Locals earn top 10 finishes at Championship tourney

Bowl America Burke and Bowl America Chantilly were the two bowling centers that hosted the 64th Annual Championship Tournament sponsored by the Nation's Capital Area United States Bowling Congress Association, otherwise known as the NCAUSBCA.

Traditionally, many bowlers from Prince William County bowl in this event along with thousands of others from neighboring cities and counties. This is one of the Association's showcase tournaments for its league bowlers in Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The tournament, which is certified by the USBC, was bowled over the three consecutive week-ends this spring.

Bowlers from Prince William County made a good showing in the tournament. Although there were no first-place winners, several individuals and teams finished in the top ten in their respec-tive categories.

Team Handicap

Aurors Bowlealis, Dale City, 5th place.

Gamma Cephei, Dale City, 6th place

Unobtainium, Dale City, 8th place

Sand Baggin Dogs, Woodbridge, 9th place

Doubles Handicap

Ricky R. Staton Sr. & James E. Carroll, Woodbridge, 4th place

Doubles Scratch

Howard A. Hiob & Philip Hiob, Woodbridge, 5th place

Charles A. Campbell & Mark Glover, Woodbridge, 6th place

Singles Handicap

Nasr Al-Sakran, Dale City, 8th place

Singles Scratch

Ervin M. Raines, Manassas, 4th place

James L. Ramge, Woodbridge, 5th place

All Events Handicap

John Arnett, Dale City, 7th place

Robert A. Ransom, Centreville, 8th place

All Events Scratch

Mark Glover, Woodbridge, 3rd place

Pro Watch -- Joe Ciccone wins BWAA's bowler of the month honors

Joe Ciccone of Buffalo, N.Y., has been named the Bowling Writers Association of Amer-ica's Kegel Bowler of the Month for May. Ciccone, who lost his Exemption on the PBA Tour, reclaimed an exemption to bowl on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour for the 2009-10 season by leading the PBA Tour Trials in Allen Park, Mich.

The 2000 PBA Rookie of the Year averaged 214 during the five-day, 45-game test on five differ-ent PBA conditions. Immediately prior to the tour trials, Ciccone won the PBA Regional Players Championship, also at Thunderbowl Lanes, earning a berth in the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions.

The other nominee garnering significant votes was Johnny Petraglia, who broke four PBA Senior Tour scoring records on his way to winning the PBA Senior Sun Bowl in The Villages, Fla.

Pro Watch -- Mark Roth suffers stroke

Mark Roth, one of the most beloved pro bowlers in history and recently ranked No. 5 on a list of the Professional Bowlers Association's 50 greatest players in the organization's first 50 years, has suffered a stroke which has left him partially paralyzed on his left side. Roth, 58, was admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y. earlier this month.

His wife Denise said, "He's brighter today, his (left) leg is showing a little improve-ment. He told me he's going to walk again and I believe him. He has the will power to do it."

Roth will be transferred to a rehabilitation facility in the Syracuse area where he will begin a lengthy recovery process.

Roth, who owns 34 PBA Tour titles and a pair of Senior Tour titles, is widely considered the player who introduced the "power game" to bowling. The Fulton, N.Y. resident was inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame on May 1 in Reno, Nev.

Gil Sanchez, a member of the Bowling Writers Association of America, is a freelance bowling writer for the News & Messenger. Reach him at 703-587-6792 or at gsan-chez@insidenova.com.