Early November in North Dakota is reserved for the NDBPA State Doubles tournament. This season, the rotation brought the event to Paragon Bowl in Dickinson, ND. The 12 lane center played host to 17 doubles teams all fighting for the $1200 top prize.
All teams bowled 12 baker games on Saturday and 8 individual games on Sunday. The high pin total for the weekend would claim the title.
The baker round on Saturday was lead by Thomas Wolf and Blake Wallstrum who posted a 2712 total (226 ave). The pair would enter Sunday with a narrow 40 pin lead over Matt Smallin and Daren Seney.
On Sunday, Wolf/Wallstrum came out firing with a 517 game 1 to extend their lead to 70 pins. As the day went on, 2014 Doubles Champions (also held at Paragon) Ryan Selk and Wade Scott chipped away at the lead making the final 2 games rather interesting for the top 3 who had distanced themselves from the field at this point in the tournament.
Standings entering game 7:
1 – Wolf/Wallstrum – 5398
2 – Selk/Scott – 5360 (-38)
3 – Smallin/Seney – 5247 (-151)
Smallin/Seney closed the gap game 7 posting a tournament high game of 537. Wolf/Wallstrum shot 451 game 7, but still lost pins to Selk/Scott (473) setting up an intense final game.
Standings entering the final game:
1 – Wolf/Wallstrum 5849
2 – Selk/Scott 5833 (-16)
3 – Smallin/Seney 5784 (-65)
Game 8, the 2015-2016 NDBowling.com Player of the Year, Thomas Wolf, took matters into his own hands and shot a 266 game to go with a 211 from partner Blake Wallstrum. The game not only claimed the doubles title for the pair, but it also gave Wolf the singles win as well. With the win, Wolf/Wallstrum claim their first NDBPA State Scratch Doubles title. Smallin/Seney would end up finishing 2nd for the 3rd time in 6 years and Selk/Scott finished 3rd.
Thomas Wolf claimed the high individual award with a 1846 (230.75 ave). This is the second straight NDBPA tournament Wolf has claimed the singles title. Wolf also won the individual portion of the NDBPA State Team event last December at Midway Lanes in Mandan. Partner Blake Wallstrum would shoot 1768 (221 ave) for the day to finish 8th individually.
Special thanks to John Mueller and the staff at Paragon Bowl for hosting the event.
Congratulations to Thomas Wolf and Blake Wallstrum!