John Janawicz Captures Third Career PBA50 Title at 2024 PBA50 Johnny Petraglia BVL Open

John Janawicz delivered a masterful performance on Wednesday to secure his third career PBA50 title at the 2024 PBA50 Johnny Petraglia BVL Open. The reigning PBA50 Rookie of the Year dominated the competition, averaging nearly 250 over 16 games to take home the championship.

A Dramatic Climb to Victory

Janawicz’s path to the title was anything but smooth. He started the tournament in 58th place after the first seven games of qualifying on Monday. However, he steadily climbed the rankings, finishing in 23rd place by the end of day two. His remarkable performance in Wednesday’s advancers round, where he averaged 251.25, propelled him to ninth place. Despite falling just 14 pins short of securing a first-round bye, Janawicz persevered through a longer, more challenging route to victory.

In the knockout rounds, every one of his best-two-out-of-three matches went the distance, including a tense Round of 8 battle against No. 1 seed Tom Hess. Hess took the first game 237-226, but Janawicz responded with a stunning 279 and 239 to claim victory and earn the No. 3 seed in the stepladder finals. Hess, after a strong showing throughout the tournament, settled for the No. 5 seed.

“Tom Hess has been bowling unbelievably well,” Janawicz said. “To actually be able to beat him like I did in my match felt like a Herculean accomplishment.”

Stepladder Dominance

Janawicz continued his incredible form in the stepladder finals, rolling 28 strikes in 35 frames across three matches. In the championship match, he defeated top-seeded Chris Warren 268-246 to secure the title.

“I knew I was striking a lot, but I didn’t realize how much. That is really cool,” Janawicz said. “I knew I was in a pretty good zone. To be able to get a win feels great.”

Having won last year’s PBA50 Johnny Petraglia BVL Tournament of Champions, Janawicz credited the 46-foot Petraglia oil pattern for complementing his playing style. His key adjustment after day one was slowing down his approach and selecting cleaner, weaker bowling balls to improve his shot execution.

“Everything worked out amazingly,” he said. “I got into a pretty good rhythm with my timing. I knew I was hitting the line, and I was able to stick the finish really well.”

Janawicz showcased his confidence throughout the final match, including a moment in the third frame where he playfully lifted his right leg as if to kick down a stubborn 5-pin. He opened the championship match with seven consecutive strikes, establishing a 33-pin lead over Warren. Despite Warren’s four straight strikes to close the game, it wasn’t enough to overtake Janawicz’s dominant performance.

Road to the Championship Match

The stepladder finals opened with a battle between last season’s PBA50 Player of the Year, Troy Lint, and Tom Hess. Lint, returning from knee surgery, strung together six consecutive strikes from the fifth frame onward, while Hess suffered a costly open frame in the sixth. Lint claimed victory 267-226.

In the second match, Janawicz put on a spectacular performance, quickly taking a 23-pin lead in the fourth frame before unleashing eight straight strikes to defeat Lint 269-159.

Facing Brad Angelo in the semifinal match, Janawicz started strong with three strikes and two single-pin spares in the first five frames. He then closed the game with six consecutive strikes and an 8-count, securing a 257-224 win to advance to the title match against Warren.

A Tournament for a Cause

Before the stepladder finals began, all five remaining players agreed to donate 5% of their winnings to Bowlers to Veterans Link (BVL), the official charity of the PBA. Johnny Petraglia, an ambassador for BVL, praised Janawicz’s performance during the trophy presentation.

“I love watching talent, and your talent is exceptional,” Petraglia told Janawicz.

Janawicz expressed his gratitude for competing in such a prestigious event.

“Any tournament with Johnny’s name on it is going to be a very prestigious event,” he said. “It makes it even more special to win knowing that you are bowling for a great cause and the people who helped fight to give us the freedom to be able to bowl these events.”

Looking Ahead

After his victory, Janawicz enjoyed some leftover Key Lime Pie and received approval from his full-time employer at Kegel Training Center to compete for the entire season.

“I wanted to thank Chris Chartrand, Don Agent, Doug Dukes, and all the staff at Kegel for giving me the time to pursue this dream and covering me while I’m away,” he said.

With his confidence soaring, Janawicz hopes to carry this momentum forward as he looks to defend his USBC Senior Masters title later this season.

Championship Round Results

• Match 1: No. 4 Troy Lint def. No. 5 Tom Hess, 267-226
• Match 2: No. 3 John Janawicz def. No. 4 Troy Lint, 269-159
• Match 3: No. 3 John Janawicz def. No. 2 Brad Angelo, 257-224
• Championship Match: No. 3 John Janawicz def. No. 1 Chris Warren, 268-246

Final Standings and Prizes

1. John Janawicz – $7,500
2. Chris Warren – $4,000
3. Brad Angelo – $3,300
4. Troy Lint – $2,700
5. Tom Hess – $2,200

Janawicz’s thrilling performance at the 2024 PBA50 Johnny Petraglia BVL Open solidified his place as one of the most formidable competitors on the PBA50 circuit. As the season continues, all eyes will be on him to see if he can add more titles to his growing legacy.