Sunday, April 24, 2011
Staff report
AUSTINTOWN
Morgan Alden of Warren and Corey Bayus of Struthers won the inaugural Youngstown Youth Masters Tournament recently at Wedgewood Lanes.
Alden and Bayus were among 15 girls and 13 boys who competed.
After eight games of match play, the top four bowlers had roll-offs.
Other female finalists were: Marissa Simon, Brittany Ferrara, Melissa Wasser, Samantha Dudley, Kaitlyn Viglio, Alana Hall and Amanda Wess.
In the first stepladder match, Ferrara beat Wasser, 186-155, and Ferrara then defeated Simon, 178-168. The championship match came down to the 10th frame before Alden held off a charging Ferrara, 177-163, to take the crown. The girls final round was bowled on a 35-foot sport shot.
In the boys finals, joining Bayus for the final round were: Patrick Stevenson, Andrew Letscher, Vince Viglio, Kyle Condrick, Patrick Celli, Michael Wilfong, and Thomas Harcarik.
In the first stepladder match, Viglio beat Letscher, 164-153, then he defeated Stevenson, 173-164, to advance to the championship match. Bayus bowled the highest game of the stepladder matches to win the title, 202-183. The boys’ finals were bowled on a 40-foot sport shot.
Alden and Bayus will be honored at the youth awards banquet on May 22 at Mahoning Country Club. In addition to winning the tournament, Bayus also won a paid entry into the Junior Gold Championships that will be in Las Vegas, July 9-15. Since Alden already qualified for the Junior Gold Championships, tournament runner-up Brittany Ferrara received the paid girls entry to the Junior Gold Championship.