Bowling: Williams looks to make history at Greater Detroit Open finals

TAYLOR -- On the final day of qualifying, Walter Ray Williams, Jr. needed to shoot a 259 to make the top 32 cut. When you win 33 championships, you know what to do to get the job done. At the Greater Detroit Open, he got the job done making it by 3 pins. Now, he's on track to go after his 34th title. "It would be nice to finally get that ever elusive victory," says Williams. With a victory, Williams, Jr. would tie Mark Roth for second place on the all time carrer titles list.

Williams' path to the championship round includes: a 3-2 dogfight win over Parker Bohn III in the round of 32, 3-2 win over Jason Queen, and a 3-1 win in the round of 8 over Robert Smith. "Robert is a powerful young bowler," says Williams. "I was fortunate to make some good shots against him. I'm hoping for alittle help from the other bowlers so that I don't have to face him again on TV." Even though ninth seeded Smith lost the match against the 32rd seeded Williams, Jr., he made the TV finals as the wild card entrant because he had the best record during match play.

The fifth seed Chris Barnes will be making his fourth appearance on TV this year and his second appearance in this new format. He beat Nick Vogelgesang in the round of 32, Tony Reyes in the round of 16. And in the round of 8, defeated Ann Arbor's Mika Koivunieni, 3-1. "Mika had some tough luck out there tonight," said Barnes. "If it wasn't for some unfortunate splits popping up, the momentum could have shifted either way."

Two bowlers who bowled a 300 game during qualifying face each other in one of the last matches of the night. Third seeded Steve Hoskins lost to sixth seed Patrick Allen, 3-1. Allen's victories included: 3-1 win over Brian LeClair and a 3-2 victory of Joe Salvemini. This is Allen's first championship round appearance and sixth match play appearance this season. Allen's opponent will be the tenth seeded Jason Hurd. Hurd used a 279, 230 and a 226 to defeat Paul Koehler, 3-2. "Paul (Koehler) made me bowl," said Hurd. "Tomarrow is another day. I've gotta bowl just as good on TV." Hurd's path of destruction included wins over Chesterfield Township's Chris Sand (3-0), and seventh seeded Jason Couch (3-1).

The TV finals for the Greater Detroit Open will be live on ESPN starting at 8pm. The match lineup looks like this: "The wild card" Robert Smith vs. Walter Ray Williams, Jr., Jason Hurd vs. Patrick Allen, Smith/Williams winner vs. Chris Barnes.

Darrin Hill is a freelance writer.