2015-16

Derek Eoff
Derek Eoff

Eoff Captures Third Masters

The eighth annual Masters and was held January 30, 2016 at City Tournament host center Ten Pin Alley. The tournament attracted 33 bowlers.

Congratulations to Derek Eoff, who won his third MBA Masters, $513.00, two tickets to the MBA Hall of Fame Dinner and Bowler Recognition ceremony in August, one ticket to the Dinner with the Champions in October, and the crystal Eagle Trophy.

The cut to make the stepladder finals (top 5) was +141, and the cut to cash was +82. Two-time MBA Senior Masters Champion Rick Erce rolled the lone honor score of the day, a 300 in his second qualifying game.

Qualifying

The field averaged exactly 195 in the first game of qualifying on the Kegel Chichen Itza pattern, with +12 as the last cash number and +25 the fifth stepladder spot. Jeff Smith led after one with a 244, followed by Marc McDowell (241), Derek Eoff (233), Chris Jackson (232), and Chris Gibbons tied with Chris Pollentier (225).

Bowlers settled in more comfortably in game two, averaging nearly 213. 18 bowlers were now plus and the cut to cash moved up slightly to +16. Rick Erce took over the league with his 300 game (494), followed by McDowell (478), Eoff (467), Pollentier (460), and Mark Newkirk (458)

McDowell moved into the lead after three games with a 726 set. Gibbons was second at 704, Pollentier third at 696, Joey Kick fourth at 690, and Ted Smith in fifth at 682. The cut to cash nearly doubled to +31 as the field averaged about 205 in game three, and 204 for the tournament thus far.

Through four games the cut to the stepladder went up +97, and the cut to cash +55. McDowell retained the top seed at 980, followed by Gibbons (959), and Kick (924), Chris Jackson popped back into the top five at 898, and Eoff was fifth at 897. The scoring pace in game four was 209, bringing the tournament average up to 205.

Game five was the highest scoring of the day at 214. McDowell (1217) and Gibbons (1159) held their positions. Shaun Taliaferro fired a 244 to move into third (1129), Jackson was fourth (1123) and Herb Kimpel had 246 (1107) to round out the stepladder. The cut to cash was +68.

After six, McDowell still led qualifying (1419) and Gibbons remained second (1370). Elsewhere, big moves were made in the final qualifying game as players just outside the top five shot huge games to make it to the stepladder. Derek Eoff, previously sixth, shot 258 to move to 1363, Joey Kick fired a 247 to go to 1348, and Matt Krueger rolled a 258 to get to 1341 – edging out Chris Jackson by a pin. The final cut to cash was Justin Weiss with 1282.

Overall, the tournament field averaged 207.67 at the Masters.

Qualifying

123456Total
1.McDowell, Marc2412372482542372021419
2.Gibbons, Chris2252322472552002111370
3.Eoff, Derek2332341952352082581363
4.Kick, Joey2122042742341772471348
5.Krueger, Matt1672251882582452581341
6.Jackson, Chris2322192022452252171340
7.Kimpel, Herb2042041952582462131320
8.Taliaferro, Shaun2122342262132441851314
9.Prein, Jeff1592292152122332441292
10.Pollentier, Chris2252352361611912351283
11.Weiss, Justin1971821972682252131282
12.Thaden, Tony1772172362122352031280
13.Richgels, Jeff1932172082302032131264
14.Newkirk, Mark1702882161841982021258
15.Smith, Ted1722562541812051691237
16.Erce, Rick1943001661952041631222
17.Longfield, Brian2171751962081872381221
18.Pursell, Matt1792241582442042091218
19.Hoffman, Mike1832332151792012031214
20.Loret, Chris1541861592302682151212
20.Heinzelman, Jay1932121782172251871212
22.Miller, Braxton1701752331812212261206
23.Richardson, Bob1792331861752351951203
24.Roedner, Cody1712481481822581891196
25.Sweeney, Jeff2082021741922022141192
26.Truehl, Rollie1881932222161751891183
27.Zarnstorff, Rich1931602561681922091178
28.Seppa, Dan1542352162001881841177
29.Pounders, Chris1791852241831892151175
30.Dennis, Bill2161591751832341981165
31.Smith, Jeff2441541511981882261161
31.Green, Zach2151562031712321841161
33.Johnson, Darin1791811662011941901111

Stepladder Finals

Krueger
Krueger
Kick
Kick
Eoff
Eoff
Gibbons
Gibbons
McDowell
McDowell
Match 1: #4 Kick def. #5 Krueger 198 – 189

Match 2: #3 Eoff def. #4 Kick 216 – 200

Match 3: #3 Eoff def. #2 Gibbons 268-248

Match 4: #3 Eoff def. #1 McDowell 257-205

Prize List

Prize
1.Eoff, Derek$513.00
2.McDowell, Marc$300.00
3.Gibbons, Chris$245.00
4.Kick, Joey$210.00
5.Krueger, Matt$180.00
6.Jackson, Chris$130.00
7.Kimpel, Herb$125.00
8.Taliaferro, Shaun$115.00
9.Prein, Jeff$110.00
10.Pollentier, Chris$105.00
11.Weiss, Justin$100.00