SEPTEMBER 5 Filling Frames at various times

* It took a while but former stand-out youth bowler Andy Byer is back in the winner’s circle, following a decisive victory in the Labor Day Scratch Match-Play tournament at Tenpins & More in Rio Rancho.

Byer, whose good form of late in league prompted him to bowl last month’s New Mexico Open, during which he rolled a squad high game award of 243, also rolled a near-perfect 299 a week ago.

Monday, his 225 average in the finals was almost 13 pins a game higher than the next best 212.75 mark from fifth-placed Jacob Gill.

En route to the championship match Byer beat Justin Medina 267-225, Jeremiah Martin 183-159, Paul Yoder 257-215 and Aileen Linares 221-190.

Previous winner, Yoder, relegated to the loser’s side of bracket play, then eliminated Brian Hare, also on the comeback trail, 176-173, Martin 225-181 and Linares 264-195 to reach the final against Byer.

Byer bowled six strikes, four spares and an error for 197, as Yoder, whose day-long average had so far been over 223, left five frames open – all splits – to close with 136.

Byer received $ 1,000, Yoder $ 500 from the $ 3,708 prize-fund, supported by Tenpins & More and new sponsor, T-Mobile.

Final placings:
1 Byer 225.0 average 5-0; 2 Yoder 211.1 5-2; 3 Linares 207.2 3-2; 4 Martin 203.5 4-2; 5 Gill 212.75 2-2; 6 Hare 202.2 3-2.

* A new tournament format is being unveiled this weekend at Tenpins & More.

It’s called “Filling Frames”, in which actual scores don’t count but getting strikes and spares do, with each mark worth one point, for a maximum of ten points per game.

Squads will be held this Friday, Saturday and Sunday (September 8-10) in three different average categories for men and women.

* Calendar:
Fri 8-Sun 10: Filling Frames at various times
Sat 16: Paws & Stripes Bowlathon for Vets at 1 pm
Sun 17: Color Pin Cash at 9.30 am