The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

For the third consecutive year, David Slatter has emerged as the Bahamas Bowling Federation men's national champion. For the third time, Driskell Rolle has captured the ladies'crown.

The two champions were crowned on Sunday at Mario's Bowling and Family Entertainment Centre as the two-week long 2018 Bahamas Bowling National Championships came to a close.

As the defending champion and the top qualifier, Slatter had to wait for his opponent as No.5 seed Tyrone Knowles eliminated three past champions Sonith Lockhart, Leonardo 'Lee' Davis and Richard 'Ritchie' Pyfrom in the live television roll-off to secure his berth in the final.

When it counted the most, a well rested Slatter was too much for Knowles to handle. Slatter would go on to add his third straight title, the first by any player in modern history, to the previous three he won in 1986, 1989 and 1997. He did it out-scoring Knowles 214-201 in the grand finale.

"I felt it was mine to lose, but I felt pretty confident going in," Slatter said. "It was just about executing, but felt if I could throw some pretty good shots, I could win the title. I had a pretty good game. The door opened and I shot very well in the final. But I have to give Tyrone a lot of credit. He beat three past champions. He was trying to go for a grand slam, but I had to hold him to a triple."

Going into the tournament, Slatter admitted that he was fully prepared for the challenge this year,

"I've been working really hard on my game," he stated. "I had a very solid tournament. I think I missed three spares in 20 games, so it was an all-around good game. I was able to control my nerves in the final game and execute. It feels good to win it three in a row. I know it's the first since Mario's has been around. I know nobody has done it there, but I'm not sure if anyone did it at the old Village Bowling Lanes."

Slatter, who is employed at Royal Fidelity, hung out with his fellow bowlers after the competition to celebrate a little before he went on and enjoyed a festive night with his family, which he called a "team effort" because "they put up with you after all the money you spend in practice."

Four of the players in the TV roll-off will be heading to Calgary, Canada, in August for the Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON) Senior Tournament.

However, Slatter will miss out as the national champion to represent the country at the World Cup in Las Vegas, Nevada. That honour belongs to Davis who, along with Driskell Rolle, earned the rights to travel after the federation already hosted a separate qualifying tournament.

Having won in 2013 and 2015, Rolle said she didn't feel any pressure in pulling off this victory over Janice Hoyte. As the top seed, Rolle waited as Hoyte had to defeat Angela 'Angie' Smith, Tara Johnson and Jonice 'Joy' Lockhart in the first three rounds respectively. "I played well throughout the opening rounds in the first 15-20 games where I averaged over 191 and so with that and going into the step ladder final, I felt well knowing that I had bowled well in the previous games," she reflected. "The step ladder final is only one game and anything could happen, but I felt I had a good chance."

But as the number one seed going into the final, Rolle said she got a little itchy, but she managed to calm down her nerves and pulled it off.

"It was a long way and all the persons who bowled before me, already know the lanes and with me coming on as the number one seed, I only had four balls on each lane to practice before I bowled. so it was difficult for me to find the line in that short space of time. So there was so nervousness, but I had to find my line really quickly."

Rolle, a banker by profession, said bowling in two separate leagues coming into the nationals really helped her in her performance.

"I averaged 193 in the City League and 200 in the Banker's League, so I felt confident. I was bowling the ball very well and I was consistently hitting my mark," she pointed out. "So going into this tournament, I had a lot of confident that I would bowl very well, considering that I had not bowled that well in the step ladder in the past.

"But I was confident with myself knowing that I had pout in the hard work in the other leagues prior to coming into the nationals and I was hoping that it would carry over here. I felt I was bowling very well, so I was confident that I could do it in the nationals and I did."

And while the nationals leave hr with bragging rights as the champion again, she will now prepare to travel with Davis to the World Cup in Las Vegas from November 4-11.

Also from the tournament, Sarah Penn defeated P'Ante Rolle to clinch the junior girls' title, while Clarence Sargent won the boys' title over Carsean Clarke.

Federation's public relations officer Clayton Gardiner said it was an exciting two weeks of intense competition and they want to thank Mario's Bowling and Raymond Adderley and his technicians for ensuring that the event was as successful as it turned out.