Simon Manacop is Mr. January

Simon Manacop shrugged off a week’s worth of inactivity from the sport to win the January Pepsi King of the Lanes Tenpin Bowling Tournament last Monday at the Capital Bowling Center in Garapan.

The former youth bowler and Department of Public Safety officer mirrored his success in the 2004 January edition of the tournament by again winning the year’s first monthly competition.

He left the competition biting his dust, knocking down 882 pins en route to a whopping average of 220.5 in the four-game series.

The 25-year-old right-hander started off on the right foot, rolling a 234 in his first trip to the wooden lanes. After a pedestrian 196 in his second game, Manacop bounced back with a 204 before finishing strong with his series high of 248.

“I was surprised I was bowling quite well despite not being able to practice for a week because of work,” said a visibly overjoyed Manacop after receiving his $150 cash prize from Saipan Bowling Association vice president Ador Dimaano.

Arnel Del Rosario finished in second place, 13 pins off Manacop’s mark with 869 pinfalls and 217.25 average.

The Luen Fong Enterprises employee bucked a slow start Monday, which saw him roll a poor 179 in the first game, to challenge Manacop with outings of 203 and 232 in his middle games. He rolled his series high of 255 in his fourth and final game but it was not enough to overcome Manacop’s lead and he had to settle for the $70 second-place purse.

Raymond Zapanta finished a far third following an 842 total, good enough for a 210.5 norm. The Kagman High School student rolled a series of 205, 216, 196, and 225 Monday. He got 45 for his effort.

Mike Guirey was fourth best and earned $35 after the Baguio, Philippine native knocked down 816 pins for a solid 204 average. Guirey had a roller coaster series of 223, 171, 246, and 176 also Monday.

First-day leader Ruselle Zapanta dropped all the way to fifth in the standings after the Northern Marianas College freshman’s Sunday total of 811 faltered in the face of Manacop and company’s onslaught.

Ruselle Zapanta wound up norming 202.75 following scores of 196, 204, 233, and 178 and settled for $30.

The rest of the Top 10, with their scores, in parenthesis, were as follows: Jonathan Hensley (806, $25); Mark Halstead (788, $20); Cris Balolong (196.75, $15); Dannie Robles (782); and Chester Bai (782).

The January Pepsi King of the Lanes Tournament attracted a total of 74 entries. The monthly bowling competition is sponsored by Pacific Trading Company and organized by SBA. It culminates with a championship tournament at the end of the season.