THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 17, 1994 TAG: 9410170153
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN GORDON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FRANKLIN LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
Sam Zurich of Melbourne, Fla., has been a bowling bridesmaid some 30 times, but Sunday he came from behind to capture first place - and $2,800 - in the Southern Regional Open.
Zurich, who owns a bowling pro shop, had placed second to Del Warren of Richmond in the inaugural tournament in 1992, but he didn't even make the top 16 last year, when Mark Mosayebi of Charlotte took the title. Neither Warren nor Mosayebi entered this year, thus giving the tourney three different winners in three years.
Zurich was tied for fourth after Saturday's first-round action, then qualified for the five-man finals in third spot early Sunday with a total pinfall of 6,195.
In the playoffs, fourth-seeded Mike Whittington of Richmond squeaked by Gene Sparks of Fayetteville, N.C., 179-178. They were even at 75 after four frames, but Whittington took a 134-121 lead after seven and held on to win the match. Sparks had two consecutive strikes, but missed a spare in the 10th frame to lose.
Whittington improved his score to 204 in the next match, but Zurich rolled 10 strikes - interrupted by a nine-pin seventh frame - for a 246.
Zurich didn't score quite as well against No. 2 seed Tony Walton but upset the Laurel, Md., bowler, 238-235, by rolling two consecutive strikes in the 10th.
``I was behind the whole match and I knew I had to get two (strikes) in the 10th to win,'' Zurich said. ``When I got that double, it really relaxed me.''
That was good because his win over Walton set up the showdown with John May of Iron Station, N.C., who had garnered top billing with 6,311 total pins. Zurich's six consecutive strikes after opening with a spare gave him a 189-157 lead after seven.
Both bowlers finished with spares, and Zurich walked away with a 244-214 victory.
This was only the second regional tourney for May, and he thought his spare in the fifth frame, after three consecutive strikes, may have been the turning point. And that shot was close, with the last pin wobbling but failing to fall.
``I just couldn't carry the 10 pin,'' May said. ``I still had a chance to beat him, but I just couldn't do it.''
Although May admitted that he was nervous in the finals, he still took home a $1,400 second-place check. Walton won $1,000.
Anthony Ransome of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., won the pro-am with a 1,533, and Paul Donadio of Franklin placed second at 1,507. Barry Stafford of Chesapeake took third at 1,506 and Gerri Pulley of Franklin finished fourth at 1,465. Glenn Leonard of Greenville, N.C., came in fifth with 1,449.
The tourney attracted 106 bowlers, down slightly from last year's 119 entries. Four, including Zurich and May, rolled 300 games during the event. by CNB