Detroit Free Press

November 2, 2007

College star makes cut in Motor City Classic

BY MATT FIORITO

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

A quick glance at the top of Thursday's standings at the Denny's PBA Motor City Classic at Taylor Lanes indicates business as usual.

Walter Ray Williams Jr., who has won two of his PBA record 42 titles here is the leader. Doug Kent, the reigning player of the year is second; he won his first title here.

Williams was followed by a bunch of big-name players including Tommy Jones, Mike Edwards, Danny Wiseman, Wes Malott, Chris Barnes and Pete Weber.

But one of the biggest success stories was Dan MacLelland of Windsor, who got into the tournament through Wednesday's supplemental Tour Qualifying Round. MacLelland, a 22-year-old junior who has led Saginaw Valley State to back-to-back collegiate titles, made the cut as the field of 64 was trimmed to 32 for match play today.

MacLelland, the only amateur in the field, finished in a tie for 24 with a 14-game total of 3,129, an average of 223.5.

How big is that?

Here's who didn't make the cut -- last week's Masters champion Sean Rash, Patrick Allen, Parker Bohn III and 2006-07 rookie of the year Billy Oatman, all finished in the bottom 10.

"My goal originally was to make it through the TQR," MacLelland said. "Today. I just wanted to throw good.

"I knew my father was coming and I wanted to do well for him."

Len MacLelland, Dan's father, used to bowl in Detroit's All-Star Classic League and was one of the top bowlers in Windsor. He has liver and colon cancer and his prognosis wasn't encouraging six months ago.

"I can't tell you what a joy it is to be here for this," Len MacLelland said.

With his father, his uncle, Bill MacLelland and some of his Saginaw Valley teammates cheering him on, MacLelland had a 236-245-246 run midway through the block and then capped his round with a 269.

Williams, who was fourth in last week's Masters, was happy with his game. "I may not be throwing the best of anybody out there, but I'm bowling well. My carry (pin action) has been phenomenal. When I'm in the pocket all the pins are falling down."

Women's Series

Missy Bellinder, the only woman to win two PBA regional titles, led the field in the inaugural PBA Women's Series sponsored by the United States Bowling Congress.

Bellinder shot 3,207, an average of 229.07 as the field of 16 was cut to eight. She shot 276-225-204 for her last three games. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Liz Johnson, Kelly Kulick, Joy Esterson, Amy Stolz, Karen Stroud and Olivia Sandham also made it.

Bellinder, who starred at Cal State-Fullerton, is petite, but throws a 16-pound ball with a backswing like Pete Weber. But her secret Thursday wasn't power. "Normally, I throw hard and straight," she said. "But today I had to slow it up to open up the lanes a bit. That's what I did the last three games."