2017-18

Derek Eoff

Five

The inaugural Madison Area USBC Masters was held on February 3, 2018, at Bowl-A-Vard Lanes – host of the Madison Area Open Championships. This year, 35 bowlers competed.

Derek Eoff defended his tournament title with a 279-221 win over Danny Verdecchia in the championship match. Eoff earned $415.00, two tickets to the Madison Area Hall of Fame Dinner, one ticket to the Dinner with the Champions, and the crystal trophy.

The cut to make the stepladder finals (top 5) on the Madison Area Open Championships pattern was +222 over six games, and the cut to cash was +205. Three honor scores were shot on the day. Eoff had 815 for his first three, and Danny Verdecchia shot 802 with a 300 for his final three games.

Facebook Live victims included Eoff with a 289 opening game, Matt Krueger with 289 in Game 2, and Chris Jackson, 289 in Game 4.

So sorry.

Qualifying

The field had no trouble on the condition the first game, averaging 222.89 with +47 as the last cash number and +67 the fifth stepladder spot. Eoff led with his 289, followed by Matt Krueger (278), Danny Verdecchia (268), Rick Erce (268), and Austin Powers (267).

Eoff (569) “managed” to stay in first through two games with a 280, holding off Krueger (567) who shot 289. Dan Lockman (504) jumped into third. Gail Myers (501) was fourth and Joe Johnson (486) moved into fifth. The cut to cash moved to +78 and the overall scoring cooled off a bit to 214.57.

After three, the field made some adjustments and averaged 220.83. Eoff (815) held first. Krueger (789) remained in second. The next three were all new to the top five, and all shot 270 games. Cody Roedner (760) was third after a 278, Jay Heinzelman (753) fourth after a 275, and Chris Gibbons (728) fired 277 to round out the top five. The number to cash rose to +121.

Game four was the highest scoring of the tournament as the field averaged 225.60. Eoff’s (1084) lead neared 100 pins following a 269. At this point, he was averaging 271 for the tournament. Roedner (996) moved into second. Krueger (992) dropped to third. Heinzelman (980) held his spot in fourth, and Herb Kimpel (959) took over the fifth spot. The cut to cash was +152.

Game five marked the beginning of a scoring decline, as the field averaged 217.94. Eoff (1298) remained in first. Verdecchia (1227) shot 300 to vault into second place. Gibbons (1208) had 256 to get back into the top five in third place. Krueger (1197) was in fourth and Heinzelman (1195) in fifth. the cash cut was +185. There were five players within 22 pins of the top five.

Scoring “plummeted” in game six as the field averaged just 210.74. Eoff (1546) completed his wire to wire domination. Verdecchia (1494) finishied off his 800 series to qualify second. Roedner (1454) fired a 269 to leapfrog from sixth to third. Heinzelman (1430) moved up to fourth, and Jeff Richgels (1422) made his first appearance in the top five, moving up from ninth with a 247 final game to take the last stepladder spot.

Overall, the tournament field averaged 218.66, up significantly from last year’s field average of 200.07.

Qualifying

2017-18 Masters Qualifying

123456Total
1Eoff, Derek2892802462692142481546
2Verdecchia, Danny2682092152353002671494
3Roedner, Cody2352472782361892691454
4Heinzelman, Jay2272512752272152351430
5Richgels, Jeff2272332362222572471422
6Krueger, Matt2782892222032052141411
7Myers, Gail2332682072482202291405
8Kimpel, Herb2092672452382262111396
9Gibbons, Chris2162352772242561751383
10Newkirk, Mark2261912162692032771382
11Erce, Rick2681852162182392471373
12Powers, Austin2671982462231732591366
13Taliaferro, Shaun2042532652252042141365
14Dunn, Terry1962472492372441811354
15Habich, Trevor2252362272012472061342
16Lockman, Dan2462582052142042071334
17Gibney, Casey2271782222452562021330
18Pezoldt, Nick2052222032461932451314
19Hamen, Matt2121912682452141841314
20Johnson, Joe2472392252002151861312
21Prein, Jeff2141932442262242101311
22Hamilton, Rob2272131882162362221302
23Ritchie, Brent2492222251742262011297
24Jackson, Chris2121921702892371901290
25Truehl, Rollie1952022152371842221255
26Krueger, Jeremy2091811952461972221250
27Mansur, Mark2041502132012342031205
28Green, Zack2091992002211961751200
29Mitchell, Shawn1782042062101962041198
30Thompson, JoDon2361802022302041461198
31Holzbauer, Bob1911712062222441311165
32Swenson, Dan2052031772171801771159
33Seppa, Dan1881472142032042031159
34Dunn, TJ2081801592112191681145
35Johnson, Darin1701941691641681931058

Stepladder Finals

Match 1: #5 Richgels 237 def. #4 Heinzelman 222

Match 2: #5 Richgels 235 def. #3 Roedner 215

Match 3: #2 Verdecchia 258 def. #5 Richgels 237

Match 4: #1 Eoff 279 def. #2 Verdecchia 221

Prize List

2017-18 Masters Prize List

Prize
1Eoff, Derek$415.00
2Verdecchia, Danny$210.00
3Richgels, Jeff$175.00
4Roedner, Cody$150.00
5Heinzelman, Jay$125.00
6Krueger, Matt$85.00
7Myers, Gail$75.00