The NDBowling.com Classic is celebrating 26 years in the Fargo-Moorhead area. The tournament has experienced a revival over the past 6 years and the 2019 version of the Classic is set to build on that success. Here are some of the story lines heading into the Season’s Final Major, the 2019 NDBowling.com Classic.
Mere Victory Lap for Larson
The 2018-2019 Player of the Year will be determined this weekend at the NDBowling.com Classic. Heading into the final event, Mike Larson holds a 33.42 point lead over Jeremiah Smith. The 2019 NDBowling.com Classic will provide 35 points to the winner, meaning only Jeremiah Smith is mathematically still alive for NDBowling.com Player of the Year honors. Smith must win and Larson must finish 40th or worse or else Larson will be named the 2019 NDBowling.com Player of the Year.
The top 4 spots for the NDBowling.com Team of the Year look pretty safe, but the 5th spot remains up for grabs. Tune in this weekend for the conclusion of the Player and Team of the Year races.
Top 10 heading into the NDBowling.com Classic
1 – Mike Larson 157.37
2 – Jeremiah Smith 123.95
3 – Thomas Wolf 115.41
4 – Matt Smallin 114.74
5 – Eric Parvey 85.94
6 – Jon Breckel 68.19
7 – Randy Peterson 64.20
8 – Aaron Petrowitz 58.98
9 – Barry Zimmerman 57.48
10 – Mike Green 55.37
Top 5 following the completion of the Classic will be named to the 2018-2019 NDBowling.com Team of the Year. To enter the Scratch Rankings, contact Daren Seney (Seney1987@gmail.com).
Navigating Dead Man’s Curve
The 2019 NDBowling.com Classic will be contested on Kegel’s Dead Mans Curve. This is a 43 foot pattern with a 2.89-1 ratio that should provide players with a challenge over the weekend. As with most patterns, being able to find a ball that exits the pattern in a way that will promote good carry will be the key with this pattern as well. Dead Man’s Curve is known to contain an area of OB, so being able to control the break point will be important.
Welcome Changes
This season, players will see a couple changes with the 2019 NDBowling.com Classic. First, players will be provided with a meal following the qualifying round on Saturday which is included in the entry fee. Additional meal tickets for guests of players can be purchased for $10 at the tournament.
Finally, the Glen Hains Memorial Trophy has been redesigned for the 2019 edition of the Season’s Final Major. Following 3 seasons of the over sized gold trophy, the trophy has been redesigned to a smaller crystal trophy which should be easier for the champion to transport. While the trophy has changed, the meaning still remains the same. Glen Hains was an important bowling figure not only at Sunset Lanes, but the entire Fargo-Moorhead bowling community.
Bold Predictions
The 2019 NDBowling.com Classic will once again feature a strong field. Dead Man’s Curve should provide a challenge to the field, but I do see players being able to score on the pattern once they find the correct ball motion. Here are my bold predictions for the 2019 NDBowling.com Classic despite not knowing a complete roster. (In no particular order)
– Andy Mills
– Mike Larson
– Thomas Wolf
– Randy Peterson
– Mike Morris
Tune in to NDBowlTV on Sunday to see who takes home the Glen Hains Memorial Trophy! (www.YouTube.com/NDBowling)
