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PUBLISHED: Wednesday, May 2, 2007
New faces emerge for Bowler of the Year honors

Moughler rises to take men's crown


SANDUSKY - Michael Moughler was not on anybody's short-list of potential favorites to win Bowler of the Year honors. But it was Moughler that proved to be the hottest on the lanes Saturday night.

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Averaging nearly 222 per game for the night, Moughler rolled to the Men's championship at the Bowler of the Tournament by stopping veteran, and former champion, John Milletics, 198-187, in the finals. The tournament, in its 26th season and held at Liberty Lanes in Sandusky, is sponsored by the Sanilac County News.

After making the championship field of 16 by qualifying as the No. 6 seed (682 three-game actual series), Moughler, who lives near Deckerville, advanced to the title game by knocking off Marshall Smith 225-171, Maurice Weltin 203-182, and, in the semifinals, two-time B.O.Y champ Paul Faszczewski, the No. 2 seed (715), 244-170.

As a first-time championship series qualifier at the tournament, Moughler withstood the pressure of matching up with Milletics, the 1992 title winner who has bowled in many pro events in a distinguished career. Milletics was the No. 1 seed after the qualifying rounds by stroking a 727 series.

Moughler showed no signs of fear, starting the finals with three strikes. Milletics, after a first-frame open, battled back to a three pin lead in the fifth frame by constructing a four-bagger while Moughler had opened in the fourth.

Two more opens in the sixth and the eighth frames by Milletics proved to be the difference, Moughler stayed clean the rest of the way, forcing the pressure-tested Milletics to come from behind. After a strike in the ninth, Milletics needed three in the 10th to nip Moughler by a pin. He settled for a nine-spare and a strike and Moughler became the 21st different men's champion in the history of the tournament.

Milletics, a longtime Sandusky area resident, reached the title match by defeating Trever Campbell 202-195, Chris Babcock 214-201, and Ken Pierce II 225-119. He showed his resilience in each of those matches with 10th frame rallies in all three.

Others reaching the group of 16 in the championship series were Dan Paehlig, Josh Anderson, Al Kipp, Tom Albrecht, Eric Oswald, George McGuire, Tim Mata and Rick Kappel.





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