Williams, Talavera rule May Masters

Emi Williams and Robert Talavera topped the 27th Annual Saipan Bowling Center May Masters Tournament held over the weekend at the San Jose bowling facility.

Williams took the women’s championship after knocking down 2,187 pins and posting an average of 182.25 in 12 games. Williams showed her best form in the last game, tallying 223 pinfalls and had her second-best score in Game 4 with her 214 pinfalls.

Fourteen other female keglers participated in the May Masters event with the Top 5 finishers receiving cash prizes. Williams went home with $300 and a trophy.

Yvo Villavicencio recorded 2,098 in 12 games to finish second, followed by Diane Camacho (2,071), 2007 and 2008 winner Ron Cal (2,050), and Mel Regis (2,026).

Williams was busy returning to the make-shift stage for the awards ceremony held at the residence of Saipan Bowling Association president Jerry Tan, as she also prevailed in the women’s team division and All Events and finished third in the women’s singles.

In the men’s May Masters division, Talavera bested 20 other participants after scoring 2,656 pinfalls. He averaged 221.33 in 12 games to beat Raul Dumapit (214.25), Simon Manacop (203.92), Jon Eparwa (202.75), Rusty Musca (202.67), and Raphael Zapanta (202). The Top 6 finishers received cash prizes.

In the men’s team event, the quartet of Alex Castro, Tony Verdaguer, Paul Pangelinan, and Manacop tallied a total of 2,381 pinfalls to beat two other teams. Richard Leong, Kitz Barja, Ador Dimaano, and Manacop finished second with 2,235 pinfalls, while the team of Jon Hensley, Percy Omechelang, Robert Talavera, and Castro placed third with 2,231 pinfalls.

Williams joined forces with Carrie Camacho, Gloria Omechelang, and Diane Camacho to top the women’s team event and beat the quartets of Elena Soll, Villavicencio, Regis and Cindy Taitano and Sue Ellis, Rita Palacios, Carol McKenzie, and Lucy Guerrero.

In the doubles event, the pairs of Verdaguer and Eparwa and Gigi Zapanta and Cal triumphed in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.

Verdaguer and Eparwa combined for 1,270 pinfalls to down the duos of Dumapit and Dannie Robles (1,252) and Dimaano and Robert Talavera (1,238)

In the women’s doubles, Gigi Zapanta and Cal recorded 1,116 to prevail over the tandems of Palacios and Williams (1,040), and Diane Camacho and Williams (997).

Dumapit redeemed himself in the men’s singles event, nailing 663 pinfalls to outclass Verdaguer (638) and Talavera (626).

Gloria Omechelang was the top finisher in the women’s singles with her 587 pinfall, besting Villavicencio’s 527 and Williams’ 522.

Verdaguer claimed his second trophy after placing first in the All Events with her 1,863 pinfalls. He defeated Dimaano (1,824), and Dumapit (1,784). In the women’s division, Williams posted 1,620 pinfalls to beat Omechelang (1,615) Cal (1,611).