Weber, Aulby in round of 16 today

Ronnie Russell upset No. 3 seed Patrick Allen in match play yesterday at Southwyck Lanes.

Two rookies and a handful of veterans won their matches yesterday at the PBA Toledo Open, but two area bowlers did not fare as well last night at Southwyck Lanes.

First-time tour members Chris Johnson and Ronnie Russell advanced to today s round of 16 by winning their head-to-head matches in last night s round of 32. PBA veterans including Pete Weber, Mike Aulby, Amleto Monacelli and Danny Wiseman also won their matches last night.

An unusually small crowd for a Friday-night PBA event were on hand for the best-of-seven match-play contests at Southwyck Lanes.

But of the estimated crowd of 300, the gatherings around area bowlers Jeff Lizzi and Emilio Mora Jr. were quite large. Despite the constant cheers, both dropped their matches. Lizzi, of Sandusky, lost to Bryon Smith and Defiance s Mora was knocked out by Steve Jaros.

“I always have great support here, Lizzi said.

Bowling in just his fifth event, 26-year-old Chris Johnson knocked out the talented Jason Couch.

“In my first tournament, Walter [Ray Williams Jr.] just drilled me, Johnson said. “So I just tried to bowl my own game.

The lowest seed to win was rookie Ronnie Russell. The 23-year-old, who just graduated from Vincennes College, was seeded 30th and beat No. 3 Patrick Allen. It was just his third PBA event.

“I just try to worry about bowling against my own self, said Russell, who battled through a finger injury. “I have a lot of college experience. I m used to making shots in front of 10 times this many people.

Seven matches were won by 4-0 margins and only one came down to a seventh game.

Long time tour member Aulby rallied from a 3-1 deficit and rolled a 245 in his seventh game against Christopher Sand, who had a 213. Aulby, who announced that this is his last season on tour so he can spend more time with his family, said his thoughts were elsewhere when he fell behind.

“I was thinking how quickly I could get to Dayton to see my son play hockey, he joked.

Aulby, who has won over $2 million in his 25-year career, said he would love to add a 28th title in his final season.

“That would be a dream, to go out like that, Aulby said.

But first Aulby gets to face No. 1 seed Pete Weber in today s match play at 11 a.m.

Lizzi won the third and fourth games, but lost the final two. The “home-center advantage helped Lizzi finish second at the PBA National Championship here in 2001.

“There was a lot of pressure because you want to bowl well in front of them, Lizzi said. “It was fiery all week.

“It was kind of like bowling against Walter Ray in the finals, Smith joked of the boisterous support for Lizzi.

Smith said he has been working with a sports psychologist who has helped him block out the crowd and concentrate on his game.

“I knew what it was going to be like when I got the draw, said Smith, who will face Johnson today. “You re bowling against the pins and you can t get caught up in the crowd.

Patrick Healey Jr., who led the field after qualifying, defeated Ricky Ward in match play and will face Finland s Mika Koivuniemi today. Another good match-up in the round of 16 pits Monacelli against Doug Kent.

Mora lost to Jaros four games to none, but still had his best finish at a Toledo PBA event. Mora, who won a regional PBA tournament three weeks ago, has won five regional tournaments.

His best previous finish in Toledo came when he took 33rd in the National Championship. His highest finish ever in a PBA tour event was seventh in the ABC Masters.

During the morning session, Weber grabbed the No. 1 seed while making the cut to the top 32. Weber then knocked off PBA rookie Mark Moore in match play. Weber has won 29 titles including all three majors on the tour.

“Player of the Year is the only goal I have, Weber said.

The 32 bowlers who made the cut were seeded into brackets based on their point totals, which are formulated by how they finished in the last 20 tournaments.

At Southwyck Lanes

Toledo, Ohio

(Top 32 advance)

1, Patrick Healey Jr., Mexico, 4,042. 2, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 4,024. 3, Ronnie Russell, Indianapolis, 3,995. 4, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 3,987. 5, Paul Fleming, Bedford, Texas, 3,985. 6 (tie), Jason Queen, Oreana, Ill., and Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3,978. 8, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 3,974.

9, Mark Moore, Macomb, Mich., 3,970. 10, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 3,956. 11, Tommy Jones, Greenville, S.C., 3,938. 12, R.D. Miller Jr., Westville, Ill., 3,922. 13, Emilio Mora Jr., Defiance, Ohio, 3,908. 14, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 3,897. 15, Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., 3,896. 16, Rick Lawrence, Dallas, 3,881.

17, Peter Hernandez, Miami, 3,874. 18, Tim Criss, Bel Air, Md., 3,868. 19 (tie), Wes Malott, Austin, Texas, and Michael Fagan, Greenla N.Y., 3,866. 21, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 3,861. 22, Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, 3,856. 23, Nicholas Wissinger IV, Utica, Mich., 3,853. 24, Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 3,848.

25, Don Yoshihara, Tampa, Fla., 3,846. 26, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 3,845. 27, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 3,842. 28, Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, Fla., 3,840. 29, Christopher Sand, Chesterfield, Mich., 3,838. 30 (tie), Roger Bowker, Ocala, Fla., and Chris Johnson, Garland, Texas, 3,836. 32, Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, Ill., 3,834.

33, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 3,818, $1,000. 34, Steve Wilson, Lake Worth, Fla., 3,810, $1,000. 35, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 3,801, $1,000. 36, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 3,799, $1,000. 37, Jimmy Keeth, Boynton Beach, Fla., 3,786, $1,000. 38, Javier Pardi, Venezuela, 3,783, $1,000. 39, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 3,781, $1,000. 40, Justin Hromek, Towanda, Kan., 3,779, $1,000.

41, Michael Gaither, Corpus Christi, Texas, 3,777, $1,000. 42, Brett Cooper, Aurora, Colo., 3,773, $1,000. 43, Chris Barnes, Dallas, 3,762, $1,000. 44, Tom Baker, Buffalo, N.Y., 3,759, $1,000. 45, Robert Smith, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 3,752, $1,000. 46, Tyler Jensen, Wheat Ridge, Colo., 3,751, $1,000. 47, Chris Hayden, Orlando, Fla., 3,748, $1,000. 48, Mike Bronsart, Phoenix, 3,744, $1,000.

49, Roberto Silva, Mexico, 3,740, $1,000. 50, Patrick Girard, Canada, 3,738, $1,000. 51, Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., 3,730, $1,000. 52 (tie), Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., and Terry Decker, Gastonia, N.C., 3,721, $1,000. 54 (tie), Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., and Paul Nicholas, Romeoville, Ill., 3,714, $1,000. 56, Tim Penner, Wichita, Kan., 3,696, $1,000.

57, Jason Duran, Greeley, Colo., 3,692, $1,000. 58, Rudy Kasimakis, Tupelo, Miss., 3,687, $1,000. 59, Dan Higgins Jr., Westerville, Ohio, 3,676, $1,000. 60, Kirby Allen, Ironton, Ohio, 3,675, $1,000. 61, Chuck Reynolds, Toledo, Ohio, 3,582, $1,000. 62, John May, Lincolnton, N.C., 3,570, $1,000. 63, Kerry Kreft, Madison Heights, Mich., 3,553, $1,000. 64, Frank Guccione, Highlandsranch, Colo., 3,551, $1,000.

Round of 32

Match Play

(Best-of-7, single-elimination, losers earn $2,250)

Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., def. Mark Moore, Macomb, Mich., 4-1 (223-242, 236-212, 248-190, 276-236, 267-224).

Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, def. Don Yoshihara, Tampa, Fla., 4-0 (279-179, 235-179, 224-210, 277-199).

Ronnie Russell, Indianapolis, def. Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., 4-1 (223-199, 267-245, 236-180, 226-279, 245-192).

Tommy Jones, Greenville, S.C., def. Nicholas Wissinger IV, Utica, Mich., 4-1 (221-174, 220-177, 252-205, 217-237, 265-236).

Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, Ill., def. Emilio Mora Jr., Defiance, Ohio, 4-0 (269-142, 268-179, 214-205, 200-175).

Chris Johnson, Garland, Texas, def. Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 4-0 (193-190, 212-171, 236-211, 256-192).

Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, def. R.D. Miller Jr., Westville, Ill., 4-0 (204-194, 213-205, 236-190, 236-221).

Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., def. Wes Malott, Austin, Texas, 4-2 (195-192, 184-205, 181-248, 269-235, 279-258, 189-188).

Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, def. Roger Bowker, Ocala, Fla., 4-0 (234-196, 213-184, 215-194, 242-174).

Paul Fleming, Bedford, Texas, def. Peter Hernandez, Miami, 4-0 (237-188, 212-195, 265-213, 268-168).

Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., def. Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 4-2 (216-186, 210-233, 247-173, 218-269, 238-234, 244-222).

Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., def. Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 4-1 (240-233, 257-168, 182-228, 245-197, 237-216).

Jason Queen, Oreana, Ill., def. Tim Criss, Bel Air, Md., 4-1 (259-258, 238-225, 214-237, 257-226, 245-205).

Rick Lawrence, Dallas, def. Michael Fagan, Greenlawn, N.Y., 4-0 (217-216, 258-195, 215-212, 268-257).

Patrick Healey Jr., Mexico, def. Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, Fla., 4-2 (232-154, 196-211, 225-243, 216-189, 245-214, 216-190).

Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, def. Christopher Sand, Chesterfield, Mich., 4-3 (174-230, 156-232, 268-231, 207-211, 224-198, 229-170, 245-213).