Sapp’s 300 secures Fusion Realtors Open title

Submitted by Joe Engelkes

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SappFusionRealtorsOpenWATERLOO, Iowa. –
Derek Sapp of Keokuk, Iowa, shot 300 to defeat Dave Beres of Greenfield, Wis., 300-257 in the title match of the Fusion Realtors Open at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo, Iowa, Sunday, taking home a $3,000.00 prize for the win.

Sapp led the field throughout the tournament to take the top spot in the stepladder finals. Beres finished ninth in qualifying and survived the elimination-format semifinals to grab the last spot in the finals. Beres then topped Chris Hill from Franklin, Wis., 206-193 in the first finals match.

Beres moved on to best Scott Wohlwend of Bettendorf, Iowa., 231-186. The semifinal match was back and forth between Beres and Anthony Lacaze from Melrose Park, Ill., with Beres pulling out a 230-210 victory. The final match was epic with both Sapp and Beres striking in the first three frames before Beres had a shot go high for an eight count.

Beres left a single pin later in the match, and all Sapp needed to do was fill frames to win. When Sapp struck in the ninth frame, the match was over and he could focus on the possibility of shooting 300 on the sport-compliant pattern. After shooting the first two strikes in the 10th for the front 11, Sapp’s last shot did not clear his thumb very well, but the ball crossed over and he carried a solid Brooklyn strike to close out his 300 game.

The Fusion Realtors Open featured 188 bowlers representing 11 states. The tournament received major support from the local Waterloo Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as title sponsor Fusion Realtors. These sponsors enabled the tournament to add more than $13,000.00 to the prize fund, which totaled $32,135.00. Beres earned $2,300.00 for second, Lacaze won $1,800.00 for third, Wohlwend received $1,500.00 for his fourth place finish, Hill made $1,250 for fifth, and a sixth-place prize of $1,000.00 went to Matt Smith from Altoona, Iowa.

Other bowlers who made the cut to the semifinal elimination matches included Lennie Boresch from Kenosh, Wis., Matt McNiel from Prior Lake, Minn., Rob Gotchall from Lincoln, Neb., and Greg Thomas from Oak Creek, Wis.

The tournament was contested on the Kegel Winding Road pattern. The payout ratio was 1:3, with the low-to-cash spot paying out $220.00. The tournament guaranteed a 1:3 payout ratio to seniors (over 50) as well as to female entrants. There were a total of 28 senior bowlers and four females. 10 of the seniors and two of the females survived the first cut to make the top 64 for the second round of qualifying. All 64 of those bowers received a check. It took an average of 200.6 to make the cut.

The tournament also featured live streaming video coverage by Mike Flanagan from Insidebowling.com. The coverage will be available for viewing in a few days on their website at www.insidebowling.com.

The Greater Iowa Bowling Association will feature another Fusion Realtors Open event in Waterloo, Iowa, at Maple Lanes February 23-24, 2013.