JEDDAH — The stage is set for the championship round with Dabarkads, Daylights, Lance &3rdy and Jude Yoyooo advancing from the semifinal on the 18th week of the FTBJ-ICBL 41st Conference bowling tournament at the Sultanah Mall's Bowling City on Tahlia Street here. The four teams join outright finalists Kedai Asia, Cee Bee Aviation and Jay-Jay Lane Buster, which will start the championship round as No. 1, 2 and 3 teams. Dabarkads who tallied total pinfalls of 2,885 qualified as No. 4, Daylights No. 5 (2,868), Lance No. 6 (2,822) and Jude No. 7 (2,772). Past champion Ekis Reload missed the finals by 10 pins and finished eighth while the three other teams that did not qualify namely Cash Pinas-Fawri, Solid Vision and Jeddah Strikers wound up ninth, 10th and 11th in the tournament sponsored by Ramsons Trading Co, distributor of Anas Jasmine Thai rice in the Kingdom. Nathy Caringal and Rey Beltran led the Dabarkads charge on 626 and 582 respectively. They were backed up by Thess Grandia 572, Leo Edejer 563 and Bing Amolo. Jimmy Urbano tallied 602 while Pinky Acato went five pins shy of 600 as they led the way at Daylights. The other contributors to the cause were Lito Zamudio 593, Ed Butardo 563 and Macky Mohammad 515. Over at Lance Mhon Laxamana drilled the day's high series of 631 that went with the 566 by Ric Reformado, 550 by Shirley Sagmit, 543 by Pancho Cuevas and 532 by Evelyn Santoc. For Jude the trio of Yasser Hokbi, Sami Al-Qarni and Rommel Agbayani posted 574, 570 and 566 in that order, while Charrie Guzman added 538 and Mohd. Amri 524. The first match of the stepladder championship will be a two game series with handicap knockout among the last four teams of the seven-team cast. The winner advances opposite No. 3 for the second match to determine who challenges the top finalist for the title in a third match against the No. 2 qualifier. The No. 1 team enjoys a twice-to-beat edge in the finale.
