By Jonathan V. Perez
Variety News Staff

A young and talented Raymond Angeles foiled Robert Talavera’s bid to claim the 2006 Pepsi King of the Lanes crown beating the veteran bowler in the finals of the year-long tenpin bowling tournament last Sunday at the Saipan Bowling Center.
Angeles, who finished 12th based on the Bowler Ranking System with 694 points, topped the nine-game final roll-off with 1,936 total pinfalls to earn a bye in the step-ladder finals.
Angeles had a roller-coaster series scoring 224, 232, 201, 163, 213, 236, 194, 246 and 227 for a 215.11 average in the nine-game roll-off.
Talavera also drew a bye after finishing second knocking down 1,837 pins – 233, 186, 181, 218, 258, 208, 159, 204 and 190 – for a 204.11 average.
Simon Manacop, 1,805; John Santos, 1,781; Arnel Del Rosario, 1,762; and Edgar Talavera, 1,715, were the other players that made it into the step-ladder finals after finishing in the top six.
Kitz Barja, Raul Dumapit, Joe Sablan, Alex Cacdac, Ador Dimaano, Celso Agui, Dannie Robles, Norman Del Rosario, Chester Bai, Paul Pangelinan, Richard P. Leong, Rusty Musca, Percy Omechelang, Roger Vales, Roman Mamauag, Nick Gutierrez, Raymond Zapanta and Jojo Santos made up the qualifiers.
Third-ranked Manacop met No. 6 Edgar Talavera while fourth-seeded Santos battled No. 5 Del Rosario in the step-ladder finals.
Manacop posted a 204-192 victory over Edgar Talavera while Del Rosario scored a 225-191 win against Santos to arrange a semifinal showdown with Angeles and Talavera.
Angeles defeated Manacop, 174-166, while Talavera pulled off a 206-199 decision against Del Rosario to claim the two finals slots.
Angeles then escaped with a 211-205 triumph over Talavera to claim the 2006 Pepsi King of the Lanes crown.
Angeles pocketed the $1,000 cash prize and the championship trophy while Talavera settled for the $600 second prize.
On Jan. 7, Gina Sablan and Jeremy Williams captured the Queen and Prince of the Lanes titles beating higher-ranked opponents in the step-ladder finals.
Sablan defeated Vales, 167-140 in the finals to earn the 2006 crown and $400 while the third-ranked Williams scored a 181-172 victory over Zach Cruz in the finals to claim the inaugural Prince of the Lanes title and the $250 prize.
The organizing Saipan Bowling Association would like to thank Pepsi, Pacific Trading Co. and PTC general manager Charles Cepeda.