Guerrieri wins GYBA Masters; Canfield’s Bossone takes third

The event attracted bowlers from Pennsylvania.

YOUNGSTOWN — The top 12 finishers took home a prize fund of more than $2,800 following the Greater Youngstown Bowling Association’s 22nd Masters tournament.

Dan Guerrieri won the event against 39 other contestants. Jen Petrick of Canton was runner-up followed by J.D. Bossone of Canfeld and Joe Hostetler of Minerva.

For the first time, the Youngstown Masters was open to USBC members outside the Youngstown area. Entries were received from Warren; Hermitage, Pa.; Pittsburgh; Grove City, Pa.; East Palestine; and Wooster.

“With the positive response from the tournament bowlers with the changes made this year,” GYBA president Jack Kechler said, “We are going to work to make the Masters bigger and better next year.”

Due to demanding lane conditions, only seven bowlers were able to average 200 for the initial 15 games.

Five games were bowled at Bell-Wick, five at Boardman Lanes and five more at Mahoning Valley Lanes.

Petrick held the lead after the initial five, Bossone was the 10-game leader and Girard’s Adam Barta was the top qualifier after 15.

The 12 advancing to the final day were: Barta; Bossone; Joe Bailey of Pittsburgh; Petrick; Youngstown’s Guerrieri, Joe Nuzzo and Bob Eckenrode; Jim Dodge of Poland; Warren’s John Harcarik; Hostetler; Robert Harvischak of Campbell ;and Mark Guthridge of Boardman.

Of the first six games bowled during the finals at Kay Lanes, Petrick led entering the stepladder portion.

Guerrieri defeated Hostetler, 210-179, before beating Bossone, 205-190 to advance to the championship match. The final game wasn’t decided until Guerrieri threw strikes in the ninth and 10th frames to top Petrick, 169-145.

Bailey had high game of 275 and high set of 724 during the 15 qualifying games.