PBA Regional and PWBA-PBA Women’s Regional competitors are headed toward the qualifying finish line for berths in the PBA Challenge Finals qualifying events that will be held during the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VII in December in Reno, Nev.

The PBA Regional Finals will feature the 2015 competition points leader from each of the eight PBA regions (East, South, Central, Midwest, Southwest, West, Northwest and Japan) as of Sept. 30. All eight players also will receive a free entry into the WSOB. On Monday, Dec. 7, the eight PBA Regional qualifiers will bowl an eight-game round-robin match play qualifying event at the National Bowling Stadium, with the top two players advancing to the ESPN-televised PBA Regional Finals, one of four matches that make up the PBA Challenge Finals telecast.

The top eight players in points at the end of the PBA50 Tour season will bowl an identical program on Dec. 7 for two berths in the PBA50 Tour Finals.

The PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional Finals also will feature the points leaders from the eight PBA Regions, and each of them also will receive a free entry into the World Series. To avoid a conflict with the World Bowling Women’s World Championships, the PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional match play qualifying event will be held on Friday, Dec. 18.

The PBA Challenge Finals also will include a Teen Masters Grand Championship match between 2015 Teen Masters high school champions Brandon Soedarmasto of Levittown, N.Y., and Brigitte Jacobs of Freeport, Ill.

Heading into the home stretch of the PBA Regional season, here are the points leaders (and second-place in points) in the seven domestic regions as of Aug. 2. For complete schedules in each region, visit pba.com and click on the “schedules” tab. The Japan Region is just getting its 2015 season underway:

● East Region: Men – Patrick Allen, Mount Kisco, N.Y., 79,451; John Furey, Freehold, N.J., 64,684. Women – Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 19,249; Kerry Smith, Lititz, Pa., 17,490.

● South Region: Men - Jason Sterner, Covington, Ga., 67,743; Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 63,882. Women – Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 25,597; Inngellimar Beasley, Venezuela, 25,000.

● Central Region: Men – Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 103,036; Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 76,940. Women – Rocio Restropo, Louisville, Ky., 26,985; Diana Zavjalova, Beavercreek, Ohio, 14,016.

● Midwest Region: Men – Brad Miller, St. Charles, Mo., 124,794; Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 111,995; Women – Inngellimar Beasley, Venezuela, 38,555; Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 25,000.

● Southwest Region: Men – Nathan Bohr, Austin, Texas, 94,136; Joe Findling, Mesquite, Texas, 89,725. Women – Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 37,206 points; Maria Rodriguez, Colombia, 26,924.

● West Region: Men – Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz., 148,091; Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 137,809; Women – Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 62,270; Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 21,998.

● Northwest Region: Men – Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz., 117,096; Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 99,712; Women – Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 37,270; April Lord Wittig, Steilacoom, Wash., 23,300.

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