Brian LeClair (right) with Lakeview Lanes proprietor, Mike Tryniski, averaged 254 for the first four games Sunday to open a 103-pin lead after the first cut.

Russ Mills
PBA East Region Director

Fulton, N.Y. – Brian LeClair of Albany, N.Y., outscored Sammy Ventura of Syracuse, N.Y., by 182 pins over 17 games to win the PBA50 Lakeview Lanes Eastern Open presented by Brunswick at Lakeview Lanes Sunday.

LeClair, who turned 50 11 months ago, trailed Ventura by 91 pins after Saturday’s eight-game qualifying round. LeClair averaged 254 over the first four games on Sunday to open a 103-pin lead after the first cut.  From there, he was never challenged.  Ventura, the current East Region Senior Player of the Year, battled Sam Maccarone of Blackwood, N.J., for the runner-up spot throughout the remainder of the finals with Ventura rolling a 257 final game to regain the runner-up spot. Maccarone finished third while Darryl Bower of Middletown, Pa., finished fourth.

The win was LeClair’s 21st overall regional title and his second PBA50 regional title in the past three weeks. He earned $1,500 for the win while Ventura earned $800 as the runner-up. Maccarone earned $700 for finishing third and Bower earned $650 for finishing fourth.

The PBA East Region next travels to Hornell, N.Y. for a PBA-PWBA doubleheader.  The men will be competing in the PBA Maple City Dodge Open while the women will be competing in the PWBA Maple City Bowl Open. PWBA champions Danielle McEwen of Stony Point, N.Y., and Liz Kuhlkin of Rotterdam, N.Y., headline the list of early entrants for the women’s event.  Both tournaments run concurrently the weekend of October 2-4.

PBA50 LAKEVIEW LANES OPEN

presented by Brunswick

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton, N.Y., Sunday

Final Standings (after 17 games, total pinfall) 

1, Brian LeClair, Albany, N.Y., 3,884, $1,500.

2, Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 3,702, $800.

3, Sam Maccarone, Blackwood, N.J., 3,679, $700.

4, Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., 3,561, $650.

5, Don Herrington, Ballston Lake, N.Y, 3,151, $580.

6, Steve Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 3,124, $570.

7, Bill Neumann, Rensselaer, N.Y., 3,072, $560.

8, Jay Boyle, Garnet Valley, Pa., 3,063, $550.

9, Terry Wiley, Vienna, Va., 2,474, $535.

10, Keith Eberly, Palmyra, Pa., 2,466, $530.

11, Larry Porter, Whitesboro, N.Y., 2,432, $525.

12, Tommy Kress, Hilton, N.Y., 2,430, $520.

13, a-Gary Peterson, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 2,412, $515.

14, John Schmidt, Warners, N.Y., 2,392, $510.

15, Mike Tryniski, Fulton, N.Y., 2,380, $505.

16, George Tignor, Winchendon, Mass., 2,344, $500.

a-denotes non-member entry