Two-time defending champions, Ray's
Lanes, entered the 12th annual IAA World Team Challenge tournament as one of three
prohibitive favorites to capture the $1,000 first prize. "Not being labeled as THE
favorite, upset us a little", noted the events most decorated champion John Riffle,
"We were not going to go down without a fight." And, that they didn't. After
qualifying as the fourth seed during the regular bowling segment behind top-seeded and
always surprising Green Machine, the upstart Northwest Indiana quintet, and veteran laden
Kofoids Pro Shop, the champions regrouped and moved into the third and final stepladder
position following the seven rounds of Baker match play. With one of the event's most
prolific final three (the three tournament favorites and owners of the past six tournament
titles) , the 2-game stepladder finals proved to be one of the best.
The opening match featured Ray's Lanes (John Riffle, Mark Millsap, Don
Draia, Jay Bridges, and Steve Kinder) taking on second-seeded and two time champion
Kofoid's Pro Shop (Mark Kofoid, Bob Kammer Jr, Wil Rivera, Gary Younkers, and Rick
Woloszyn). Ray's jumped out to an early lead and never let loose, as they emerged with a
456 - 420 victory, setting up the title match with top seeded Olympia Lanes (Mike Kozy,
Mike Kubacki, Glen Leblanc, Bengie Garrison, and Dave Bohlin). Olympia, the 2003
champions, jumped out to what appeared to be an insurmountable 40-pin lead on the strength
of a 234 opening game anchored by Kubacki's three 10th frame strikes. However, Olympia had
to finish the match on the difficult conditions of Lane 11, while Ray's switched to the
higher scoring conditions of Lane 12. Olympia leadoff man Mike Kozy set the tone with an
open first frame, which snowballed into several more opens and missed opportunities and
ultimately a mediocre 174 total. Meanwhile, Ray's was striking at will, finishing with a
flurry of seven consecutive strikes and a 244 total, giving the defending champs their
third consecutive title, and fourth in five years, with a 438 - 408 victory.
Tournament
conditions were more favorable than in the past as scores soared during qualifying. Chad
Swierc's 763 led a field of 80 bowlers, of which a record five bowlers surpassed the 700
series mark, including Gary Purcell (752), Bengie Garrison (736), Brian Ginter (725), and
Bob Kammer Jr (716). Rounding out the top ten were Jay Bridges (696), Steve Millsap (687),
Steve Kinder (685), Mike Kraushaar (679), and Dave Bohlin (678). High Games were recorded
by Kraushaar (290), Swierc (288), and Purcell (279). The tournament's high team game was
rolled by 3-time champions Inland Athletic (Bill Pitchford, Mike Kraushaar, Jeff Snuffer,
Jerry Michalak, Scott Hansen) with a 1,189. The 1,189 set a new tournament standard,
replacing Plaza Lanes Pro Shop's 1,185 rolled in 1999.
The event featured 16 of northwest Indiana's top teams. Following a
3-game segment of regular bowling, the field was separated into two 8-team pools, the top
8 forming the Championship Pool and the bottom 8 comprising the second chance pool, with
all pinball from qualifying being dropped. The top three teams in each pool then qualified
for their pool's respective stepladder final championship round.
The second chance pool was won by The Dirty Five, the overall 2005
tournament runners-up, in a runaway match against Rik Podkul's always dangerous I/N Tek
squad. Team members of the Dirty Five were Tim Croy, Al Dobolrowski, Bob Hoernig, James
Gutterriz, and Mike Skrondski. I/N Tek advanced to the stepladder finals by holding onto
the third and final spot from a charging Kofoids "Babes", the only all ladies
entry, during the seventh and final baker match. I/N Tek then defeated Hebron IAA in the
first stepladder match 408-366, setting up the finals.
Ray's Lanes collected $1,000 while Olympia Lanes ($400), Kofoids Pro
Shop ($400), Dirty Five ($300), I/N Tek ($300) were other cashers. The Green Machine
collected $150 as the tournament's top qualfier.
The event was held at Hebron lanes December 11, 2005.
