By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- The 21st Annual Stanley Open was recently held at A.A. Timberlanes in Niles and, for the first time since 1996, a local bowler finished on top.
Bill Reeves Jr. took home $500 for his two-weekend total of 2,765.
The tournament attracted 68 bowlers "from all over the country," according to Craig Kizer, owner of A.A. Timberlanes.
St. Louis, Mo., was the most distant location any bowler came from and only three of the Top 13 bowlers were from Niles.
Numbers were down a bit this year as the event usually draws more than 90 bowlers.
Local bowlers placing in the Top 13 along with Reeves were Todd Marsh, in ninth place with a total of 2,567, and Kizer, who tied for 13th place with a total of 2,541.
Here is the complete list of the Top 13 finishers along with their scores and prize money:
1. Bill Reeves Jr. 2,765 ($500)
2. Jim Hunter 2,764 ($250)
3. Dan Hoffman 2,761 ($110)
4. Ron Jones 2,668 ($105)
5. Bill Hendrikson 2,632 ($100)
6. Ted Zimmerman 2,605 ($95)
7. Danny Gulliver 2,591 ($90)
8. Paul Bender 2,584 ($85)
9. Todd Marsh 2,576 ($80)
10. Dennis Grayckowski 2,567 ($75)
11. Ryan Lovelady 2,551 ($70)
12. Milo Jeffries 2,542 ($65)
13. Jon Pluta 2,541 ($30)
(tie) Craig Kizer 2,541 ($30)