AUBURN #- Rick Liccion heard from an old friend Sunday morning. It was Don Stoddard, who, in 1985, defeated Liccion to win The Citizen Masters.
“That call came from completely out of the blue,” Liccion said. “He wished me luck and said he would be down to watch me.”
Liccion didn't bowl well back then, but he certainly atoned on Sunday.
The 42-year-old firefighter defeated a weary Jim Relfe, 763-610, to win the championship at Starlite Lanes. He hoisted the Ted “Baldy” Skowron trophy to cheers from friends, family and bowling fans.
Relfe had forced an extra match when he sent Liccion to the losers' bracket with a 740-699 triumph.
“I wanted to come out with a big game because I knew Jimmy was getting tired,” said Liccion, who fired the first six strikes in the title match that led to a 266-170 lead after one game.
“I wasn't tired at all.”
Coming out big was Liccion's theme. He intentionally tried to beat Relfe to the approach so he could throw first and apply quick pressure.
“Obviously, that didn't work in my second match against Jimmy, but I wanted to try to put as much pressure on him as I could.”
And indeed, Liccion had plenty in the tank all day. He defeated Relfe in the winners' bracket match, 741-710, tossing games of 250, 246 and 245, then walked off some nervous energy as he waited to see who his finals opponent would be.
Relfe emerged as a formidable challenger. Despite wrist surgery that kept him on the shelf for two months last fall, Relfe showed strong form. He ousted J.R. Ryan, 708-641, in the semifinals, setting up a rematch with Liccion.
“My wrist wasn't that bad,” Relfe said. “It was my stamina that kept me from winning. So many games tired me out, even mentally.”
Ryan set the tone for the high-scoring day when he eliminated Steve Suslik, 744-579, in the losers' bracket. Ryan opened up a 501-331 two-game lead over his longtime friend. They stood as best men at each other's weddings, but both were all business on the lanes.
“I wasn't tense and my swing was free,” Suslik said in trying to explain his disappointing play over the weekend.
“I'm surprised I didn't strike more. I drilled a new ball (Saturday) night, and in practice I wanted to see how it came off my thumb. But when the lights came on, I decided to stay with the ball I had.”
Ryan was hoping to win the championship with his wife, Angie, who eventually finished runner-up in the women's tournament. In his match against Relfe, the left-hander didn't have an open frame. But with Relfe starting with games of 237 and 268 to take a 67-pin lead, strikes were in order.
“You can't win it with spares,” Ryan said after the match, brushing off any thoughts of stress and wishing he were still competing. “But I'm not complaining. I love this stuff. I would have had to really light'em up to beat Jimmy.”
In the first finals match, Relfe opened with a seven-bagger en route to a 252, while Liccion had 213. In the second game, Liccion started with five straight strikes while Relfe opened in three of his first five frames. Suddenly, Liccion was back in the hunt.
But Relfe changed balls, moved left and swung his shot wide. The result was a six-bagger, and damage control. He lost the game by only 224-211, and kept striking in the third, which he won 277-262 to force another match.
Despite the loss, Liccion remained confident. He took a 96-pin lead after the first game, then came back with 243 to Relfe's 220.
Relfe's family hoped for a turn of events. His wife, Karen, sat with hands clenched, while Rebecca, 17, a youthful supporter throughout the tournament, cheered her father's every strike.
But it wasn't to be. Liccion struck on his first six shots the last game and went on to outscore Relfe, 254-220.
“I was bowling with friends out here. It was competitive, but it was also relaxing,” said the 38-year-old Relfe. “I'm not disappointed at all. I've never gotten this far before.”
“I'm proud of you, dad,” Rebecca said as she clutched her father's Joseph Catalfano Sr. Memorial Trophy for finishing runner-up.
Liccion said he never felt a void after narrowly losing the title to Stoddard so many years ago. His memories of that time are of some not-so-stellar bowling, including a Stoddard gutter ball, his own open frames and sub-600 matches.
But this was a whole new ballgame. Liccion, who hadn't been throwing the ball well in the weeks leading up to the tournament, said teammates Suslik and Benny Appleby took him aside recently and helped him drill up three new balls.
“They changed the pitch in my thumb, shortened the fingers” it made a huge difference, and I have to credit them for getting me straightened out.“
And the result was a Masters championship for Liccion, who chatted on his cell phone and bought his friends a drink as he soaked in the moment.
Notes: Mike Lumb presented two $50 savings bonds in memory of his grandfather, George Lumb, to the tournament's high qualifiers Dan Guzalak (731) and Sean O'Donnell (714)... Liccion had the high average (230.89) among the eight finalists to win the George Vitetta Memorial Award, which was presented by his granddaughter, Toni Youtt, and he also received a watch in memory of Stan Roche Sr. All of that, plus $500 for winning ... Relfe earned $250 for finishing runner-up ... Appleby, with his high series of 815, captured the James Locastro Sr. Memorial Award of $100 and a plaque ... Ryan finished third ($200), Suslik was fourth ($150), Cory Slater came in fifth ($125), Harold Frisbie finished sixth ($125), Mike Feldman was seventh ($100) and Todd Wilcox came in eighth ($100).
The Citizen Masters Results
Men's Tournament
Starlite Lanes
11 a.m.
Winners' Bracket
Rick Liccion 741 def. Jim Relfe 710
Losers' Bracket
J.R. Ryan 744 def. Steve Suslik 579
12:30 p.m.
Losers' Bracket
Relfe 708 def. Ryan 641
2 p.m. Finals
Relfe 740 def. Liccion 699
3 p.m. Finals
Liccion 763 def. Relfe 610
Liccion didn't bowl well back then, but he certainly atoned on Sunday.
The 42-year-old firefighter defeated a weary Jim Relfe, 763-610, to win the championship at Starlite Lanes. He hoisted the Ted “Baldy” Skowron trophy to cheers from friends, family and bowling fans.
Relfe had forced an extra match when he sent Liccion to the losers' bracket with a 740-699 triumph.
“I wanted to come out with a big game because I knew Jimmy was getting tired,” said Liccion, who fired the first six strikes in the title match that led to a 266-170 lead after one game.
“I wasn't tired at all.”
Coming out big was Liccion's theme. He intentionally tried to beat Relfe to the approach so he could throw first and apply quick pressure.
“Obviously, that didn't work in my second match against Jimmy, but I wanted to try to put as much pressure on him as I could.”
And indeed, Liccion had plenty in the tank all day. He defeated Relfe in the winners' bracket match, 741-710, tossing games of 250, 246 and 245, then walked off some nervous energy as he waited to see who his finals opponent would be.
Relfe emerged as a formidable challenger. Despite wrist surgery that kept him on the shelf for two months last fall, Relfe showed strong form. He ousted J.R. Ryan, 708-641, in the semifinals, setting up a rematch with Liccion.
“My wrist wasn't that bad,” Relfe said. “It was my stamina that kept me from winning. So many games tired me out, even mentally.”
Ryan set the tone for the high-scoring day when he eliminated Steve Suslik, 744-579, in the losers' bracket. Ryan opened up a 501-331 two-game lead over his longtime friend. They stood as best men at each other's weddings, but both were all business on the lanes.
“I wasn't tense and my swing was free,” Suslik said in trying to explain his disappointing play over the weekend.
“I'm surprised I didn't strike more. I drilled a new ball (Saturday) night, and in practice I wanted to see how it came off my thumb. But when the lights came on, I decided to stay with the ball I had.”
Ryan was hoping to win the championship with his wife, Angie, who eventually finished runner-up in the women's tournament. In his match against Relfe, the left-hander didn't have an open frame. But with Relfe starting with games of 237 and 268 to take a 67-pin lead, strikes were in order.
“You can't win it with spares,” Ryan said after the match, brushing off any thoughts of stress and wishing he were still competing. “But I'm not complaining. I love this stuff. I would have had to really light'em up to beat Jimmy.”
In the first finals match, Relfe opened with a seven-bagger en route to a 252, while Liccion had 213. In the second game, Liccion started with five straight strikes while Relfe opened in three of his first five frames. Suddenly, Liccion was back in the hunt.
But Relfe changed balls, moved left and swung his shot wide. The result was a six-bagger, and damage control. He lost the game by only 224-211, and kept striking in the third, which he won 277-262 to force another match.
Despite the loss, Liccion remained confident. He took a 96-pin lead after the first game, then came back with 243 to Relfe's 220.
Relfe's family hoped for a turn of events. His wife, Karen, sat with hands clenched, while Rebecca, 17, a youthful supporter throughout the tournament, cheered her father's every strike.
But it wasn't to be. Liccion struck on his first six shots the last game and went on to outscore Relfe, 254-220.
“I was bowling with friends out here. It was competitive, but it was also relaxing,” said the 38-year-old Relfe. “I'm not disappointed at all. I've never gotten this far before.”
“I'm proud of you, dad,” Rebecca said as she clutched her father's Joseph Catalfano Sr. Memorial Trophy for finishing runner-up.
Liccion said he never felt a void after narrowly losing the title to Stoddard so many years ago. His memories of that time are of some not-so-stellar bowling, including a Stoddard gutter ball, his own open frames and sub-600 matches.
But this was a whole new ballgame. Liccion, who hadn't been throwing the ball well in the weeks leading up to the tournament, said teammates Suslik and Benny Appleby took him aside recently and helped him drill up three new balls.
“They changed the pitch in my thumb, shortened the fingers” it made a huge difference, and I have to credit them for getting me straightened out.“
And the result was a Masters championship for Liccion, who chatted on his cell phone and bought his friends a drink as he soaked in the moment.
Notes: Mike Lumb presented two $50 savings bonds in memory of his grandfather, George Lumb, to the tournament's high qualifiers Dan Guzalak (731) and Sean O'Donnell (714)... Liccion had the high average (230.89) among the eight finalists to win the George Vitetta Memorial Award, which was presented by his granddaughter, Toni Youtt, and he also received a watch in memory of Stan Roche Sr. All of that, plus $500 for winning ... Relfe earned $250 for finishing runner-up ... Appleby, with his high series of 815, captured the James Locastro Sr. Memorial Award of $100 and a plaque ... Ryan finished third ($200), Suslik was fourth ($150), Cory Slater came in fifth ($125), Harold Frisbie finished sixth ($125), Mike Feldman was seventh ($100) and Todd Wilcox came in eighth ($100).
The Citizen Masters Results
Men's Tournament
Starlite Lanes
11 a.m.
Winners' Bracket
Rick Liccion 741 def. Jim Relfe 710
Losers' Bracket
J.R. Ryan 744 def. Steve Suslik 579
12:30 p.m.
Losers' Bracket
Relfe 708 def. Ryan 641
2 p.m. Finals
Relfe 740 def. Liccion 699
3 p.m. Finals
Liccion 763 def. Relfe 610
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