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David Williams Jr. got his first PBA card in 1990. He eventually relinquished it due to family commitments.
In 2011, the Omaha, Neb., resident won his first PBA regional tournament in an event at Chillicothe, Mo. It was an achievement that would have been his ticket to the PBA Tournament of Champions.
Except he didn’t have a PBA card anymore. So he was ineligible.
His next move?
“I went and got my card back right after that tournament,” Williams said with a laugh after winning Sunday’s PBA Tony Grigat Allstate Agent Midwest Challenge at Strike ‘N Spare II in Lockport.
Williams defeated Brandon Korczykowski, of East Amherst, N.Y., 254-222 in the championship match.
“I didn’t have anything else going on and decided to come up,” Williams said. “This is one of my favorite patterns, so I thought I had a chance to win.
“It feels good. I bowled for the banner and met a lot of guys and had a lot of fun. It’s a good sport. I just love bowling.”
Williams, who won the $1,500 first-place money, will be eligible to compete in the 2016 PBA Tournament of Champions on Feb. 7 at FireLake Bowling Center in Shawnee, Okla.
Kyle Anderson, of Lockport, was the top Southland bowler in the event, finishing ninth.
Sunday’s tournament drew 38 competitors — none of whom previously had won a PBA National event under professional status.
“This is like a stepping stone for the guys who go out on the tour. This is where they learn how to bowl,” said PBA Midwest Regional manager Rich Weber, whose younger brother Pete and father Dick both are PBA Hall of Famers.
“The conditions we (on the PBA regional tour) bowl on are tougher than house conditions. You’ve got to learn how to move and which balls to go to when the time comes.”
The host for the tournament was Kevin Kullman, the 2013 USBC Chicagoland Male Bowler of the Year.
“Really, it’s a big deal,” Kullman said. “To be able to own a PBA title is something that you’ll have with you forever.
“The PBA used to come here (for regionals) in the early and middle 1990s. Once I got a position working (at Strike ‘N Spare II), and with my (friendship) with Rich we were able to get some sponsorship money. With how great the staff is here at Strike ‘N Spare, the PBA was willing to come back and host this as a PBA-sponsored non-champions event.”
Williams, a school bus driver and a grammar school basketball coach, also is on the Lane Masters bowling equipment staff.
He averaged 218 through seven games of qualifying Sundayand went 5-0 in match play.
Wiliams beat Craig Keith, of Bloomingdale, 2-0 in a best-of-three semifinal series. He and Korczykowski were deadlocked in the title match and had doubles after six frames when Williams left a 2-8 in the seventh and had to settle for a spare.
“I thought for sure he’d probably shoot 270 or 260,” Williams said of Korczykowski. “When I left that I was kind of disappointed.”
Korczykowski, however, had even worse fortune, coming up light on his seventh-frame shot and leaving a 6-9-10. He chopped it, opening the door for Williams to take command. Williams did, throwing four consecutive strikes to win going away.
“When I got up in the seventh I was like, ‘Man, I can really do something good here,'” Korczykowski said. “I don’t think I caught it all and it laid off there a little bit. And then I stupidly left the spare. That left the opening. (Williams), he bowled great.”
For Korczykowski, the chase continues.
“Going to that Tournament of Champions, that’s the main goal here,” he said. “You want to get the (regional) banner and have a chance to see what you can do against the best guys.”
abaranek@ tribpub.com
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SOUTHLAND HONOR ROLL
Men’s High Scores
Carl Johnson, Lan-Oak Lanes 300; Bud Keefner, El-Mark Bowl 300; John Casca Jr., Palos Lanes 300; Jaylen Balfour, Castaways Lanes 300; Aaron Horton, Dolton Bowl 300; Bryan Thompson, Tinley Park Bowl 300; Nick Zarack, Tinley Park Bowl 300; Mark Sexauer, Orland Bowl 300; Richard Zichmiller, Orland Bowl 300; Bruce Wesley, Lakewood Bowl 300; Jeremy Delby, Lynwood Bowl 300; Chad Forlenzo, Orland Bowl 300; Daniel Sands, Orland Bowl 300; George Dennison, Centennial Lanes 299; Leroy Coleman, Castaways Lanes 299; Dan Spurlock Jr., Palos Lanes 299; Doug Sanders, Lynwood Bowl 299; Brett Powers, Tinley Park Bowl 298; Chris Schuch, Oak Forest Bowl 297; A.J. Flores, Lynwood Bowl 297; Jim Seeman, Orland Bowl 297; Terrence Blevins, Burr Oak Bowl 297; Troy Patterson, Tinley Park Bowl 296; Sonny Kimbrough, Bluebird Lanes 296; Jaylen Balfour, Castaways Lanes 289; Scott Chicoine, Orland Bowl 289; Wayne Fuller, Burr Oak Bowl 289; Russ Lyewski, Orland Bowl 289; Joey Petzoldt, Strike ‘N Spare II 289.
Women’s High Scores
Erica Merritt, Burr Oak Bowl 289; Barb Touchie, Centennial Lanes 268; Wendy Chasteen, Tinley Park Bowl 268; Ronnie Hatter, Bluebird Lanes 268; Janet Kulovitz, Palos Lanes 268; Johnelle Daniels, Lakewood Bowl 267; Alexis Smith, Castaways Lanes 267; Lendra Gershon, Palos Lanes 266; Kristen Kozy, Lynwood Bowl 265; Karen Chaput, Palos Lanes 259; Jackie Clayton, Palos Lanes 259; Dawn Malewski, Palos Lanes 258; Morgan Flaherty, Orland Bowl 258; Jennifer Belter, Orland Bowl 257; Nicole Willis, Orland Bowl 257; Danielle Stefanski, Orland Bowl 256; Denise Jackson, Lakewood Bowl 255; Gemise Jackson, Bluebird Lanes 255; Susie Davis, Dolton Bowl 255; Leslie Gillie, Oak Forest Bowl 254; Erica Merritt, Burr Oak Bowl 249; Michelle Bowden-Calhoun, Lakewood Bowl 248; Kristin Nieter, Oak Forest Bowl 248; Cindy Nealy, Lakewood Bowl 247; Lanaya Cain, Tinley Park Bowl 247; Cynthia Lopez, Lynwood Bowl 247; Peggy Schubbe, Tinley Park Bowl 247; Kelly Struck, Orland Bowl 246; Charity Musial, Centennial Lanes 246; Alma Henderson, Burr Oak Bowl 246; Jasmine Dumas, Lakewood Bowl 245; Angie Reed, Tinley Park Bowl 245; Kim Vlcek, Lynwood Bowl 245; Alicia Hale, Crest Hill Lanes 245.
Men’s High Series
Jaylen Balfour, Castaways Lanes 843; Aaron Horton, Dolton Bowl 835; Josh Glover, Lynwood Bowl 827; Chad Forlenzo, Orland Bowl 817; Sonny Kimbrough, Bluebird Lanes 810; Bryan Thompson, Tinley Park Bowl 800; Dan Spurlock Jr., Palos Lanes 792; John Gasca Jr., Oak Forest Bowl 790; Perry Walker, Lakewood Bowl 782; Ari Wilson, Burr Oak Bowl 782; Wayne Fuller, Burr Oak Bowl 780; George Dennison, Centennial Lanes 780; Perry Sibby, Lakewood Bowl 780; Chris Schuch, Orland Bowl 777; Tom Kuba, Oak Forest Bowl 776; John Gasca Jr., Palos Lanes 774; Bob Flaws, Orland Bowl 773; Aaron Horton, Burr Oak Bowl 769; Brett Powers, Tinley Park Bowl 768; Phillip Trotter, Dolton Bowl 765; Jason Wojnar, Centennial Lanes 765; Darren Snuckel, Oak Forest Bowl 764; Troy Patterson, Tinley Park Bowl 762; Christopher Muldrow, Lakewood Bowl 762; Keenan Johnson, Dolton Bowl 761; Tom Heniff, Crest Hill Lanes 761; Raymond Lee, Dolton Bowl 759; Christopher Stewart, Castaways Lanes 758; Jim Seeman, Orland Bowl 755; B.J. Wesley, Lynwood Bowl 755; Brian Markovich, Oak Forest Bowl 754; Luis Alcantar, Oak Forest Bowl 750; Brent McAvoy, Oak Forest Bowl 750; Russ Peterlin, Lan-Oak Lanes 750.
Women’s High Series
Erica Merritt, Burr Oak Bowl 738; Susie Davis, Dolton Bowl 715; Angie Reed, Tinley Park Bowl 706; Barb Touchie, Centennial Lanes 699; Gemise Jackson, Bluebird Lanes 698; Sharon Klepacz, Palos Lanes 693; Kristen Kozy, Lynwood Bowl 692; Alexis Smith, Castaways Lanes 691; Michelle Biniak, Tinley Park Bowl 686; Karen Baker, El-Mark Bowl 686; Charity Musial, Centennial Lanes 683; Natalie McCoy, Lakewood Bowl 675; Denise Leitmeyer, Orland Bowl 670; Kristin Nieter, Oak Forest Bowl 665; Johnelle Daniels, Lakewood Bowl 661; Jennifer Belton, Orland Bowl 660; Renee Poisson, Lakewood Bowl 660; Tuesday Jones, Castaways Lanes 658; Peggy Schubbe, Tinley Park Bowl 657; Kelly Granzow, Tinley Park Bowl 651; Ronnie Hatter, Bluebird Lanes 650; Shellie Batres, Lynwood Bowl 648; Morgan Flaherty, Orland Bowl 647; Kelly Struck, Orland Bowl 647; Arneda Yarbrough, Dolton Bowl 647; Denise Driscoll, Tinley Park Bowl 645; Nicole Willis, Orland Bowl 640.