MONACELLI WINS PBA50 CLASSIC

Monacelli Wins PBA50 Northern California Classic

For Eighth Career PBA50 Tour Title

Hall of Famer defeats Hugh Miller 229-198 in championship match for first title of the season

BRENTWOOD, Calif. (May 31, 2017) – Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli kept his focus after a split and open in the seventh frame of the championship match to win the PBA50 Northern California Classic presented by MOTIV Wednesday for his eighth career PBA50 Tour title.

The 55-year-old Monacelli won his first title of the season by beating stepladder finals top qualifier Hugh Miller of Mercer Island, Wash., 229-198, at Harvest Park Bowl.

“It was a good test because I didn’t let bother me,” said Monacelli, who left the 6-7 split in the seventh frame. “I let it go real quick and kept myself pumped up. I had the lead at that point but I was able to recover and did what I needed to do in the last three frames to win.”

Miller, who was trying for his fourth PBA50 Tour title, rocketed to the tournament lead when he rolled back-to-back 300 games in the first two games of the final match play round and posted a 6-0 record. He was still in contention in the title match until he also left a split (4-6) in the seventh frame and was unable to challenge Monacelli after that.

Monacelli, who won the 2015 Northern California Classic, advanced to the title match by defeating Brian Kretzer of Dayton, Ohio, in the semi-final 9-6 in a one-ball roll-off after tying 233-233.

The second match was a strike-fest with Monacelli defeating Chris Warren of Grants Pass, Ore., 296-280. Monacelli and Warren set a new mark for highest scoring match in a PBA50 Tour championship round eclipsing the previous high scoring match set by tournament winner John Hricsina who defeated Mike Durbin 276-267 in the 1998 Vermont PBA Senior Classic. Monacelli’s bid for a 300 fell short when he left the 1-2-8-10 washout on the final shot of the 10th frame.

“Even after all the years I’ve been bowling professionally, I’m still learning,” said Monacelli, who also owns 20 PBA Tour titles. “Everything changes so quickly and it’s a challenge to keep up with those changes. That’s why I work so hard on both my mental and physical game.”

In the opening stepladder match, Warren beat two-time PBA50 Player of the Year Ron Mohr of Las Vegas, 245-213. Warren, a four-time PBA Tour winner was trying for his first PBA50 Tour title and Mohr was trying for his ninth PBA50 Tour win.

The PBA50 Tour travels to Las Vegas for the USBC Super Senior Classic, for players 60 and over, at Sam’s Town which begins with qualifying on June 2 and concludes with the stepladder finals on June 4 at 11 a.m. PT. Following the Super Senior Classic will be the USBC Senior Masters, the season’s second major, which begins with qualifying on June 6 and concludes with the stepladder finals on June 11 at 10 a.m.

After the Senior Masters, the PBA50 Tour moves across town to the Suncoast Bowling Center for the Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by Storm, the season’s final major, which begins with qualifying on June 12 and concludes June 16 with the stepladder finals scheduled for 4 p.m.

PBA50 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CLASSIC

Presented by MOTIV

Harvest Park Bowl, Brentwood, Calif., Wednesday

Final Standings

1, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, $8,000.

2, Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., $4,500.

3, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, $2,500.

4, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., $2,000.

5, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, $1,750.

Stepladder Results

Match One – Warren def. Mohr, 245-213.

Match Two – Monacelli def. Warren, 296-280.

Semi-final Match – Monacelli def. Kretzer, 233-233 (Monacelli won one-ball roll-off, 9-6).

Championship – Monacelli def. Miller, 229-198.

Match Play Round 2 (after six games, including match play record and bonus pins. Top five advanced to stepladder finals)

1, ss-Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., 6-0, 1,701.
2, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 4-2 1,555.
3, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2-3-1, 1,530.
4, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 4-2, 1,504.
5, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 3-3, 1,481.
6, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 4-2, 1,458, $1,500.
7, Brian Cooper, Henderson, Nev., 4-2, 1,453, $1,600.
8, Andrew Frawley, Australia, 3-3, 1,442, $1,500.
9, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 3-3, 1,441, $1,400.
10, ss-Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 3-3, 1,439, $1,300.
11, Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., 3-3, 1,370, $1,300.
12, Dennis Horan Jr., Oakley, Calif., 3-3, 1,364, $1,300.
13, ss-Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1-4-1, 1,341, $1,300.
14, Joe Goldstein Sr., San Bruno, Calif., 1-5, 1,325, $1,300.
15, Mike Keough, Stockton, Calif., 2-4, 1,226, $1,300.
16, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 1-5, 1,216, $1,300.

Match Play Round 1

(after five games including match play record and bonus pins)

17, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 3-2, 1,189, $1,150.
18, ss-Warren Nelson, Hemet, Calif., 3-2, 1,171, $1,150.
19, Rob Rice, Sunnyside, Wash., 1-4, 1,157, $1,150.
20, ss-Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 3-2, 1,152, $1,150.
21, ss-Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 2-2-1, 1,143, $1,150.
22, Scott Hansel, Stockton, Calif., 0-5, 1,014, $1,150.
23, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 1-4, 972, $1,150.
24, ss-Willie Wells, Arlington, Texas, 1-4, 936, $1,150.

Other Cashers (after five-game cashers’ round)

25, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 1,081, $1,000.
26, Joe Goldstein Sr., San Bruno, Calif., 1,045, $1,000.
27, ss-n-Paul Appling, Camarillo, Calif., 1,037, $1,000.
28, ss-Ty Dawson, Sunnyvale, Calif., 1,030, $1,000.
29, n-Scott Luba, Dublin, Calif., 1,014, $1,000.
30, ss-Steven Jansson, Barnes, Wis., 1,013, $1,000.
31, ss-Eddie Katz, Lakewood, Calif., 992, $1,000.
32, ss-Nick Morgan, Sacramento, Calif., 987, $1,000.
33, Noel Vazquez, Sacramento, Calif., 980, $1,000.
34, ss-Tom Carter, Columbus, Ohio, 969, $1,000.
35, ss-John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 949, $1,000.
36, ss-Dale Eagle, Twin Falls, Idaho, 935, $1,000.
37 ss-Skip Pavone, San Jose, Calif., 918, $1,000.
38 ss-Jim Hageman, San Jose, Calif, 863, $1,000.

300 games - Hugh Miller (2)

ss-PBA60 players ages 60 and over; n-non-member