RIYADH, 14 March 2008 — For all intents and purposes McAfee Warriors put the lock on the championship crown, winning their head-to-head semifinal match against RBC Patriots in the Steak House Wednesday Night Bowling League 3rd Conference at the Riyadh Intercontinental Hotel lanes here.
In the match that all but decided the outcome of the two-horse title race, the Warriors showed they still have more left in the tank by going perfect against the team that had been the thorn in their side for the longest time. The 13-5 victory on total pinfalls of 3,942-3,662 pulled the Warriors 15.5 points clear over their nearest pursuers.
For the Patriots the backlash from their indifferent display could be far worse after surprising Agimat Rabatitat matched McAfee’s perfect 13 in beating Steak House (4 points) on total pinfalls of 3,959-3,657 and elbowed the Patriots out for second place in the standings. Pacific Cargo downed RTBC Team 8-3 (3,617-3,421) and Cool Runnings defeated Bowl Fanatics 7-3 (3,484-3,357) in the other semifinal matches on the 20th week of the five-man team league event sponsored by Steak House restaurant through general manager Ihsan Dalati.
The Warriors swept the win and bonus points for scores of 850 and 950 with games of 955, 1,068, 955 and 965.
Eddie Eder delivered the most lethal blows for the Warriors, shooting a sparkling series of 887 on rounds of 210, 253, 219 and 205. Jeff Jimenez did a good job of backing up Eder with 834, while skipper Manny Isles contributed 749, Boy Del Moral had 747 and Boy Mirando added 725.
The late-blooming Rabatitat drew the best out of Wilson Bacala and Arnel Gordovez, who drilled 858 and 847 respectively at the helm of an efficient display that saw the team compile games of 970, 1,009, 979 and 1,001. Nestor Tercio came through with 762 to go with the 750 by Rabatitat team captain Armin Isles and 741 by Art Yukong.
Thong Asuncion led Pacific Cargo with 844 while Leo Bandiola set the pace for Cool Runnings with 748.
