MARK Marquez (center) poses with Jay-Ar Tan (left) and Lara Posadas.
HE IS BACK!
That’s what many members of the Sta. Lucia East Tenpin Bowling Association exclaimed when their teammate Mark Marquez capped his return by ruling the Masters class in the 18th Sletba Open on Sunday night.
Marquez, who kept away from bowling for over three years to look after the family business, kept his focus against the national players as well as standouts from other associations in the hard-fought finals to prevail.
The field included four-time World Cup titlist Paeng Nepomuceno who donned the colors of Philippine Bowling Congress and Sletba.
Marquez posted a 10-game total of 2418 to beat Jay-Ar Tan (2398) and Philippine women’s team standout Lara Posadas (2389), both of PBAP-Bowlmart. Tan, who was in sixth place going into the final game, sizzled with a 278 to overtake Posadas and last year’s champion, Krizziah Tabora (2384) of TBAM-Prima.
His victory topped off Sletba’s sweep of all the division titles in the week-long tournament which drew more than 200 entries. The sweep was also a first in Sletba’s 18-year history.
The other Sletba division champions were Mil Tan (Seniors), Frankie Uy (Associate) and Peping Chan (Graded).
The well-kept lanes of the Sta. Lucia Bowling Center in Cainta, Rizal, again produced high scores—including five near-perfect games—as the 30 finalists battled for top honors.
Four players scored perfect games during the tournament. They are Nicco Olaivar of Pasig BA, Ding de Leon of Sletba, Marc Matias of PBAP-Bowlmart, and Philippine Youth Team stalwart Enzo Hernandez of TBAM-Prima.
The tournament was sponsored by Sletbar, Boysen, F&J Construction, AsiaPhil, Sletbabes, MGL Construction, Dau Long Philippines, Road-Mark Materials Co. Ltd. Taiwan, Marikina Rubber Corp., Boss Gas Inc., Amayra Travel & Tours, Manila Petroland, University of Perpetual Help System, LJ Industrial Fabrication Inc., Pansit Boys, Trident Inc., Pakners, Jaime Dychauco, Asphaltrade, Circle 8, Mil Tan, and Sletba Juniors. The Inquirer and Inquirer.net were the event’s media partners.