Champion Joe Novara
November 21, 2010
East Islip, NY: The LIGBT visited East Islip Lanes for a 2 squad handicap tournament and a 5 game scratch marathon. The tournament attracted a great crowd of 110 entries including many new members. Even though the LIGBT has run over 30 events in its first two plus seasons we are still crowning first time champions at each tournament.
The first time winners at East Islip were scratch champion Joe Novara of E. Patchogue, NY who earned $1,000 and Chris Jove of Port Jefferson, NY who won $500 for winning the handicap event. The event was bowled on a house shot which produced the highest scores in LIGBT history. Normally the LIGBT puts down a PBA condition or uses one of the Kegel Challenge Series Patterns.
The scratch event started off with a bang as two 300 games and a 298 set the scoring pace. The top two bowlers in the 49 & under division and the top senior were guaranteed in the final shootout. Joe Novara, who averaged 267 and John Rizzi of South Huntington, NY (266 average) were the two 49 & under leaders. The high senior bowler was Frank Spano, Brentwood, NY who averaged 252, including a 300 game. It took a 258 average to make the finals in the 49 & under division and a 251 average in the senior division.
To fill the fourth spot in the scratch shootout a 1 game finals was bowled by all the non-seeded finalists. Mike Dioguardo of Patchogue, NY rolled a 290 to advance as he defeated Brian Ziesig, Levittown, NY by 2 pins. Brian shot 288 with a blow out 7-10 on his fill ball. The shootout was exciting as Joe Novara held a 10 pin lead in the 9th frame and struck out to shoot 268 to win the title. Finishing second was John Rizzi ($750) with a 253, third went to Frank Spano ($550) with a 245 and finishing fourth was Mike Dioguardo (210) who earned $400.
The handicap event also enjoyed big scores. Leading the first squad was your eventual winner, Chris Jove. Chris was seeded directly into the last match of the finals by leading the first squad with an 857 series (740 scratch.) The second squad leader was Leo Lombardi of West Babylon, NY. Leo shot an incredible 893 series (758 scratch) to earn 1 bye in the finals. It took a 769 to make the finals in the first squad and a 769 in the second squad.
The handicap shootout was exciting and Champion Chris Jove took control immediately with a triple. Except for an open frame in the fourth Chris struck in every frame to shoot a 265 scratch game (304 with handicap). Finishing second and earning $300 was Jim Walsh, Glen Cove, NY with a 252 (221 scratch). Third place went to Tom Strother ($250), Medford, NY with a 243 (215 scratch) and fourth went to Eddie Shacalo, Brooklyn, NY ($200) who rolled a 231 (168 scratch).
The LIGBT’s next event is our Thanksgiving Weekend Major at AMF Babylon. The 2-day event begins on Saturday, November 27
th with 2 squads (4pm & 6pm) and will finish up on Sunday with 2 more squads and the finals (noon & 2pm.) For more information on future LIGBT events and complete results of the East Islip tournament please visit
www.ligbtour.com or call the tournament office at 1.877.900.6464.