SKANEATELES - They were both running on empty.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
Rebecca O'Donnell sends a practice ball down the lane before beginning the final round of The Citizen Masters Tournament at Cedar House Lanes in Skaneateles on Sunday.
Rebecca O'Donnell sends a practice ball down the lane before beginning the final round of The Citizen Masters Tournament at Cedar House Lanes in Skaneateles on Sunday.
Becca O'Donnell rolled in her 12th game of the day at Cedar House Lanes, while Patty Blowers' illness took its toll.
Blowers led the final match of the Women's Citizen Masters by nine pins after two games. But she was beyond tired. Blowers couldn't throw a double, and when she opened in the seventh, eighth and ninth frames, her courageous effort was over.
O'Donnell emerged with a 543-524 victory to win the tournament, and a first prize of $250.
“I was exhausted, but I never wanted to think I could lose,” Blowers said. She has breast cancer, and has had two sessions of chemotherapy in the last month, including one last week.
All of the stolen glances back at her husband, Bingo, as she walked off the approach Sunday weren't going to win it for her. Bingo Blowers is also battling cancer, but he couldn't stay away. He stood firm, watching every shot Patty made.
O'Donnell was courageous, too. She had already won two straight matches, including a 578-574 triumph to send Blowers to the losers' bracket, but wasn't sure if she could go on.
From somewhere, O'Donnell summoned the energy. She fired two doubles in that final game, highlighting her triumph.
“I think I'm going to pass out,” she said moments after the victory.
With the title secured, O'Donnell joins her mother, Diane, sister, Denise Ryan, and brother-in-law, Mike Ryan, as a Masters champion.
“This is best feeling ever,” said Becca, who also received the Helen Dudek Championship Trophy and flowers from Anne McDonald, Dudek's sister.
“It's so nice to win it for my mom.”
Indeed, she earned it. O'Donnell opened with 235 in the final match, but survived a 127 second game to take the crown.
Blowers looked like she might hang on. She rolled 191 and 182, throwing a firm, consistent down-and-in shot. But it truly was a struggle, and she finished with 151.
“I was sucking wind, if it's OK to say that,” she said. “It was very hard to make a good shot.”
For her runner-up finish, Blowers picked up $125, along with the Izzie Gentilcore Memorial Trophy.
Blowers was impressive early on. In the winners' bracket match, she rolled her last eight straight strikes for a 248 game en route to a 663-549 victory over O'Donnell.
That allowed Blowers to sit back and wait for her finals opponent.
“I'm feeling good, but I'm very up,” she said during her break. “I just need to relax a bit and I'll be all right.”
O'Donnell, meanwhile, kept her chances alive.
She defeated Sara Chalupnicki, 645-581, to get a rematch with Blowers.
Chalupnicki, who eliminated Amy Pidlypchak, 560-554, took home $90 for finishing third.
She also won a plaque honoring Betty Locastro, a longtime supporter of Auburn bowling.
Amy Pidlypchak finished fourth ($80), Joan Ashby was fifth ($70), Angie Ryan placed sixth ($70), K.C. Lorey was seventh ($60) and Chick Pidlypchak finished eighth ($60).
In the first three-game final, O'Donnell lost the opener, 194-160. She rebounded with 209 to take a seven-pin lead. But Blowers started the third game with four strikes, and stayed clean up until the 10th frame. Then, needing a spare to win the championship, disaster struck.
Blowers came up high and left the 3-6-7-10 split, which she couldn't convert. O'Donnell spared to get the four-pin victory.
“That was just payback time for me. I had to accept it,” said Blowers, who watched opponent Joan Ashby leave a split in the 10th frame Saturday, allowing Patty to stay in the winners' bracket.
Through it all, O'Donnell viewed Blowers as a formidable challenger. She knew the crowd stood in favor of Blowers, but that didn't keep her from pushing forward.
“I never let up. I couldn't, because Patty is a tremendous bowler,” O'Donnell said. “Even as tired as I was, I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work to beat her.”
For sure, it was a courageous effort.
11 a.m. Sunday
Cedar House Lanes
Winners' Bracket
Patty Blowers 663 def. Becca O'Donnell 549
Losers' Bracket
Sara Chalupnicki 560 def. Amy Pidlypchak 554
12:30 p.m.
Losers' Bracket
Becca O'Donnell 645 def. Sara Chalupnicki 581
2 p.m. Finals
Becca O'Donnell 578 def. Patty Blowers 574
3 p.m. Finals
Becca O'Donnell 543 def. Patty Blowers 524
Blowers led the final match of the Women's Citizen Masters by nine pins after two games. But she was beyond tired. Blowers couldn't throw a double, and when she opened in the seventh, eighth and ninth frames, her courageous effort was over.
O'Donnell emerged with a 543-524 victory to win the tournament, and a first prize of $250.
“I was exhausted, but I never wanted to think I could lose,” Blowers said. She has breast cancer, and has had two sessions of chemotherapy in the last month, including one last week.
All of the stolen glances back at her husband, Bingo, as she walked off the approach Sunday weren't going to win it for her. Bingo Blowers is also battling cancer, but he couldn't stay away. He stood firm, watching every shot Patty made.
O'Donnell was courageous, too. She had already won two straight matches, including a 578-574 triumph to send Blowers to the losers' bracket, but wasn't sure if she could go on.
From somewhere, O'Donnell summoned the energy. She fired two doubles in that final game, highlighting her triumph.
“I think I'm going to pass out,” she said moments after the victory.
With the title secured, O'Donnell joins her mother, Diane, sister, Denise Ryan, and brother-in-law, Mike Ryan, as a Masters champion.
“This is best feeling ever,” said Becca, who also received the Helen Dudek Championship Trophy and flowers from Anne McDonald, Dudek's sister.
“It's so nice to win it for my mom.”
Indeed, she earned it. O'Donnell opened with 235 in the final match, but survived a 127 second game to take the crown.
Blowers looked like she might hang on. She rolled 191 and 182, throwing a firm, consistent down-and-in shot. But it truly was a struggle, and she finished with 151.
“I was sucking wind, if it's OK to say that,” she said. “It was very hard to make a good shot.”
For her runner-up finish, Blowers picked up $125, along with the Izzie Gentilcore Memorial Trophy.
Blowers was impressive early on. In the winners' bracket match, she rolled her last eight straight strikes for a 248 game en route to a 663-549 victory over O'Donnell.
That allowed Blowers to sit back and wait for her finals opponent.
“I'm feeling good, but I'm very up,” she said during her break. “I just need to relax a bit and I'll be all right.”
O'Donnell, meanwhile, kept her chances alive.
She defeated Sara Chalupnicki, 645-581, to get a rematch with Blowers.
Chalupnicki, who eliminated Amy Pidlypchak, 560-554, took home $90 for finishing third.
She also won a plaque honoring Betty Locastro, a longtime supporter of Auburn bowling.
Amy Pidlypchak finished fourth ($80), Joan Ashby was fifth ($70), Angie Ryan placed sixth ($70), K.C. Lorey was seventh ($60) and Chick Pidlypchak finished eighth ($60).
In the first three-game final, O'Donnell lost the opener, 194-160. She rebounded with 209 to take a seven-pin lead. But Blowers started the third game with four strikes, and stayed clean up until the 10th frame. Then, needing a spare to win the championship, disaster struck.
Blowers came up high and left the 3-6-7-10 split, which she couldn't convert. O'Donnell spared to get the four-pin victory.
“That was just payback time for me. I had to accept it,” said Blowers, who watched opponent Joan Ashby leave a split in the 10th frame Saturday, allowing Patty to stay in the winners' bracket.
Through it all, O'Donnell viewed Blowers as a formidable challenger. She knew the crowd stood in favor of Blowers, but that didn't keep her from pushing forward.
“I never let up. I couldn't, because Patty is a tremendous bowler,” O'Donnell said. “Even as tired as I was, I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work to beat her.”
For sure, it was a courageous effort.
11 a.m. Sunday
Cedar House Lanes
Winners' Bracket
Patty Blowers 663 def. Becca O'Donnell 549
Losers' Bracket
Sara Chalupnicki 560 def. Amy Pidlypchak 554
12:30 p.m.
Losers' Bracket
Becca O'Donnell 645 def. Sara Chalupnicki 581
2 p.m. Finals
Becca O'Donnell 578 def. Patty Blowers 574
3 p.m. Finals
Becca O'Donnell 543 def. Patty Blowers 524
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