Taurus-RDLR underlined its potential as a legitimate title contender when it clinched its second Team of the Week award in the 8th session of the Qatar Airways-AFTBL 28th Open Conference bowling tournament at Jeddah Lanes here.

Taurus rode a hot start to the week’s best tally of 38 points, well in front of league No. 1 Moe-AFM which pooled 35 points.

A point further adrift at 34 was the surprising Bank Al-Jazira while Sky Freight Forwarders was among the teams that crossed the 30 points mark on 31.

The previous week honoree Jeddah Lanes had little show compared to the last outing on 29 and, as a result, switched places with Taurus, which now occupies third spot in the team standings of this five-man team league event sponsored by Qatar Airways.

Bottom team Lipton Chai Latte compiled 24 points on the night followed by MC Hammer 21, Jem-FTBJ 16 and Jeddah 5000. Idol and Habagat brought up the rear on 11 and 10.

Taurus actually enjoyed a session double after Nap Patayan rolled the high series of 709 on scratch games of 277, 228 and 204 to capture the Bowler of the Week award.

After topping the first game and coming second to Moe in the second Taurus made sure it won the points race after logging the top output of 3,073 for another first-place points of 11.

Jun De Dios and Alex Flora provided robust support to Patayan on 677 and 611 while Joel Nidoy likewise went full games on 541. Erwin Ronquillo and team manager Raul Delos Reyes shared three games between them at 194-169 and 160 respectively.

Taurus joins Jeddah Lanes and Sky Freight as the teams to repeat thus far as Team of the Week, and curiously they are bunched in that order in the team standings next to Moe.

Nonie Yap was the top man at Moe on 663 from lines of 215, 247 and 201. The three men next to him all were solid too with Wilson Triguero carding 599, Danny Bautista 561 and Abdul Obie Ycasas 551. Cesar Monares added 192-201 and Ding Dela Rosa 181.

Coming up big at Bank Al-Jazira were the triumvirate of Randy Mata 641, Ariel Urquia 593 and Atoi Cruz 539. Mike Protacio came through with 535 while Luis Luna had valuable two games of 195-198 and Francis Guron added 186.

Bonnie Garcia hit 627 at the vanguard of a Sky Freight charge that also included 590 from James Galvan, 581 from Cris Villavelez, 530 from Goying Salazar, 192-197 from Rene Santiago and 198 from Pancho Cuevas.

Taking up the cudgels for the host bowlers were Frank Afurong 628, Gerry Mandanas 619 and Igna Salgado 602.

The night’s other 600-series scorers were Hammer’s Zaldy Bacero 610, Jeddah 5K’s Ally Ibin 609 and Salic Mudac of Lipton 602.

Team standings after the 8th week:

1. Moe-AFM 254.5 2. Taurus 248.5 3. Jeddah Lanes 242.0 4. Sky Freight 241.0 5. MC Hammer 212.5 6. Idol 209.0 7. Jem-FTBJ 168.0 8. Habagat 167.0 9. Bank Al Jazira 154.5 10. Jeddah 5K 123.5 11. Lipton Chai Latte 91.5