Lefty sets mark: Kilpatrick snaps these 2 records in Times-News Open bowling semifinals
There was no doubt about it: Killian Kilpatrick owned this year’s Times-News Open qualifier.
Not only did Kilpatrick, a two-handed lefty, easily capture the qualifying championship, he did it in record-setting fashion, bowling 4,106 to shatter the previous qualifying record of 4,087 set by his good friend and fellow two-handed bowler Hayden Stippich in 2019.
In addition, Kilpatrick charted a total pinfall of 1,614 in Saturday’s 36-bowler, six-game semifinals at Greengarden Lanes, an eye-popping average of 269, to break the previous six-game record of 1,597 owned jointly by Stippich (2019) and Mike Machuga (2020).
Kilpatrick bowled at least 254 in all six games on Saturday, with a high game of 290, to end up finishing a whopping 446 pins ahead of runner-up Machuga (3,660) in the qualifier. His 446-pin winning margin broke the qualifier record of 250, set by Machuga in 2023.
For Kilpatrick, 21, it was his first qualifying championship after being tournament runner-up in 2020, ’21 and ’22, and finishing third in 2019.
“Hayden and I were talking about the record a couple of weeks ago, and he said if anybody is going to break it, it would be me,” Kilpatrick said. “So it was pretty cool coming into today knowing that I had a shot at it, and then doing it.”
Chasing Kilpatrick
“I don’t think anybody was beating Killian today, not even the tour players if they were here,” Machuga said. “That was phenomenal bowling.”
After the semifinals, things start all over again in next weekend’s 16-bowler, 16-game match-play finals, something Kilpatrick is well aware of, and who knows that everybody will be aiming for him.
“It’s cool coming in as qualifying champion, but I’m now tied with 15 others and I’ve got to keep doing what I’m doing,” he said.
Machuga, who has won the T-N Open five times and made quite a rush to finish second in the qualifier, said that it will be a daunting task beating Kilpatrick.
“I’m just glad that we start at zero in the finals, or I’d have a long way to catch up,” Machuga said.
Kilpatrick bowled 2,492 in the tournament’s first two rounds at Eastway Lanes last weekend, and had an 81-pin lead over the field heading into the semifinals. Just once did he have a game below 210 in the entire 16 games, 190 in Game 9.
“He put the throttle down last weekend and never looked up,” Machuga said.
'Happy to be in the top 16'
Jeff Prue, at 3,645, finished the qualifier in third place, rising from fifth after the first two rounds.
“I feel my game was pretty solid, and I stayed consistent,” said Prue, 34, who will be in his fourth finals. “I’m always happy to be in the top 16, and to be bowling with these guys (the finalists) is always a privilege.”
Following Prue in fourth place was Ned Bent, at 3,634. Bent, who will be appearing in his third finals, credited Machuga with helping him get there.
“I talked to Mike before the tournament and he recommended I use a ball that he thought would be good for me at Eastway, a Storm Summit ball, which is a strong symmetrical ball, and he was spot on,” Bent, 63, said. “I’m older now, and my back hurts from jumping up after getting a strike."
The No. 5 qualifier was Tyler Barnes (3,622), followed by Nick Kightlinger (3,614). Barnes is a second-time finalist, while Kightlinger will be in his sixth finals, including fourth in the past five years. Barnes and Kightlinger each bowled over 200 in all six of their games in the semifinals.
T.J. Mitchell, 32, the tournament’s 2018 champion, finished seventh at 3,600. Rounding out the top 10 are Garrett Clark (3,589), Paul Marnella (3,574) and Matt Ballard (3,534). Marnella will be in his seventh finals, while Clark and Ballard are first-time finalists.
Clark’s father, Beaver Clark, a veteran of 39 Times-News Opens, was the 2009 qualifying champion. Garrett, 21, has been watching his father in the T-N Open since a young boy, and now it’s the son's turn.
“He pretty much taught me everything he knows,” Garrett Clark said. “He was watching me from the back, and he was helping me out with the transitioning of the lanes and things. I’ve been watching him and all these guys when I was coming up, and I said I wanted to be in their shoes someday, and now I am. But there’s still work to be done.”
Also making the finals
Other finalists are Matt Hinterberger (11th, 3,528), Kurt Cohick (12th, 3,523), Chris Jannazzo (13th, 3,517), first-time finalist Brandon Jenkins (14th, 3,513), Dan Francis (15th, 3,510) and Dave Warren (16th, 3,500).
Fifteen-year-old youth bowler Taylor Kretz finished with a strong tournament performance in 25th place out of 179 bowlers, with a total of 3,441, and 16-game average of 215.
The finals take place at Eastland Bowl on Saturday and Rolling Meadow Lanes on Sunday, both days at noon. Thirty bonus pins are awarded for a match-play win.
Semifinals results
Results after the semifinals for the 61st annual Times-News Open at Greengarden Lanes:
Note: The top 16 advance to 16-game match-play finals at Eastland Bowl on Saturday and Rolling Meadow Lanes on Sunday, noon both days. All bowlers' scores start anew in the finals.
*1. Killian Kilpatrick **4,106
2. Mike Machuga 3,660
3. Jeff Prue 3,645
4. Ned Bent 3,634
5. Tyler Barnes 3,622
6. Nick Kightlinger 3,614
7. T.J. Mitchell 3,600
8. Garrett Clark 3,589
9. Paul Marnella 3,574
10. Matt Ballard 3,534
11. Matt Hinterberger 3,528
12. Kurt Cohick 3,523
13. Chris Jannazzo 3,517
14. Brandon Jenkins 3,513
15. Daniel Francis 3,510
16. David Warren 3,500
*Qualifying champion
**Times-News Open record
For complete results and game-by-game breakdown visit tnopen.org.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Times-News Open bowling: Killian Kilpatrick sets records in semifinals
