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Region's top bowlers hit lanes Friday By TIM TROWER If the exhibition this year is anything like last year's, the top bowlers in the region will put on quite a show in the Southern Oregon Merchants Masters. The tournament is Friday through Sunday at Medford Lanes. "You really can't expect it," says event director Bill Brickey of a repeat of last year. "That was above and beyond the call of duty." In 1998, the fourth annual tourney, five 300 games were bowled, including two by Jim Brockbank as he made his way to the finals. Once there, he challenged Jason Bieghler, who rolled his own 300 and won the championship. Bieghler had a two-game total of 547 in the final match to Brockbank's 404. "We've had a number of 300s over the four years, but that was a big year for us," says Brickey, adding that Jim Carlson had an 800 series. The weekend begins with a pro-am tournament Friday, with squads at 5 and 8 p.m. Openings remain, with costs of $16 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for juniors. A field of 100, which would be an increase of 10 from last year, is expected for the regular tournament. Qualifying is from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday. After two three-game sets by each bowler, the field will be cut to 52. After three more games each, it goes to 32. On Sunday, those left are seeded into a double-elimination bracket and begin play at 9:30 a.m. They'll roll two-game sets until a champion emerges. Bieghler, as the defending champion, is automatically seeded into the final 32. He should be a threat to win again, says Brickey, as should Chuck Eilenberger and Brockbank. Eilenberger is among the hottest of the entrants, having won the September Southern Oregon All-Stars Tournament in Klamath Falls. He's bowled well for at least the past six months, says Brickey. Brockbank has a history of high finishes in this tourney. He won the inaugural event in '95 in addition to being second last year. Other contenders include Jerome Lee, Bob Korth and Kevin Croucher. They'll find the lanes more difficult than normal, as they were last year despite the big numbers. "We set the lanes up a little tougher, make it a little more demanding," says Brickey. "We want the bowlers who are bowling the best to rise to the top." It could be an unusually long road for someone on Sunday. With the two-game sets and double-elimination format, a first-round loser could advance through the loser's bracket and end up in the finals, bowling 13 rounds, or 26 games. Lee was faced with a similar prospect in 1996. He lost in the second round, then got hot and climbed all the way to the finals, where he lost. He bowled 20 games Sunday. "That's a lot even for bowlers who are used to bowling a lot," says Brickey. First place, based on a full field, is $1,700. The runner-up would earn $1,200. The estimated purse, with $8,000 contributed by local merchants, is $13,000. For information on entering the pro-am or the Merchant Masters, call Brickey at 772-2682. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.