JEDDAH: Max Salang scored two sterling games then safeguarded his lead by trading marks with his closest pursuer Arnel Bautista on the last game and finally earned a title at the conclusion of the Filipino Expatriate Damayan Bowling Group-sanctioned Saturday Graveyard Bowlfest 9th season at the Bowling City here. Prior to this final, Salang also dominated the qualifying round with supreme scratch total of 2,150 from games 279, 247, 242, 236, 235, 234, 232, 224 and 221 looking down on Bautista (2,121), Ed Bolido (2,092), Ruel Perez (2,073) and Joel Quiboy (2,066) who made it to top five in their attempt to win top-qualifier cash prize. Jun Estefano recorded the hi-game scratch of 286 to be in the semifinals at 10th spot with 1,980 total. But the semifinals almost foiled Salang's attempt for the crown when he could muster only 180 and 196 on the last two games after a 216 opener. Luckily his 597 total salvaged him to 10th position of the 12 finalists. Fully Tabio topped the three-game semifinals with 688 on games of 214, 263 and 211. Pacing second was Ed Sardi?a with 648 followed by Bautista, Hani Daud, Sol Cuenca, Quiboy, Marcelo Manalo, Zaldo Ambrosio, Ruel Santoc, Estefano and Cris Tamon. But Salang tried avoiding his errors on the finals wherein he brilliantly started with 245 to gap 29 pins from Santoc who tailed with 216. Daud and Sardi?a tried to be in the striking distance with 215 and 211. Bautista (201) and Quiboy (176) were on the 6th and 9th spots. Knowing his lead is still reachable, Salang scorched lane with 239 to entrench front seat with 484. But Bautista moved like an awakened dragon to be right behind Salang with 457 on his 256 drive to the winning column. Such transition alarmed Salang to be defensive on the ultimate game trying to survive on spares when strikes seemed to be elusive. Fortunately Bautista failed to mount another rally so that when the waves of struggles were cleared Salang stalled the Saturday Graveyard Bowlfest 9th season with championship score of 663 including his 179 endgame survival. Bautista on his 188 pursuit sealed second spot with 645. Santoc sustained third place with 633 and Quiboy landed 4th position with 617. Meanwhile in the ongoing FEDBG-SGYBF-10, Salang is again on top of the qualifying with 2,114 en-route to defending his title. With one squad remaining on the elimination, Nards Hassan is on the 20th place with 1,723. Bobby Baraquel holds the current hi
