Georgia’s Jason Sterner Leads PBA Detroit Open Qualifying
by Jerry Schneider March 10, 2012 13:49
ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Hoping to win his first title after six seasons of Professional Bowlers Association Tour competition, Jason Sterner of McDonough, Ga., averaged 243.77 to lead qualifying Saturday in the PBA Detroit Open presented by Track at Thunderbowl Lanes.
Sterner had a 2,194 nine-game pinfall with games of 214, 276, 259, 238, 258, 167, 269, 223 and 290 to lead the 24 players who advanced to Sunday’s head-to-head match play. Finishing second after qualifying was one-time Tour titlist Dave Wodka of Henderson, Nev., with a 2,183 pinfall, followed by rookie Josh Blanchard of Gilbert, Ariz., in third with 2,171.
Sterner’s best finish since competing on Tour in 2006 was seventh in the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Masters. His best finish this season was 12th in the Viper Open.
“My goal is to try and figure out what it takes to get to the next level,” said Sterner. “I’ve really been committed to making changes to my game, practicing five hours a day, five days a week.
“It’s just been a lot of concentration on my mechanics, specifically my arm swing and trying to free it up so that I can repeat shot after shot. Hopefully it’s starting to pay off.”
Leading Michigan bowlers were 2009 PBA World Championship winner Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, in a tie for fourth with Brian Himmler of Cincinnati with 2,143. Troy Stus, a two-time PBA Regional winner of South Lyon, is in sixth with 2,138.
Other players from Michigan making the top 24 were Jeffrey Roche of Dearborn, who rolled a 300 in his last game of qualifying to jump from 35th to 11th. Reigning PBA Player of the Year and Finland native Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, finished qualifying in a tie for 14th with three-time Tour winner Rhino Page of Dade City, Fla.; Justin O’Hara of Westland finished 16th, and Corey Miller of Grand Blanc tied for 17th with three-time Tour titlist Bill O’Neill of Southampton, Pa.
Detroit bowling fans showed their support of the event as evidenced by overflow crowds at Thunderbowl Lanes. The PBA Tour is making its first appearance here since the World Series of Bowling was conducted at Thunderbowl Lanes in the fall of 2009.
Sunday’s match play round begins at 9 a.m. ET and will determine the top four players who will advance to the stepladder finals which will get underway at 6 p.m. Sunday’s match play and stepladder finals will be streamed live on pba.com’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame.
PBA DETROIT OPEN PRESENTED BY TRACK
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich., Saturday
QUALIFYING RESULTS
After 9 games. Top 24 advance to Sunday’s match play round.
1, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 2,194.
2, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 2,183.
3, Josh Blanchard, Gilbert, Ariz., 2,171.
4 (tie), Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, and Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 2,143.
6, Troy Stus, South Lyon, Mich., 2,138.
7, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 2,126.
8, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 2,124.
9 (tie), Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., and Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 2,119, $100.
11, Jeffrey Roche, Dearborn, Mich., 2,092.
12, Jake Peters, Decatur, Ill., 2,090.
13, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 2,089.
14 (tie), Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, and Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 2,088.
16, Justin O'Hara, Westland, Mich., 2,066.
17 (tie), Corey Miller, Grand Blanc, Mich, and Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 2,064.
19, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 2,062.
20, Mike Williams II, Montgomery, Ala, 2,056.
21, Mike Fagan, Dallas, 2,055.
22, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 2,046.
23, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 2,045.
24, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 2,042.
Did not advance to match play
25, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 2,040, $900.
26, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 2,035, $890.
27, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 2,032, $880.
28, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 2,029, $870.
29, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 2,028, $860.
30 (tie), Steven Arehart, Chesapeake, Va., 2,025, and Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 2,025, $845.
32, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,024, $830.
33, Christopher Colosimo, Elkhorn, Wis, 2,022, $820.
34, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 2,020, $810.
35, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 2,018, $800.
36, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2,016, $790.
37, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 1,999, $780.
38, Steve Rogers, Manteno, Ill., 1,996, $770.
39, Mark Gunthorpe, Mendon, Mich., 1,990, $760.
40 (tie), Gerald Marrs, Huntley, Ill., 1,989, and Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,989, $745.
42, Jeff Hicks, Allen Park, Mich, 1,987, $730.
43, Darren Alexander, Canada, 1,986, $720.
44, Mitch Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 1,982, $710.
45, Lee Vanderhoef, Greenville, S.C., 1,979, $700.
46, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 1,976, $700.
47, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,968, $700.
48 (tie), Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., and Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 1,967.
50, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,961.
51, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 1,958.
52, John Kelley, Sterling Hts., Mich., 1,957.
53, Ryan Mitter, St. Clair Shores, Mich., 1,956.
54, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 1,951.
55 (tie), Brian Robinson, Morgantown, W.Va., and Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,948.
57, D.J. Archer, Port Arthur, Texas, 1,945.
58, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 1,939.
59, Abed Daher, Dearborn, Mich., 1,937.
60, Michael Chism, Redford, Mich., 1,935.
61 (tie), Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., and Conn Casey, Canada, 1,932.
63 (tie), Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., and Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 1,929.
65, Chris Kliczinski, Pinckney, Mich, 1,920.
66, Elliot Arnold, Wayne, Mich., 1,919.
67, Mason Brantley, Detroit, 1,918.
68, Bob Learn Jr., Macomb, Mich., 1,917.
69, Jason Lundquist, Groveport, Ohio, 1,916.
70, BJ Satkowski, Jackson, Mich, 1,910.
71, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,909.
72, Matthew Thornton, Montgomery, Ill., 1,908.
73, Daniel Ott, Marinette, Wis., 1,905.
74, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 1,903.
75, James Koss, Brighton, Mich., 1,901.
76, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 1,899.
77 (tie), Dan MacLelland, Canada, and Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,896.
79, Alan Pittman, Clarkston, Mich., 1,894.
80, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 1,887.
81, Mitchell Jabczenski, Novi, Mich., 1,882.
82 (tie), Carleton Chambers, Detroit, and Scott Timko, Center Line, Mich., 1,879.
84, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1,878.
85, George Branham III, Indianapolis, 1,874.
86, Ryan VanHecke, Sterling Heights, Mich., 1,863.
87, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 1,851.
88, Michael Calhoun, Wyandotte, Mich., 1,840.
89, Mark Arnold, Wayne, Mich., 1,835.
90, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 1,829.
91, Ronnie Sparks Jr., Ecorse, Mich., 1,828.
92, Dave Bernhardt, Romeo, Mich., 1,826.
93, Matthew Curtis, Waverly, Tenn., 1,825.
94, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,821.
95 (tie), William Daniels, St. Clair Shores, Mich., 1,817, and Brian Makan, Akron, Ohio, 1,817.
97, Jason Dooley, Paw Paw, Mich., 1,814.
98, Paul Benedict, Wyandotte, Mich., 1,808.
99, Marcus Spigner, Belleville, Mich., 1,806.
100, Mark Milasinovich, Macomb, Mich., 1,799.
101, Kevin Kullman, Tinley Park, Ill, 1,797.
102, Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio, 1,796.
103, Tyler Wilds, Three Rivers, Mich., 1,780.
104, Jeffrey Edwards, Sterling Heights, Mich., 1,778.
105 (tie) , Claudio Lopez, Berkley, Mich., and Conor Krause, Howell, Mich., 1,774.
107, Lonnie Jones, Ann Arbor, Mich., 1,769.
108, Shane DuFresne, Ortonville, Mich., 1,766.
109, Ryan Hughes, Howell, Mich., 1,763.
110, Scott Jones, Livonia, Mich., 1,762.
111 (tie), Ed Campbell, Berkley, Mich., and Philip Medley, Sterling Hts., Mich., 1,758.
113, Kenny Rogers, Redford Twp., Mich., 1,746.
114 (tie), Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., and Glenn Pilon, Farmington Hills, Mich., 1,742.
116, Patrick Kennedy, Chicago, 1,739.
117, George Juszczyk Jr., Dearborn Heights, Mich., 1,730.
118, Earon Vollmar, Toledo, Ohio, 1,729.
119, Joseph Clay, Taylor, Mich., 1,717.
120, Brian Crater, Hudson, Mich., 1,709.
121, Robert Weaver, Saginaw, Mich., 1,702.
122, Jeremiah Bryant, Romulus, Mich., 1,701.
123, Christopher Wiszowaty, Flushing, Mich., 1,693.
124, Thomas McEwen Jr., Holly, Mich., 1,688.
125, Deric Morris, Warner Robins, Ga., 1,682.
126, Brian Dimuzio, Eastpointe, Mich., 1,677.
127, Chris Ashworth, Gallatin, Tenn., 1,673.
128, Brad McNally, Freeland, Mich., 1,668.
129, Paul Farley, Sterling Heights, Mich., 1,650.
130, Kenny Skidmore, Indianapolis, 1,647.
131 (tie), Richard Barton Jr., Detroit, and Phillip Vallar, Southgate, Mich., 1,646.
133, James Sullivan, Michigan Center, Mich., 1,642.
134, Ed Cutter, Manassas Park, Va., 1,639.
135, Garrett Thierry, Taylor, Mich., 1,616.
136, Jonathan Russell, Rockwood, Tenn., 1,609.
137, Jason Stoops, Farmington Hills, Mich., 1,599.
138, Freddie Pope, West Winfield, N.Y., 1,572.
139, Stephen Owens, Fairfax, Va., 1,555.
140, Kevin Mack, Chesterfield, Mich., 1,535.
141, Nate Harris, Detroit, 1,491.
142, Ambrose Steffey Sr., Southgate, Mich., 1,463.