Adam Barta likes to bowl at Sunset Lanes. Actually, Barta doesn’t care where he bowls or in what type of league. Barta who averages between 215 and 242 (the 215 is in a sport PBA shot league) doesn’t have an ego problem and the experience in the PBA sport shot league, no doubt, prepares him for any type condition he may face.
Such was the case on Nov. 15 when he competed on five different types of lane conditions and won the 2009 Sunset Lanes NASCAR sweeper, defeating Tim Pfeifer 1355-1303. Barta averaged 227.4 in the qualifying round and 224 in the championship round (without bonus points).
Mark Ferrara finished 3rd with 1295 and John Doughton was 4th with 1289. Bryan Bailey was 5th with 1271 while Matt Mariano finished 6th with 1138.
For those of you not familiar with the tournament format, there were five different lane conditions ranging from a house shot to sport shots. Both the qualifying and final rounds were shot on the aforementioned conditions.
Ferrara was a model of consistency as he led the qualifying round with 1176 (235.2 average). Barta was 2nd with 1137. Doughton was 3rd with 1135. Bailey was 4th with 1131 while Pfeifer was 5th with 1113. Mariano was the final qualifier with 1077.
High qualifying games were shot by Doughton (297), Pie Rossi (279), Ferrara (268, 259), Bailey (264), Nick Demine (258) and Pfeifer (255, 279).
Each finalist entered the final round receiving position bonus points in order of their finish. Ferrara received 120, Barta 100, Doughton 80, Bailey 60, Pfeifer 40 and Mariano 20.
In the championship round, bowlers also received bonus points per game in order of their finish. The top finisher received 40 and then it decreased in increments of 5 down to 15.
Barta opened the championship round with a 247. When coupled with his position points and bonus points he had 382. Ferrara (22) was 2nd with 362. Pfeifer (253) was 3rd with 333. Doughton (224) was 4th with 329. Mariano (244) was 5th with 294, while Bailey (203) was 6th with 278.
The 2nd game saw a bevy of low scores. However, Barta (189) and Ferrara (193) continued to hold the top spots with 596 and 585. However, Mariano (209) moved into 3rd with 543. Pfeifer (168) was 4th with 521. Bailey (205) moved up to 5th with 518, while Doughton (159) dropped from 4th to 6th with 503.
Scores did improve during the 3rd game and there were some significant changes in the standings. Barta (264) and Ferrara (194) were still 1st and 2nd, but Barta now held a 96-pin lead 900-804. Doughton (256) moved from 6th to 3rd with 794, while Bailey (208) moved up one spot from 5th to 4th with 756. Mariano (184) tumbled to 5th with 742 while Pfeifer (188) was 6th with 729.
More changes occurred after game 4. Barta (194) continued to lead with 1119. However, Doughton (219) moved into 2nd with 1043. Ferrara (189) and Bailey (222) were tied for 3rd with 1013. Pfeifer (243) was 5th with 1012 and appeared ready to make his run. Mariano (184) was 6th with 917.
With a 76-pin lead over Doughton and a 106-pin lead over Ferrara and Bailey, it appeared as though Barta had a lock on the title. He managed a 216 for 1355 and 1st place. However, some late heroics from Pfeifer made the event interesting. Pfeifer shot 251 and cut into Barta’s lead. But, it wasn’t enough and Pfeifer finished 2nd with 1303.
Ferrara (247) finished 3rd with 1295 while Doughton (221) was 4th with 1289. Rounding out the final two positions were Bailey (221) 1271 and Mariano (206) 1138.
Notes: The qualifying field averaged 208.66. The highest average was on the Richmond (house shot) condition with 221.14. The lowest average was on the Bristol (short-oil) shot at 193.4. Other averages on the various conditions were as follows: Charlotte (sport shot 2) 219.61, Darlington (sport shot one) 209.47, and Daytona (long-oil) 200.66. The highest (297) and the lowest (124) games of the qualifying round were on the Charlotte condition.
The finalists averaged 213.53. Final round averages by game were as follows: 1st game (232.16), 2nd game (187.16), 3rd game (215.66, 4th game (204.5) and 5th game 228.16. The high game for the championship round was 264, the lowest was 159.
Gabe D’Angelo is a local bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Writers Association who writes this weekly column for The Herald
Sports
Related Photos
Bowling: Barta wins NASCAR sweeper at Sunset Lanes
- Sports
-
-
Roundup: Sharpsville tops Sharon; KC's Wareham hits 1,000 career points
The Duke University Blue Devils men’s basketball team has nothing on its namesake, the Sharpsville High girls.
Duke drained 14 three-point field goals in rallying past Atlantic Coast Conference arch-rival North Carolina Wednesday night, and 24 hours later the Blue (Darlings) Devils did likewise. -
Reynolds drops opener to Boiling Springs in Hershey
HERSHEY — One of the problems with the PIAA State Dual-Meet Championships is that there is no true seeding. That’s why two of the state’s top ranked Class AA teams — Reynolds (3rd) and Boiling Springs (4th) — had to meet in the opening round.
But, of course you throw ranking and seeding out the window anyhow in the 3-day tourney in Hershey. -
HIGH SCHOOL WINTER SPORTS: Lakeview, GC matmen win
Lakeview and Grove City mat teams notched victories Wednesday night over West Middlesex and Sharon respectively.
Mercer bowed to Redbank Valley.
-
Roundup: Sharpsville tops Lakeview in OT; GC rolls over Franklin; Titusville upsets Hickory
While the Sailors were sleeping, Luchey was laying out for the lid.
Tyler Luchey’s court-length layin at the buzzer Tuesday night staked Sharpsville High boys’ basketball team to a 58-56 District 10 Region 2-AA overtime win over Lakeview. -
Roundup: Hickory girls beat Franklin in battle of 5-AAA leaders
Knowing its male counterparts upset Franklin 48 hours earlier, the Hickory High girls basketball team was not to be outdone.
Forcing Franklin into a substandard shooting performance, the Lady Hornets harvested a 53-42 District 10 Region 5-AAA win Monday night. -
SPORTVIEW: Reynolds, Greenville are 2 of state's historic programs
CONGRATULATIONS TO the Reynolds High wrestling program which became the fastest Class AA team in the history of the state to reach 700 wins last weekend.
The program, which began in 1960-61 under coach Dick Sherwood, has set a torrid pace for winning since that 4-4 season.
Ironically, the school’s 700th victory came Saturday in the District 10 Dual Meet Championships against long-time rival Greenville, which went over the 700-win plateau in 2009. Greenville is believed to be the first AA team to reach 700 wins, while Reynolds did it in the shortest time. -
Hickory soccer standouts Free, Richards to Ashland University
Hickory High girls’ soccer coach B.J. Rudge believes the bar has been elevated, and his Lady Hornets have helped hoist it.
“In general, soccer has grown in this area ... and what our girls have accomplished is a reflection of the whole (Shenango) Valley,” Rudge recently observed. -
Ft. LeBoeuf beats Reynolds at D-10 AA Team Duals
EDINBORO — The Reynolds Raiders notched the school’s 700th victory in the semifinals of the District 10 Dual Meet Championships Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately for the Raiders, No. 701 will have to come later.
The Raiders topped long-time rival Greenville, 51-16, in the semis to become the first Class AA school in Pennsylvania history to 700 wins. However, in the D-10 finals at Edinboro University’s McComb Field House, the Raiders fell to familiar foe Fort LeBoeuf, 31-28. -
Roundup: Popatak hits 1,000; Hickory, Farrell, Sharon boys win 6-AAA contests
ä Hickory 64, Franklin 52 — At “The Castle” in Franklin, the Knights (9-3, 15-3) led 28-21 at halftime, but coach Nick Cannone’s Hornets (11-2, 13-5) came storming back and outscored the hosts 24-9 in the 3rd quarter and 19-15 in the 4th to win a key Region 6-AAA clash.
Vinnie Mastrian rifled in a career-high 28 points to lead Hickory while Matt Votino scored 22. -
Roundup: WM, Sharpsville, Lakeview grab region wins
When in doubt, defer to Dogan.
West Middlesex High junior point guard Matt Dogan dominated the 2nd half of Friday night’s District 10 Region 1-A contest with visiting VisionQuest.
Dogan deposited 18 of his game-high 27 points after intermission, converting 12 of 16 free-throw attempts, leading the Big Reds to their 9th consecutive conquest, 56-41. - More Sports Headlines
-
