John Janawicz Claims Fifth PBA50 Title of the Year at South Shore Classic

A Mastermind on the Lanes

John Janawicz continues to prove that he is a true bowling strategist, approaching every shot and tournament as a puzzle to solve. On Thursday night, he once again demonstrated his dominance by securing his fifth title of the season at the 2024 PBA50 South Shore Classic.

Since joining the PBA50 Tour, Janawicz has shown an exceptional ability to read the lanes, adjust his strategy, and remain calm under pressure. His methodical approach—keeping emotions in check and focusing on the game—has been the key to his success.

Redemption in Olympia Lanes

Last year, Janawicz suffered a championship match loss at the 2023 PBA50 South Shore Classic. However, since then, he has been flawless in title matches. This year, he claimed victory against Mika Koivuniemi with a solid 234-205performance.

Over the past two seasons, Janawicz has competed in 25 PBA50 Tour events, making it to the stepladder finals 56% of the time. With this win, he now holds seven PBA50 titles, tying him with bowling legends Earl Anthony and Dave Soutar.

“That is quite special, to say the least. I wasn’t aware of that,” Janawicz said. “Anytime you can be mentioned in the same breath as Dave Soutar and Earl Anthony, when it comes to bowling accomplishments, you’ve done a pretty good job. I am very humbled and honored.”

A Dominant Performance

In the championship match, Janawicz built an early lead with five consecutive strikes, giving him a 53-pin advantage by the seventh frame. Koivuniemi, despite throwing seven strikes, was unable to catch up.

Koivuniemi had reached the finals in dramatic fashion. In the semifinal match against Brian Link, he recovered from an open frame in the fifth by striking five times from the sixth to the tenth frame, finishing with 204. Link, needing a simple mark in the final frame to win, left a 3-10 split, only converting the 3-pin, ending with 195.

A Historic Night for Dave Cirigliano

The event was also memorable for Dave Cirigliano, who made his PBA50 stepladder debut in spectacular fashion. In the opening match against John Marsala, Cirigliano delivered a perfect 300 game, earning a $1,000 bonus.

“It is definitely one of those bucket list items,” Cirigliano said. “I wasn’t really nervous, which surprised me. Maybe my dad was watching from above.”

Cirigliano, known for rolling three perfect games in the history of the USBC Open Championships, proved his skill again. However, his run ended in the next round against Brian Link, losing 231-238.

Looking Ahead to the Tournament of Champions

With this victory, Janawicz has secured the 2024 PBA50 Player of the Year award, following his 2023 PBA50 Rookie of the Year title.

“The numbers I’ve put up might be tough to maintain, but it’s been an incredible start to my career,” he said. “There will always be ups and downs, so I’m grateful for what I’ve achieved so far.”

The final event of the PBA50 season, the Tournament of Champions, will take place at AMF Riviera Lanes starting Monday.

“I’ve never bowled there, but I’ve been there. To compete in a venue with so much history is going to be very special,” Janawicz said. “I just try to maintain a high level of play for as long as my body allows.”

Match Results

• Match 1: Cirigliano def. Marsala 300-201
• Match 2: Link def. Cirigliano 238-231
• Match 3: Koivuniemi def. Link 204-195
• Championship Match: Janawicz def. Koivuniemi 234-205

Final Standings – 2024 PBA50 South Shore Classic

🥇 John Janawicz – $7,500
🥈 Mika Koivuniemi – $4,000
🥉 Brian Link – $3,000
🏅 Dave Cirigliano – $2,500
🏅 John Marsala – $2,000

With another dominant performance, Janawicz cements his place among the PBA50 greats. Can he continue his incredible streak at the Tournament of Champions? Fans won’t have to wait long to find out.