MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- After 28 weeks of Winter Bowling League action, 3 Ballers, led by Eric Krievs, emerged from roll-off competition defeating the vaunted Pin Bashers twice in the double elimination tournament.
The irony in the surprising win by the 3 Ballers was the fact the team was not supposed to be in postseason action in the first place.
"The top eight teams make the playoffs, and when the eighth place team didn't show up we opened their spot to the next seed who was in attendance at the roll-offs," said Joseph Boland, league secretary. "We finally got down to the 10th place team and Eric Krievs, who happened to come by the bowling alley for a cheeseburger, said he would like to be in the playoffs."
Krievs, bowling by himself, proceeded to blow the competition away solely on his scores and the averages of two absent bowlers. After a few short weeks, 3 Ballers, with a full team, found themselves competing for the championship.
"We were a little nervous at first, but I just told the guys to give everything you got," said Krievs, who entered the playoffs with a 164 average during the season.
Due to one loss in the playoffs, 3 Ballers had little room for error as they prepared for the first of the three-game set against the Pin Bashers who had no losses, and were led by anchor bowler Travis Walker.
"We're not worried," uttered Walker just before the start of the game. "They have to beat us twice."
Like many last words uttered in sports, those words would come back to haunt Pin Bashers. In the 10th frame of the final game, with 3 Ballers down by 41 pins, the championship rested in the hands of two final bowlers. After Pin Basher Daniel Salinas failed to close out all three frames, Krievs had his chance for a miraculous comeback. Already bowling a strike in the ninth frame, Krievs needed three more strikes to win.
"I know what I have to do. I live for this stuff," Krieves declared before bowling three perfect pocket shots, all resulting in strikes, and the 3 Ballers winning by one pin.
The dramatic victory seemed to turn all the momentum toward the 3 Ballers as the second meeting was not nearly as close with the 3 Ballers defeating the Pin Bashers by a total of 102 pins. Although 3 Ballers were the new champs, they noted the enjoyment they had throughout the whole league.
"The whole league was a blast," said Krievs. "It was great to win, but the sportsmanship was really something. Even during the championship, Walker was giving my guys tips. Everyone was just out here having fun."