BEAT THE CHAMPS: Jacqueline Ybarra hoping experience makes difference
BY DALE BOWMAN For Sun-Times Media March 9, 2013 5:13PM
Women bowlers warm up before competing in the Beat the Champs Sectional at Castaways Bowl, 1025 Sibley Blvd., Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Calumet City. | John J. Kim~Sun-Times
BEAT THE CHAMPIONS: WOMEN’s FINALISTs
Noon Sunday • At Sunset Bowl, Waukegan
Bowler Center AVG HCP
Pamela Allen Homewood 167 154
Tinecha Banks Dolton 191 68
Melissa Blanchard Castaways 213 0
Sharon Bright Dolton 190 72
Carolyn Budz El Mar 178 115
Armandia Collins Dolton 149 219
Sandra Dekoj Hoffman 204 21
Jo Ann Gilbert Hillside 178 115
Helen Gradowski Hawthorn 196 50
Nancy Guiden Skyway 151 212
Lisa Gulick Bluebird 219 0
Roberta Hall Rolling 179 111
Jean Held Forest 148 223
Sandra House Halsted 147 226
Amy Jakubiak Classic 171 140
Stephanie Jakubiak River Grove 165 162
Bowler Center AVG HCP
Chardel Johnson Homewood 137 262
Chris Kamplain Tinley Park 176 122
Laurel Larsen Raymond’s 199 39
Jennifer Laskov Timber 120 324
Barb Lehr Hoffman 163 169
Wanda Long Skyway 133 277
Amy Lutchen Oak Forest 160 180
Hanni Merritt Homewood 152 208
Jacqueline Nelson Arena 171 140
Carrie Palumbo Suburbanite 171 140
Ronda Perry Burr Oak 178 115
Edwana Rodgers Castaways 174 129
Stacy Royalty Four Seasons 211 0
Patrice Turner Irving Park 174 129
Keesha Watts Homewood 141 248
Jackie Ybarra Town Hall 177 118
Updated: March 9, 2013 11:08PM
Jacqueline Ybarra of Burbank knows something about the women’s finals of Beat the Champions. She finished 21st in 2008, winning a bowling bag and ball.
She’ll be back again for the women’s finals of the 52nd annual Champs at noon Sunday at Sunset Bowl in Waukegan.
This is already a historic women’s finals, with the first mother-daughter combination — mom Amy Jakubiak and daughter Stephanie Jakubiak — competing.
‘‘I don’t know if [prior finals
experience] helps or not,’’ Ybarra said. ‘‘I feel that I have gotten better as a bowler.’’
Ybarra, a stay-at-home mom with three children, comes into the finals with a 177 average out of Town Hall Bowl. That gives her 118 pins of handicap for the four games of the finals.
Bowlers jump two pairs of lanes after each game. The scratch line is 210. Those averaging less than 210 add 90 percent of the difference as handicap.
Only three out of 32 women finalists have scratch averages: Melissa Blanchard (213), Lisa Gulick (219) and Stacy Royalty (211).
While Ybarra knows something about the format of the finals, she knows nothing about Sunset.
‘‘Never been there; I’ve never seen it,’’ she said. ‘‘I don’t think I even heard of it until I was told I was bowling there for the finals.’’
Ybarra hoped to get there before Sunday, at least to see it. If not, she will show up and bowl her best.
She only will have her two bowling balls and a bowling friend
with her.
‘‘I am trying not to take anybody other than a friend I bowl with,’’ Ybarra said. ‘‘She keeps me focused and relaxed. If I need water, she gets me water.’’
Then keep her eye on the prize.
‘‘My hope is for the car,’’ Ybarra said.
The top prize this year is a 2013 Ford automobile from the Chicagoland Ford Dealers.
But the biggest winner is charity. In the first 51 years the Sun-Times and the Chicagoland Bowling Proprietors Association have co-sponsored Champs, 5,657,412 entries have raised nearly $2.8 million for charity.
