Devyn Williams Captures 2010 Sean Rash Stars of the Future

December 28, 2010

By ANDY MORTON, GAUSBCA President

Devyn Williams won the 2010 Sean Rash Stars of the Future Tournament December 22 at Jewel Lake Bowl in Anchorage, Alaska.  He beat Lauren Eggleton 224 to 160 in the championship match to claim the title and the $950 scholarship.  Eggleton won a $625 scholarship for her efforts.

Williams took the lead after game two of the first round of qualifying and never relinquished it.  In dominating fashion, Williams won for the 2^nd time in three years.  He is only the 2^nd multi-time winner of the tournament joining Sean Rash, who won it a record 6 times between 1996 and 2002.

“Feels pretty good.  Feels like I was walking on a cloud all day,” Williams commented during a phone interview following his victory.  “Logan (William’s younger brother) told me that Rash and I were the only multi-time winners of the tournament, which is pretty special.”  

Williams qualified for the finals as the #1 seed, but had to face red-hot Eggleton who qualified as the #3 seed and had dispatched her previous two opponents averaging a staggering 235.   She began her stepladder run by defeating #4 seed Nick Dushi with a score of 244 to his 194.  She followed that match up by defeating #2 seed Cory Wiles 227 to 163.  Dushi earned a $300 scholarship for his 4^th place finish, while Wiles took home a $425 scholarship for his 3^rd place finish.

In the opening stepladder match between the #5 seed Colton Morris and Dushi; Dushi rolled a 277 game to Morris’ 195 to advance to face Eggleton.  Morris grabbed a $200 scholarship for his 5^th place finish.

Not since the days of Rash have we seen a bowler dominate the field as Williams did.  He led the first qualifying round by 100 pins over 2^nd place qualifier Jacques Kaune averaging 242 per game.  That lead after six games also netted him an entry into the Junior Gold Championships in 2011.  When the 14 advancers began round two, the pins did not carry over from round one of qualifying.  Every bowler was tied at zero beginning the Swiss match play portion of the tournament.  Williams didn’t hesitate and quickly grabbed the lead after game one with a 288 (308 with bonus).  He finished his four match play games with an average of 243 including bonus pins.

When asked how this tournament compares to victories in other tournaments, Williams responded, “It’s the Sean Rash tournament.  Best of the best come out for this one.  You’re never going to forget the first time you win this tournament, but to lead nearly the whole thing is pretty amazing so this one feels pretty good.”

Sean Rash added, “Devyn’s performance was fun to watch.  This is his 2^nd time winning this event, but this time he dominated through qualifying and in the Swiss style match play.  He has a lot of potential and I look forward to watching his career over the next few years.”

Twenty-eight youth bowlers took to the lanes for this year’s tournament.  The bowlers bowled six games of qualifying before cutting the field in half.  Scores were then erased and those 14 bowlers bowled four Swiss style match play games with 20 bonus pins being awarded for beating your opponent.  The top five players after those four games advanced to the stepladder finals.

The tournament, a staple of the youth bowling season in Alaska for the past 16 years, runs annually around the holiday season.  PBA star Sean Rash has run the tournament since the age of 12 and handed out just under $25,000 in scholarships over the years.  With the help of his parents Diana and Gene, the tournament has become one of the largest stand alone scratch scholarship tournaments in the State of Alaska.

“When I decided to start this tournament back in 1996, I wanted to give the youth bowlers another scratch bowling tournament to prepare for the Coca-Cola and State Tournaments,” Rash said.  Rash, who’s won it six times said his fondest memory is shooting 300 in his final time bowling in the tournament.  “I tied the record for the most 300’s shot by a youth bowler in the nation and went on to win the tournament.”

 “We love it when Sean comes back to Alaska every year to run his tournament.  He really gets the youth bowlers excited about bowling, plus he is a great example of where bowling can take you.  Not necessarily the fame and success he’s enjoyed on the PBA Tour, but as far as his education goes.  He’s got a four-year degree paid for primarily through bowling scholarships and it really gives these kids a reason to stay involved in this game,” said Andy Morton, President of the Greater Anchorage USBC Association.

Throughout the year, Sean and his parents collect donations and autographed photos and memorabilia of other PBA Stars, including Walter Ray Williams, Jr., Pete Weber, Tommy Jones, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Parker Bohn III, Wes Malott, Bill O’Neill, and Chris Barnes.  They also donate various prizes to provide to participants of the event.  The couple also donates a Junior Gold qualifying spot to the high qualifier after six games.  This year’s tournament paid out $2,600 in scholarships.  Brunswick, who sponsors Rash on the pro bowling tour also donated two high performance bowling balls.

Rash closed by saying, “Over the years, we have given out almost $25,000 in scholarships.  I would just like to thank all of the people over the years that have helped make this event so special to me and my family.  Without the help of my wonderful parents, Gene and Diana, this event would never have lasted.  Thank you Alaska for making it one of the best events around for youth bowlers to test their skills and improve their games.”

Other tournament notes:  Laramie Rainer won $100 scholarship for placing as the 2^nd highest female finisher.  She finished 7^th overall.  There were 28 competitors, of which 12 were girls and 16 were boys. Lauren Eggleton’s 2^nd place finish is the 2^nd best finish ever by a female in the 16 year history of the tournament.  In 2009, Kelly Clapper became the first female to win the Sean Rash tournament.  It is only coincidence that she shares the same first name as the more well-known Kelly Kulick who topped a field of men to become the first woman to win a PBA Tour title at last year’s Tournament of Champions.