RP keglers rule TCBA tiff

National team members Joonie Gatchalian, CJ Suarez and Irene Benitez and upcoming Paolo Roman captured two titles each Friday night in the 11th TCBA (The City Bowlers Association) Open Championships at the SM Bowling Center in SM City Annex Building, North EDSA, Quezon City.

Gatchalian rolled 2241 and 976 pinfalls to rule the Class O men’s all events and singles in the nine-day kegfest which ended today and sponsored by Boysen Paints, Citibank, Integrity Lending Investment, Centennial Shell, Rodiam Commodities, JV Buan Construction, Good Deal Resort and Pavilion, Eagle Iron Works, Congressman Ismael "Chuck" Mathay III and Marvin’s Bar.

Garry Custodio, Gatchalian’s teammate at TBAM, placed second in the singles with 970 and PBAP’s Benny Dytoc came in third with 952 in the tournament also supported by Paramount Insurance Corporation, Rainforest Mineral Water, Florado Trucking, Incorporated, Cathay Industrial Corporation, Aqua Cool, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation Kaloocan, La Sizzling Café, Citibeds, U & I, Viking and Lions Bowling Club, Philippine Bowling Congress (PBC) treasurer Nilo Penado, TCBA president Sonny Fabito, Jhake Santos, Rod Diamante and Boy Boy Cruz.

Art Oberio of the host bowling association was second in the all events with 2248 and Custodio third with 2223.

Suarez, in a team-up with fellow RP bowler Chester King carrying PBAP-Bowlmart, beat Duane Camacho and Botchok Rey of Bowlmart, 1361-1338 in the Class O men’s doubles. Unattached duo of RJ Bautista and Dytoc with 1318 finished third. The trio of Suarez, Bautista and Dytoc later combined 2007 pinfalls to carry RCB for the Class O men’s team title over TBAM-Prima’s JC Tupaz/Jeffrey Co/Custodio (1897) and Biboy Rivera/Tyrone Ongpauco/Gene Tonolete (1875).

Benitez defeated SLETBA teammate Jojo Canare in the Class O ladies all events, 2237-2146. Ces Yap came in third with 2098. SLETBA-Youngstown composed of Benitez, Canare and Ellen Ramos also took the Class O ladies team crown following their 1885 efforts, while PBAP-Bowlmart’s Liza del Rosario/Liza Clutario/Yap (1799) and TBAM-Prima’s Trixie de Luna/Menchu Bautista/Cheche Abrantes (1756) finished second and third, respectively.

In matching the feats of the three RP bowlers, Roman, a junior kegler, took the top honors in the Class B men’s singles over BA teammates Pros Russel and Rudy Dimaculangan and in the all events over TBAM’s Ting Sapnit and Bennieson Co of MTBA.

Other winners were Rod Tan (Class A men’s all events), Diego Candano and Jeremy Chiu (Class A men’s doubles), Yap (Class O ladies singles), Amielyn Sisperes of SLETBA (Class A ladies singles), Wilson Hernandez of TCBA (Class A men’s singles) among others.