I bowled a tournament that was 3 games qualifying and then top 5 step ladder two years ago. Me and my friend, who I bowled on the same lane with, ended up tieing(sp?) in qualifying with 656 I think. Some how there was an error in the scores that were either sent in or put up. My friend some how caught it knowing he should have gotten fifth, it was corrected, and we rolled off with a 9th/10th frame. I think I go XX9/ and he goes 9/9/X with 8 and 6 pins(he's lefty) but either way I beat him.
So I qualify for fifth and proceed to the step-ladder pair. Almost immediately I notice my carry isn't as good here so I switch balls a few frames into the first game. Other than that and the fact that I through some shots brooklyn and still carried I don't remember much including scores until the championship match. Yes, I climbed the ladder to that point, and it was an awesome feeling. Now, I'm up against a lefty that shot 799 I believe in qualifying. He was on my pair too, but even though he's now bowling on a different one I didn't feel that would help me much. He had an early lead on me with a few strikes, but a window started to open when he left two splits, which he didn't make. That was around the middle of the game, and we stayed pretty close for the rest of the game. I believe I went X81 in the 10th to shoot 223. He needed XX then X to win and 9 to tie. I walked away for his 10th frame, and started packing my things because I figured there wasn't a chance for me considering how locked in he'd been that day. He buries the first two, and I start walking towards behind the lane as he's throwing his last shot to see that he leaves a POCKET 6-10. I win by a measly stick.
Luck must have been on my side that day because I sure had a bit of it. A few things made it special for me, other than just the win-factor. My parents, coach at the time, a teammate/friend from league were there to see it happen. My friend that tied in qualifying with me was sitting in the bowler's area of the pair rooting me on all the way, which was the best thing about it in my book.
