Smith earns fourth PWBA Regional Tour title in Pennsylvania
March 29, 2026
Final Standings
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Kerry Smith of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, won her fourth Professional Women’s Bowling Association Regional Tour title Saturday at the PWBA Eastern Pennsylvania Regional, defeating Maya Avilez of Manalapan, New Jersey, in the title match, 259-217.
Smith earned the top seed in the stepladder finals after a high-scoring qualifying round at Steel City Bowl and Brews, where she averaged nearly 238 during the eight-game qualifying block. She waited to see who her opponent would be, and it was Avilez, making her first PWBA stepladder finals as the fourth and final seed, who climbed her way up the ladder to face Smith for the title.
Avilez led the first four games of qualifying before Smith took over in the final four games, so it was only fitting that the only two players to lead throughout the day were the ones bowling for the title.
Neither competitor was able to pull away early in the title match with Smith ahead by just one pin halfway through the game. Avilez doubled in the sixth and seventh frames to keep up with Smith, who had her own double in response.
In the eighth frame, Avilez’s first ball went high flush and left a 4 pin, which she converted before striking in the ninth frame. Smith threw yet another strike heading into the final frame, where she needed at least a nine count and spare to close out the match. Just like the previous four shots, Smith posted her fifth straight strike to win and closed out the match with seven strikes in a row.
Smith earned the title, trophy, $2,600 top prize and an automatic berth into match play at the PWBA Regional Showdown in December. Avilez pocketed $1,300 for her runner-up finish.
“It’s amazing,” Smith said when asked about what it’s like to win her fourth title on the Regional Tour. “We came into qualifying with a game plan of playing to the right, and, you know, let’s just stay there as long as we can. Instead of trying to move left, because I am a straighter and more speed-dominant player, we kind of did it with bowling balls – ball up, ball down, that kind of thing.”
She noted that during Game 6, the lanes transitioned quickly.
“I had just shot 270 and went to the next pair, and I was like, ‘Whoa,’” she said. “It wasn’t a subtle transition, it was kind of just there for everybody and the fronts were gone.”
She managed a 192 during Game 6 before heading over to her pair for Game 7, a pair that promptly broke down.
“We had to go to the breakdown pair, which was a fresh pair, so now we have to change the mindset again,” Smith said. “So it’s a little bit of a roller coaster ride, but I think the thing that helped me the most to get through everything today is just being mentally tough and doing one shot, one frame and one game at a time.”
She closed out qualifying with 225 and 223 for the top seed in the finals with a 1,903 total before going on to win, bringing her momentum ahead of the PWBA National Tour season that starts April 29 in Rockford, Illinois.
“It’s a good steppingstone. Even though the scores look good, there are still things that I need to work on before going out on the National Tour. So, there’s still a little time, but this definitely gets me going in the right direction, both physically and mentally.”
Smith previously won the 2023 PWBA Regional Showdown, where the winner had all their National Tour entry fees covered for the following season. The same is true for this year’s Regional Showdown, where the winner will earn a title and all singles entry fees covered for the 2027 National Tour.
The stepladder finals started with Avilez and Alexis Cloud of Cleveland, with Avilez advancing with 210 to Cloud’s 155. Cloud earned $700 for her fourth-place finish.
Next for Avilez in the semifinal match was Eleni Feggulis of Fogelsville, Pennsylvania. The match came down to the final frames with it nearly tied up and Avilez needing all three strikes in the 10th to shut out Feggulis. Avilez did exactly that, finishing with 205 to Feggulis’ 182, earning Feggulis $900 for third place.
The PWBA Regional Tour continues April 18 with the PWBA Rhode Island Regional in Rumford, Rhode Island, before taking a hiatus for the National Tour season. For more information on the Rhode Island Regional, click HERE.
For the full 2026 PWBA Regional Tour schedule, click HERE.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Kerry Smith of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, won her fourth Professional Women’s Bowling Association Regional Tour title Saturday at the PWBA Eastern Pennsylvania Regional, defeating Maya Avilez of Manalapan, New Jersey, in the title match, 259-217.
Smith earned the top seed in the stepladder finals after a high-scoring qualifying round at Steel City Bowl and Brews, where she averaged nearly 238 during the eight-game qualifying block. She waited to see who her opponent would be, and it was Avilez, making her first PWBA stepladder finals as the fourth and final seed, who climbed her way up the ladder to face Smith for the title.
Avilez led the first four games of qualifying before Smith took over in the final four games, so it was only fitting that the only two players to lead throughout the day were the ones bowling for the title.
Neither competitor was able to pull away early in the title match with Smith ahead by just one pin halfway through the game. Avilez doubled in the sixth and seventh frames to keep up with Smith, who had her own double in response.
In the eighth frame, Avilez’s first ball went high flush and left a 4 pin, which she converted before striking in the ninth frame. Smith threw yet another strike heading into the final frame, where she needed at least a nine count and spare to close out the match. Just like the previous four shots, Smith posted her fifth straight strike to win and closed out the match with seven strikes in a row.
Smith earned the title, trophy, $2,600 top prize and an automatic berth into match play at the PWBA Regional Showdown in December. Avilez pocketed $1,300 for her runner-up finish.
“It’s amazing,” Smith said when asked about what it’s like to win her fourth title on the Regional Tour. “We came into qualifying with a game plan of playing to the right, and, you know, let’s just stay there as long as we can. Instead of trying to move left, because I am a straighter and more speed-dominant player, we kind of did it with bowling balls – ball up, ball down, that kind of thing.”
She noted that during Game 6, the lanes transitioned quickly.
“I had just shot 270 and went to the next pair, and I was like, ‘Whoa,’” she said. “It wasn’t a subtle transition, it was kind of just there for everybody and the fronts were gone.”
She managed a 192 during Game 6 before heading over to her pair for Game 7, a pair that promptly broke down.
“We had to go to the breakdown pair, which was a fresh pair, so now we have to change the mindset again,” Smith said. “So it’s a little bit of a roller coaster ride, but I think the thing that helped me the most to get through everything today is just being mentally tough and doing one shot, one frame and one game at a time.”
She closed out qualifying with 225 and 223 for the top seed in the finals with a 1,903 total before going on to win, bringing her momentum ahead of the PWBA National Tour season that starts April 29 in Rockford, Illinois.
“It’s a good steppingstone. Even though the scores look good, there are still things that I need to work on before going out on the National Tour. So, there’s still a little time, but this definitely gets me going in the right direction, both physically and mentally.”
Smith previously won the 2023 PWBA Regional Showdown, where the winner had all their National Tour entry fees covered for the following season. The same is true for this year’s Regional Showdown, where the winner will earn a title and all singles entry fees covered for the 2027 National Tour.
The stepladder finals started with Avilez and Alexis Cloud of Cleveland, with Avilez advancing with 210 to Cloud’s 155. Cloud earned $700 for her fourth-place finish.
Next for Avilez in the semifinal match was Eleni Feggulis of Fogelsville, Pennsylvania. The match came down to the final frames with it nearly tied up and Avilez needing all three strikes in the 10th to shut out Feggulis. Avilez did exactly that, finishing with 205 to Feggulis’ 182, earning Feggulis $900 for third place.
The PWBA Regional Tour continues April 18 with the PWBA Rhode Island Regional in Rumford, Rhode Island, before taking a hiatus for the National Tour season. For more information on the Rhode Island Regional, click HERE.
For the full 2026 PWBA Regional Tour schedule, click HERE.