said. “I don’t strike as much as some of the guys out here, so I have to do what I do best.
In the title match, “I was just trying to fluff the ball and leave makeable spares,” he added. “I figured that would put me in a good position.”
It was the same philosophy that got Lavoie into the stepladder in the first place. He defeated Japan’s Shota Kawazoe in his final two matches, shooting 200 in game seven and 238 in his final match to advance to the stepladder finals where he broke open a tied match with Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, with three strikes, a spare and a double to win, 210-178. He then struck on six of his first seven shots to eliminate Williams, 232-196, to advance to the title match.
Lavoie won $12,500, his third PBA Tour title and 25 points in the PBA’s Xtra Frame Storm Cup points competition.
PBA’s Xtra Frame Storm Cup series continues next Saturday and Sunday with the PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open at South Plains Lanes in Lubbock, Texas, where Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Ariz., is defending champion. All of the Lubbock action will be streamed live on PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel. In addition to monthly and annual subscription packages, a three-day subscription is available for only $3.99 (visit xtraframe.tv to sign up).
PBA XTRA FRAME GREATER JONESBORO OPEN
Jonesboro Bowling Center, Jonesboro, Ark., June 4
Final Standings:
1, Francois Lavoie, Canada, $12,500.
2, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., $7,000.
3, Stuart Williams, England, $4,000.
4, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, $2,500.
Stepladder Results:
Match One: Lavoie def. Malott, 210-178.
Semifinal Match: Lavoie def. Williams, 232-196.
Championship: Lavoie def. Ciminelli, 224-152.
Final Match Play Standings (after 21 games, including match play bonus pins):
1, Ciminelli, 4-4, 4,805.
2, Williams, 5-3, 4,501.
3, Malott, 4-4, 4,500.
4, Lavoie, 5-2-1, 4,485.
5, EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 5-3, 4,427, $2,000.
6, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 6-2, 4,414, $1,800.
7, Shota Kawazoe, Japan, 6-2, 4,391, $1,550.
8, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 4-4, 4,332, $1,415.
9, Dom Barrett, England, 4-4, 4,329, $1,350.
10, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 4-4, 4,327, $1,300.
11, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3-5, 4,269, $1,250.
12, Ryan Lakota, Shorewood, Ill., 3-4-1, 4,234, $1,200.
13, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 2-6, 4,222, $1,150.
14, n-Michael Tang, San Francisco, Calif., 3-5, 4,208, $1,100.
15, Dino Castillo, Highland Village, Texas, 2-6, 4,177, $1,050.
16, Zeke Bayt, Westerville, Ohio, 3-5, 4,112, $1,000.
Other Cashers (after 13 games):
26, DJ Archer, Friendswood, Texas, 2,541, $650.