Mojares, Vangie Lim champs in OFBC High Roller Eliminator event
JEDDAH: Just before the year ends and ahead of the Friday afternoon league, the OFBC (Overseas Filipino Bowlers Club) got its members together last Friday for the High Roller Eliminator bowlfest at Iceland bowling lanes.
Emerging champions were Dan Mojares in the men’s division and Vangie Lim in the ladies division.
The event followed the recent OFBC 4th Anniversary Tournament, and was aimed at enhancing camaraderie and sportsmanship among the players. On Jan. 6 the OFBC will start its Friday afternoon league to kick off its activities for 2017.
Under the format, the top 12 in the men’s division and top six in the distaff side advance to the eliminator round where the top six and top four, after matchups over two games handicap series between the odd and even numbered qualifiers, move on to the semifinals. In the men’s semifinals No. 1 plays No. 6, No. 2 against No. 5 and No. 3 against No. 4, while the women’s semis pit No. 1 against No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3. Winners then dispute the title in stepladder fashion.
On his way to the title beginning bowler Mojares topped the threegames qualifying round on 600 including 24 per game handicap, leading the odd numbered squad into the eliminator round where he ranked third after a further two games on 365 behind Rudy Valenzuela 392 and Conrad Baltazar 388. Rounding out the top six were Cesar Sacramed 350, Ed Cordoba 337 and Toto Lim 333.
The men’s semifinals went according to form, Valenzuela beating Lim 316-293, Baltazar eliminating Cordoba 377-327 and Mojares ousting Sacramed 427-343.
In the first match of the stepladder and championship rounds, Mojares won by 215-207 against Baltazar, who wasted a 10-pin lead on the 8th frame after failing to convert an easy spare on the 9th frame. The victory enabled Mojares to challenge waiting top finalist Valenzuela for the title in a big match between Class D bowlers.
When the dust settled, Mojares was the winner with Valenzuela, needing only a mark on the 10th frame to win, faced a 6-10 split and was unable to spare. The score was 179-174 to Mojares.
After finishing at fourth position out of the top six following the three qualifying games, Vangie won four matches en route to the ladies crown.
The eliminator round to pick the four semifinalists had Vangie making it as the No. 2 on 316 with Sacramed No. 1 on 341. Delia Javing and Mildred Tolentino were third and fourth on 301 and 298.
In the semifinals, Tolentino and Lim won against Sacramed 334-327 and Javing 316-307 to set up their championship match. Breaks decided the semis outcome. Sacramed missed easy spare on the 9th and 10th frames while Javing had a chance to advance but then missed three consecutive easy spares from the 8th frame.
In a battle of Class C players, Vangie beat Florentino 167-159. To have any chance Florentino needed two strikes and four pins but could only manage spare plus 5 pins on the 10th frame.
The champions in both divisions each received trophy plus cash prize while runners-up took home cash prizes in the one-day fun tournament organized by Commissioner Joel Nidoy with the OFBC officers.