Rash Wins PBA Xtra Frame Iowa Midwest Open For Ninth Career Tour Title
bowlingball.com 11/13/2015COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - Despite dropping a ball on his foot a few days ago, Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., persevered to win the PBA Xtra Frame Iowa Midwest Open at Thunderbowl.
Rash won his first title of the season and ninth of his career by defeating PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., 219-217, n the championship match.
It was an emotional win for me for a number of reasons," said Rash, who was the 2011-12 PBA Player of the Year. "First, I wasn't sure I'd be bowling this weekend, then, having to bowl against one of the all-time greats for the title and finally having won on my grandmother's birthday made this win very special."
Rash dropped a ball on his foot while unloading a ball bag from his car just prior to getting some last minute practice in before traveling to Council Bluffs.
"Fortunately, all I had to do was ice it down a lot so it got to a point where it was feeling well enough that I could bowl with not much problem," Rash added.
In the title match, Rash, who qualified first for the finals, was able to shut out Weber in the 10th frame with a spare and eight count on the final shot.
"He's (Weber) one of the best ever and if you want to be considered one of the best you have to beat the best," said Rash, whose last win came in the 2014 PBA Wolf Open. "It's nice to be in the winner's circle again."
In the opening stepladder match, PBA Tour rookie A.J. Johnson of Oswego, Ill. defeated three-time Tour winner Dick Allen of Columbia, S.C., 231-209, to advance to the semifinal.
In the semifinal, Weber, trying for his 38th career title to tie fellow Hall of Famer Norm Duke for third on the all-time list, beat Johnson 213-187 to advance to the title match against Rash. Weber was trying for his first title since winning the 2013 Barbasol Tournament of Champions.
