Marshall Kent Wins PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open Title

Marshall Kent Wins PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open Title
Former PBA Rookie of the Year wins first PBA singles title in U.S. to top “youth movement” finale
 
LUBBOCK, Texas (June 11, 2017) – In a duel of past PBA Rookies of the Year, Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash., ended a personal quest for his first PBA singles title in the U.S. Sunday, defeating EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., 233-194, in the PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open at South Plains Lanes Saturday.
 
Kent, who won his only previous PBA Tour singles title in Saudi Arabia in 2014, locked out Tackett with a string of six strikes to finish the title match after Tackett struggled until the ninth and 10th frames to throw two strikes in a row.
 
“I had a game plan going in to do what I did all week, which basically meant making moves to the left and making good shots,” Kent said. “It looks like I made enough good shots down the stretch to get the job done.
 
“I’m still trying to process the win,” he added. “It means the world. It’s been a long time. It feels unbelievable. I haven’t been bowling that well lately, so I spent 15 hours last week practicing, putting in the extra time to get ready.”
 
The Lubbock Sports Open were a showcase for the PBA’s youth movement. Tackett, PBA’s reigning Player of the Year and Lubbock’s top qualifier, was the oldest of three 24-year-olds in the stepladder field, just a few weeks older than Kent and fourth-place finisher AJ Johnson of Oswego, Ill. Third-place finisher Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Ariz., is 23. Tackett was PBA’s 2013 Rookie of the Year; Kent won that honor in 2014.
 
Kent kicked off the four-man stepladder finals with a string of six strikes on his way to a 259-228 victory over Johnson. He then took advantage of Butturff’s inability to carry strikes early in the semifinal match, posting a 222-217 victory to advance to the title match against Tackett, who helped Kent win his second PBA Tour title as Merica Rooster Illusion teammates in winning the PBA Team Challenge in Las Vegas last fall.
                                  
Butturff, the defending champion and the only left-hander among the top 16, made a big move during the six-game cashers round, averaging 259.5 behind games of 259, 258, 258, 234, 259 and 289 to charge out of 11th place into the lead heading into the eight-game match play round. The Tempe, Ariz., resident held the lead until his final position round match where he lost to Tackett, 228-165, dropping to second place for the stepladder finals and eventually finishing third.
 
With his second-place finish, Tackett took the lead in the Xtra Frame Storm Cup points race, picking up 19 points for a 53-point total to move ahead of previous leader Dom Barrett of England who finished in a tie for 28th, failing to add to his 46-point total. Lubbock was the fourth event in the seven-tournament Xtra Frame Storm Cup series that will reward the top five points leaders with shares of a $50,000 bonus prize pool.
 
After a 13-day break, PBA’s 2017 Xtra Frame Tour continues June 24-25 with the “throwback” PBA Xtra Frame Billy Hardwick Memorial Open at Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes in Memphis, Tenn. The tournament will allow each player to use only two limited-technology polyester plastic balls, more in the tradition of technology used by the late PBA Hall of Famer during the early years of the PBA. All of the Memphis action will be streamed live on PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel. Three-day, 30-day and annual subscription packages are available. Visit xtraframe.tv for details.
 
PBA XTRA FRAME LUBBOCK SPORTS OPEN presented by Ebonite
South Plains Lanes, Lubbock, Texas, June 11
 
Final Standings:
1, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., $12,500.
2, EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., $7,000.
3, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., $4,000.
4, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., $2,500.
 
Stepladder Results:
Match One: Kent def. Johnson, 259-228.
Semifinal Match: Kent def. Butturff, 222-217.
Championship: Kent def. Tackett, 233 -194.
 
Final Match Play Standings (after 22 games, including match play bonus pins):
1, Tackett, 7-1, 5,332.
2, Butturff, 3-5, 5,279.

3, Johnson, 5-3, 5,267.

4, Kent, 5-3, 5,253.

5, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 6-1-1, 5,242, $2,200.

6, Craig Nidiffer, Trenton, Mich., 4-4, 5,240, $1,900.

7, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 5-3, 5,186, $1,700.

8, Sean Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 4-4, 5,154, $1,550.

9, Kris Koeltzow, Wheat Ridge, Colo., 4-4, 5,148, $1,400.

10, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 2-6, 5,144, $1,300.

11, Shota Kawazoe, Japan, 5-3, 5,143, $1,250.

12, Anthony Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 5-3, 5,106, $1,200.

13, Trevor Roberts, Crystal River, Fla., 3-5, 5,095, $1,150.

14, Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz, 3-5, 5,051, $1,100.

15, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1-6-1, 5,000, $1,050.

16, Sam Cooley, Australia, 1-7, 4,846, $1,000.
 
Other Cashers (after 14 games):
17, Markus Jansson, Sweden, 3,131, $850.
18, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 3,129, $840.

19 (tie), Kris Prather, Milton, Fla., and Francois Lavoie, Canada, 3,118, $825.

21, Brad Miller, Maryland Heights, Mo., 3,109, $810.

22 (tie), Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., and Dylan Burns, Lawrence, Kan., 3,107, $795.

24, n-Kyle Duster, Phoenix, Ariz., 3,104, $780.

25, Anthony Simonsen, Austin, Texas, 3,101, $770.

26 (tie), DJ Archer, Friendswood, Texas, and Jason Sterner, Rockledge, Fla., 3,100, $755.

28 (tie), Dom Barrett, England, and Dino Castillo, Highland Village, Texas, 3,065, $735.

30, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 3,054, $720.

31, Pontus Andersson, Sweden, 3,047, $710.

32, Tyson Branagan, Fort Worth, Texas, 3,033, $705.

33, n-Peter Hellstrom, Sweden, 3,031, $700.

34 (tie), Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, and Jeff Evans, Supply, N.C., 3,023, $693.

36, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 3,021, $685.

37, Donald Davis Jr., W. Tawakoni, Texas, 3,006, $680.

38, Stuart Williams, England, 3,000, $675.

39, Lucas Legnani, Argentina, 2,998, $670.

40, Jake Peters, Henderson, Nev., 2,995, $665.

41, n-Tyler Albracht, Amarillo, Texas, 2,978, $660.

42, Humberto Vazquez, Mexico, 2,967, $655.

43 (tie), Zulmazran Zulkifli, Malaysia,and n-Trey Sledge, Amarillo, Texas, 2,962, $648.

45, n-Sean Sadat, Houston, Texas, 2,932, $640.

46, Isaac Russell, Malaysia, 2,909, $635.

47, n-Nicholas Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 2,895, $630.

48, n-Scotty Pope Jr., Odessa, Texas, 2,860, $625.

49, Gabriel Garcia, Port St. Lucie, Fla., 2,857, $620.

50, Kenneth Harlan, Lubbock, Texas, 2,810, $615.

51, Jorge Gutierrez, Las Cruces, N.M., 2,784, $610.

52, n-John Baeten, Topeka, Kan., 2,760, $605.

53, Martin Bedford, Gasport New York, 2,752, $600.
 
n-denotes non-member

Sean Lavery-Spahr Paces PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open Qualifying
Reigning Player of the Year EJ Tackett 29 pins behind in bid for third title of 2017 season
 
LUBBOCK, Texas (June 10, 2017) – Sean Lavery-Spahr, a 36-year-old three-time PBA Regional title winner from Pasadena, Texas, averaged 243.75 for eight games Saturday to lead the PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open field of 160 bowlers through qualifying at South Plains Lanes.
 
Lavery-Spahr, who is trying for his first PBA Tour title, rolled games of 242, 278, 236, 198, 235, 244, 269 and 248 for a 1,950 pinfall total and a 29-pin lead over reigning PBA Player of the Year EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., who finished with a 1,921 total. Tackett is trying for his third PBA Tour title of the year and the eighth of his young career.
 
In third place heading into Sunday’s six-game cashers round was Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, with 1,885 pins followed by Australia’s Sam Cooley with 1,872 pins and Dick Allen of Columbia, S.C., with a 1,862 total.
 
The top 53 players advancing to the cashers round included the three previous PBA Xtra Frame Tour winners from earlier in the year. Xtra Frame Reality Check Classic winner Josh Blanchard of Tempe, Ariz., advanced in 26th place; Wilmington Open winner Anthony Simonsen was in 22nd place and last week’s Greater Jonesboro Open winner Francois Lavoie was tied for 34th place. After the cashers round, the top 16 will advance to the eight-game modified round-robin match play round leading up to the four-player stepladder finals.
 
Also advancing to the cashers round was defending Lubbock champion Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Ariz., who was in 11th place at the end of qualifying; Xtra Frame Storm Cup points leader Dom Barrett of England was tied for 34th, and Lavery-Spahr’s twin brother, Anthony, in 23rd place.
 
At stake Sunday is a $12,500 first prize, a PBA Tour title and 25 points in the Storm Cup points race to the winner.
 
The Lubbock Sports Open is the fourth of seven Storm Cup events which will reward the top five players in points with a total of $50,000 in bonus money at the end of the season, including $20,000 to the points champion. The top 20 in each Storm Cup event earn points. For details about the program, visit: https://www.pba.com/SeasonStats/XtraFrameTourPoints/95
 
Sunday’s cashers round, match play and stepladder finals will be streamed live on PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel at 8:30 a.m., 12:15 and 4:15 p.m. CDT, respectively. 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 LUBBOCK SPORTS OPEN presented by Ebonite
South Plains Lanes, Lubbock, Texas, June 10
 
Final Qualifying Standings (after 8 games; top 53 advance to Sunday’s cashers round):
1, Sean Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 1,950.
2, EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 1,921.

3, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,885.

4, Sam Cooley, Australia, 1,872.

5, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,862.

6, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 1,846.

7 (tie), Craig Nidiffer, Trenton, Mich., and Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 1,844.

9, Jason Sterner, Rockledge, Fla., 1,822.

10, DJ Archer, Friendswood, Texas, 1,819.

11, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 1,814.

12 (tie), Dino Castillo, Highland Village, Texas, and n-Peter Hellstrom, Sweden, 1,799.

14, Dylan Burns, Lawrence, Kan., 1,798.

15, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 1,795.

16, Brad Miller, Maryland Heights, Mo., 1,792.

17, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 1,791.

18 (tie), Kris Koeltzow, Wheat Ridge, Colo., and Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 1,785.

20 (tie), Trevor Roberts, Crystal River, Fla., and Shota Kawazoe, Japan, 1,783.

22, Anthony Simonsen, Austin, Texas, 1,774.

23, Anthony Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 1,772.

24, Pontus Andersson, Sweden, 1,769.

25, Jeff Evans, Supply, N.C., 1,756.

26, Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz, 1,755.

27, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 1,748.

28, Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., 1,746.

29, Kenneth Harlan, Lubbock, Texas, 1,744.

30, Stuart Williams, England, 1,740.

31 (tie), Tyson Branagan, Fort Worth, Texas, and n-Kyle Duster, Phoenix, Ariz., 1,737.

33, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,733.

34 (tie), Dom Barrett, England, and Francois Lavoie, Canada, 1,729.

36, Kristopher Prather, Milton, Fla., 1,725.

37, Humberto Vazquez, Mexico, 1,724.

38, n-Scotty Pope Jr., Odessa, Texas, 1,722.

39, n-Trey Sledge, Amarillo, Texas, 1,721.

40, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 1,717.

41, Markus Jansson, Sweden, 1,708.

42, Zulmazran Zulkifli, Malaysia, 1,706.

43, Lucas Legnani, Argentina, 1,704.

44 (tie), n-John Baeten, Topeka, Kan., and Donald Davis, Jr., W. Tawakoni, Texas, 1,694.

46, n-Tyler Albracht, Amarillo, Texas, 1,693.

47, n-Sean Sadat, Houston, Texas, 1,690.

48, Jorge Gutierrez, Las Cruces, N.M., 1,689.

49, Isaac Russell, Malaysia, 1,685.

50, Martin Bedford, Gasport New York, 1,683.

50, n-Nicholas Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 1,683.

52, Jake Peters, Henderson, Nev., 1,682.

53, Gabriel Garcia, Port St. Lucie, Fla., 1,677.
Failed to advance:
54, Anthony Coats, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,676.

55, Jeremy Fowler, Odessa, Texas, 1,675.

56, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 1,672.

57 (tie), n-John Pierce, Denton, Texas, and Nick Kruml, Downers Grove, Ill., 1,669.

59, George Duke, Vidor, Texas, 1,667.

60, Kevin Andes, Wichita, Kan., 1,666.

61, Connor Pickford, Plano, Texas, 1,663.

62, Adam Pogge, Austin, Texas, 1,661.

63, Matthew Stephens, Houston, Texas, 1,659.

64, n-Cody Meiers, Lubbock, Texas, 1,652.

65, n-Arturo Quintero, Mexico, 1,651.

66, Aaron Ramsden, Pleasant Valley, Mo., 1,649.

67, Derek Acuff, Glendale, Ariz., 1,647.

68, Dylan Macon, Lubbock, Texas, 1,646.

69 (tie), n-Julio Rodriguez, New Braunfels, Texas, and n-Will Hoge, Sand Springs, Okla., 1,645.

71, Lee White, Odessa, Texas, 1,639.

72, Beau Peterson, Newton, Kan., 1,637.

73, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 1,635.

74, Julio Cesar Blancas, Mexico, 1,630.

75, Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y., 1,626.

76 (tie), George Brooks, Loveland, Colo., and n-Dalton Kimzey, Lubbock, Texas, 1,623.

78 (tie), Kristian Rogers, Salisbury, N.C.; n-Blake Starr, Oklahoma City; Colby White, Willis, Texas, and n-Michael Smith, Centenniel, Colo., 1,622.

82, n-Charlie Whittle, Midland, Texas, 1,620.

83, n-Juan Garza, Lubbock, Texas, 1,618.

84 (tie), n-Mike White, Midland, Texas, and n-Levi Fintel, Lubbock, Texas, 1,615.

86, Brett Cooper, Denver, 1,612.

87, n-Jason Tidwell, Odessa, Texas, 1,611.

88 (tie), Devin Bidwell, Wichita, Kan., and n-Hunter Inzer, Odessa, Texas, 1,608.

90, n-Russ Oviatt, Tempe, Ariz., 1,606.

91, Andy Patterson, Tyler, Texas, 1,605.

92, Travis Tribolet, San Angelo, Texas, 1,599.

93, Trey Ford III, Bartlesville, Okla., 1,596.

94 (tie), Michael Duran, Banning, Calif., and n-Kyle Biggs, Sapulpa, Okla., 1,594.

96, Dwight Adams, Greensboro, N.C., 1,593.

97, Toby Sambueno, Henderson, Nev., 1,589.

98, Paul Brewbaker, Midwest City, Okla., 1,582.

99, n-Cole Schroyer, Stanton, Texas, 1,581.

100, n-Scott McCleery, Lubbock, Texas, 1,576.

101, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 1,572.

102, n-Sean Hamrock, Littleton, Colo., 1,567.

103, Mark Payne Sr., Amarillo, Texas, 1,565.

104, Joe Findling, Mesquite, Texas, 1,563.

105, David Wilson, Amarillo, Texas, 1,562.

106, Vaughn Cruz, Helotes, Texas, 1,561.

107, Rameses Chambers, Kansas City, Mo., 1,559.

108, Scott Stofko, Flower Mound, Texas, 1,556.

109 (tie), Mason Edmondson, Amarillo, Texas, and n-Madeleine McDuff, Katy, Texas, 1,552.

111, Alan Blankenship, Denison, Texas, 1,545.

112, n-Zach Wojciechowski, Lubbock, Texas, 1,543.

113, Zeke Bayt, Westerville, Ohio, 1,540.

114, Massimliano Fridegotto, Venezuela, 1,536.

115, Scott Crawford, Allen, Texas, 1,533.

116, n-Daniel Hall, Wolfforth, Texas, 1,528.

117, n-Mark Myers, Phoenix, Ariz., 1,526.

118, David Peterson, Plano, Texas, 1,523.

119, Daniel Carabajal, Las Cruces, N.M., 1,519.

120, Eric Wigger, Oklahoma City, Okla., 1,515.

121, Kenneth Bland Jr., Jacksonville, Texas, 1,512.

122, Michael Steele, Abilene, Texas, 1,504.

123, Agustin Aranguren, Argentina, 1,503.

124, n-Martin Velasquez, Andrews, Texas, 1,493.

125, n-Edward Thorman, Albuquerque, N.M., 1,492.

126, Carl See, Amarillo, Texas, 1,491.

127, Marshal Morrison, Wills Point, Texas, 1,485.

128, James Watson, Austin, Texas, 1,484.

129, n-Walid Letayf, Mexico, 1,483.

130, n-J.R. Vaughn, Edmond, OK, 1,479.

131, n-Victor De La Garza, Mexico, 1,466.

132, n-Russell Williams, Wolfforth, Texas, 1,465.

133, Cody Copeland, Abilene, Texas, 1,458.

134 (tie), Charles Ganem, Jr., Hutto, Texas; Gabriel Yanes, Shertz, Texas, and n-Edwin Case, Albuquerque, N.M., 1,454.

137, n-Austin Williams, Odessa, Texas, 1,452.

138, n-Matteo Bergonzi, Lubbock, Texas, 1,451.

139, n-Zach Bazyk, Artesia, N.M., 1,446.

140 (tie), Zachary Wright, Roseburg, Ore., and Matthew Calabresi, Liberty Hall, Texas, 1,428.

142, n-Blayne Hurst, Amarillo, Texas, 1,427.

143, n-Stefan Wood, Lubbock, Texas, 1,425.

144, n-Rand Lightsey, Abilene, Texas, 1,420.

145, n-Tyler Wilbanks, Abernathy, Texas, 1,414.

145, Shane Martin, Lubbock, Texas, 1,414.

147, Francis Russo, Richmond, Texas, 1,411.

148, n-Katie Rush, Lubbock, Texas, 1,408.

149, Christopher Hull, Odessa, Texas, 1,401.

150 (tie), n-Don Blankenship, Odessa, Texas, and James Mayer, Richmond, Texas, 1,392.

152, Mathew Grundy, Grand Prairie, Texas, 1,391.

153, n-Jeremy Evans, Houston, 1,388.

154, n-Stephen Bell, Lubbock, Texas, 1,387.

155, n-Nick Hoang, Amarillo, Texas, 1,360.

155, n-John O’Connor, Clovis, N.M., 1,360.

155, n-Darren Olson, Austin, Texas, 1,360.

158, n-Homer B Cook, Abilene, Texas, 1,354.

159, n-Clinton Watkins, Andrews, Texas, 1,349.

160, n-Rikki Meiers, Lubbock, Texas, 1,345.
n-denotes non-member