Paeng sizzles, tops WC qualifier

Four-time World Cup champion Paeng Nepomuceno rolled a 12-game series of 2709 pinfalls to rule the Superbowl center finals Monday in the ongoing Bowling World Cup national eliminations.

The lefty Nepomuceno, one of the four keglers seeded into the Philippine team to the Doha Asian Games this December, finished ahead of Jay Carabeo, who tallied 2675, and William Monedero, who carded 2537.

Ditas dela Merced topped the ladies’ elimination with 1681.

Others who also made it to the national finals from four centers were Mar Serac, Rolly Manalili, Jojo Ventura, Lilian Teano and Norma Nuevo (Coronado Lanes/Starlanes), Mel Amario, Eric Aranez, Wanda Teer and Alice Cabazor (Metrobowl/Metropolis), Willy Ng, Ben Diaz and Anna Ng (Puyat Sports Baguio) and Ramer Medrana, Ed Vargas and Becky Ramirez (Coastal Lanes).

Serac scored 2520 to pull away from Manalili (2326) and Ventura (2284), Teano fired 1548 to pace Norma Nuevo (1398), Almario amassed 2645 to outsteady Aranez (2633), Teer and Cabazor posted 1794 and 1728, respectively; Ng finished five pins ahead of Diaz with 2006 while Ng rolled 1428 and Medrana, Vargas and Ramirez submitted 2298, 2147 and 1470, respectively.

Competition in 18 other AMF Puyat centers are still going on.

Nepomuceno was hot from the start, recording 245 en route to a 225.75 average.

His other lines were 215, 232, 256, 278, 169, 182, 255, 235, 187, 236 and 219.

The tourney, which will determine the country’s male and female representatives to the 42nd World Cup international finals in Caracas, Venezuela on Nov. 4-10, also serves as part of Nepomuceno’s Doha Asiad preparation.

The second center finals will be held in September.