Watson’s 818 leads good day at Section 2: Beat the Champions

Velma Watson switched and lifted her game to win the Section 2 sectional of the 56th Beat the Champions with an 818 series at Hillside Bowl. Joseph Diaz hung on to win the men’s side with a 798.

“I started with the Alpha Crux, then went to the Brunswick [Mastermind] Strategy,’’ said Watson, a retired forklift operator from Chicago who advanced from Hillside. “I went 30 clean. I was happy with that.’’

The switch in the fifth frame of the second game helped her clean up with 239, 258 and 276 to go with 45 pins of handicap.

“The reason I changed is that I couldn’t get right grip on the ball, for some reason I kept losing it,’’ she said.

Diaz opened strong. He rolled a 269 in the first game, then nailed the front nine before leaving the 2 pin on the 10th ball in the second game for a 279.

“I got a lot of practice during the week and it paid off today, I was carrying the first two games and was able to stick around for the last game,’’ said Diaz, a 22-year-old Chicagoan who works at a North Side Walgreens.

His last game was an 183 to go with 67 pins of handicap.

The top seven women and top six men advanced from Section 2 to the BTC finals.

The other sectionals are next weekend. This year the top prize in the finals for both the women’s and men’s champions is $7,500.

Janet Kulovitz, an administrative assistant from Tinley Park, advanced to yet another BTC finals with a third-place 709 with only eight pins of handicap. Three years ago, she finished third in the finals.

Stephanie Thompson, a Palatine woman who works at Home Depot, built a 743 for second off an opening 287, her highest game.

Other women advancing were Diane Thorne-Bakker, an office manager from Chicago; Racquel Wilson, an assembler from Westchester; Patricia Martin, a CTA bus operator from Burbank; and Tahisha Plane, who advanced from her home center.

Dean Caprini, of Darien, had the highest scratch score of 778 on games 279, 269 and 230. Other men advancing were Parris Faulkner, a Chicagoan who works for Blue Cross Blue Shield; Henry Burns, a Chicago mail carrier; Julian Galarea, a Chicagoan working at Walgreens; and Jeromy Wicklund, a Arlington Heights man who survived a handicap adjustment for the final qualifying spot.

BTC is a handicapped charity tournament put on by the Chicagoland Bowling Proprietors Association with the Sun-Times as the media sponsor. It has raised more than $2.8 million for charity, so far.

Below are the individual results:

Sunday’s results

Section 2 Sectional

Hillside Bowl

(Seven women, six men, advance to the finals, pending verificiation)

Men

Bowler, center G1-G2-G3-HDP–TOT

Joseph Diaz, Forest 269-279-183-67–798

Dean Caprini, Woodridge 279-269-230-0–778

Parris Faulkner, Town Hall 247-227-232-37–743

Henry Burns, Town Hall 194-225-238-81–738

Julian Galarea, River Grove 237-226-210-59–732

Jeromy Wicklund, Stardust 190-232-257-37–716

Michael Dugan, Rolling 232-245-237-0–714

John Beniacs, Stardust 165-209-212-121–707

Jim Smith, Elk Grove 234-235-184-51–704

William Farrell, Striker 235-193-234-37–699

Alan Higueros, River Grove 228-219-242-0–689

David Peterson. Circle 182-175-236-91–684

Harry Brown, Forest 164-181-195-137–677

Marquis Fields, Hillside 212-265-190-0–667

Robert Jucovics, Suburbanite 186-166-206-113–671

Mark Chosice, River Grove 228-169-222-51–670

Bob Rood, Elk Grove 248-228-192-0–668

Phillip Karides, Rolling 186-195-189-97–667

Jose Nieves, Elk Grove 226-246-183-8–663

Matt Hammer, Circle 174-233-245-10–662

Johnny Kocovsky, Rolling 225-191-215-21–652

Robert Trotter, Stardust 212-174-175-91–652

James Easter, Hillside 159-168-222-102–651

Jason Wiese, Woodridge 246-201-202-2–651

Chris Kelley, Rolling 204-220-226-0–650

Russell Parker, Circle 202-156-190-102–650

Darren Patrick, Town Hall 155-181-220-94–650

Will Butler, Suburbanite 180-222-210-37–649

Willie Johnson, Town Hall 183-210-188-67–648

Bob Bittke, Woodridge 220-188-212-27–647

Miguel Jones, Hillside 228-206-204-8–646

Tom Meehan, Rolling 208-176-159-102–645

Thomas Lusk, Woodridge 169-212-209-54–644

Gary Fowler, Forest 169-191-223-56–639

Brandon Gerdzunas, Stardust 211-159-209-56–635

Chris Jakubczak, River Grove 209-162-179-78–628

Donald Holmes, Elk Grove 175-209-237-0–621

Ewell Thompson III, Woodridge 166-161-193-99–618

Matthew Petkus, Forest 166-164-212-72–614

Brandon Bibro, Rolling 168-231-196-18–613

Taran Weaver, Hillside 213-136-211-51–611

Eddie Brown, Hillside 126-202-155-124–607

Harry Alfred, Town Hall 244-203-154-0–604

Michael Anthony Kingston, Striker 173-178-1219-32–600

Ben Harris, River Grove 183-183-160-72–598

Wesley Brown, Hillside 177-177-159-83–596

John Bishof, Stardust 145-178-148-124–595

Sell Knox, Hillside 256-166-173-0–595

Ryan Segal, Circle 125-188-164-118–595

Chuck Smaczny, River Grove 151-138-147-159–595

David Thurnall Sr, Wood Dale 166-179-178-70–593

Bob Bialk, River Grove 169-202-161-59–591

Scott Householder, Striker 206-162-155-64–587

Erik Linsner, Woodridge 175-161-173-78–587

Christopher Barth, Stardust 129-197-195-64–585

Philip Savullo, Elk Grove 148-115-209-86–558

Steve Nottke, Forest 154-175-136-91–556

Larry Cunningham, Wood Dale 156-159-231-8–554

Daniel Curtis, Stardust 170-145-167-72–554

Don Schuster, Wood Dale 179-169-206-0–554

Michael Dlhy, Suburbanite 183-177-139-51–550

Jack Schodrof, Suburbanite 131-175-169-59–534

Arnie Syversen, Elk Grove 173-172-171-18–534

Mark Nichols, River Grove 159-161-126-75–521

Women

Bowler, center G1-G2-G3-HDP–TOT

Velma Watson, Hillside 239-258-276-45–818

Stephanie Thompson, River Grove 287-165-202-89–743

Janet Kulovitz, Rolling 212-264-225-8–709

Diane Thorne-Bakker, Rolling 165-215-181-137–698

Racquel Wilson, Town Hall 211-184-198-99–692

Patricia Martin, Rolling 177-177-140-183–677

Tahisha Plane, Hillside 170-168-195-137–670

Malika Manouzi, Striker 191-183-162-132–668

Janis Dickerson, Town Hall 237-239-168-16–660

Teresia Price, Hillside 173-145-188-151–657

Patty Guerra, Stardust 180-159-157-159–655

Zephrya Freeman, Hillside 238-183-219-13–653

Virginia Herron, Forest 181-177-169-126–653

Angela Golden, Hillside 146-162-161-180–649

Linda Province, Circle 164-167-169-148–648

Patrice Turner, River Grove 182-193-164-108–647

Ledell Barton, Forest 157-186-160-140–643

Michelle Holmquist, Elk Grove 132-160-122-226–640

Maureen Haralamos, Woodridge 179-171-212-75–637

Cindy Windsor, Suburbanite 124-152-169-191–636

Lucille Coulombe, Striker 188-168-171-105–632

Shirlinda Briggs, Town Hall 181-159-148-143–631

Alicia Salibellas, Town Hall 158-114-165-194–631

Rena Hardy-Jackson, Hillside 144-165-144-175–628

Violet Rodriguez, River Grove 187-185-146-110–628

Deborah Emery, Stardust 124-135-132-221–612

Kelli Braun, Elk Grove 157-147-170-137–611

Kimberly Tate, Hillside 201-172-217-16–606

Rebeca Stone, Suburbanite 128-152-88-237–605

Laura Matusiak, Rolling 128-158-164-153–603

Diane Zollicoffer, Town Hall 141-178-188-91–598

Leigh Coglianese, Stardust 166-164-167-99–596

Kathy Wolfe, Rolling 87-135-126-243–591

Peaches Staats, Rolling 103-114-121-243–581

Lisa Karides, Rolling 160-146-149-124–579

Christine Coleman, Town Hall 154-122-175-126–577

Vicki Hobscheid, Wood Dale 153-204-210-10–577

Alva Cunningham, Town Hall 123-141-144-164–572

Shannon Sorrento, Wood Dale 132-157-145-137–571

Valerie Matyskela, Forest 120-125-135-180–560

Bena Jennings, Woodridge 139-128-112-178–557

Marilyn Troutman, River Grove 145-136-134-132–547

Terri Dejong, Elk Grove 136-133-138-132–539

Kathleen Carlson, River Grove 117-142-108-164–531

Pamela Marase, Forest 139-114-117-156–526

SCHEDULE

SECTIONALS

Saturday, Feb. 18: Section 4/Will County, Palos Lanes, Palso Hills, men 10 a.m., women 2 p.m. . . . Fox Valley, Liberty Lanes, Carpentersville, 1 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 19: Section 3, Waveland Bowl, Chicago, 10 a.m.

FINALS

Sunday, March 5: Men’s finals, Arena Lanes, Oak Lawn, noon

Sunday, March 12: Women’s final, Bluebird Lanes, Chicago, noon