NEWS

DALE CAPTURES INAUGURAL MAJOR BOWLING SINGLES TITLE FOR CAREER WIN #12

Major Bowling Open Singles
Westgate Lanes – Brockton, MA – May 30-31, 2026
Event #1062
161 Entries | 40 Match Play Finalists | Pattern: 2021 SYC Boardwalk Bowl Medium (43', 27.45 mL, 4.6:1)

The New England Bowlers Association returned to Westgate Lanes in Brockton, Massachusetts on May 30-31 for Event #1062, the inaugural Major Bowling Open Singles.

With $1,500 added to the prize fund courtesy of Major Bowling ($1,000) and Westgate Lanes ($500), competitors battled not only for a title, but also for valuable Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series points as the sixth qualifying event of the year.

The 2021 SYC Boardwalk Bowl Medium pattern offered competitors a unique challenge. At 43 feet with 27.45mL of oil and a 4.6:1 ratio, the pattern provided enough room for scoring while still demanding proper ball motion and transition management. Bowlers who matched up correctly were capable of posting huge numbers, but those who failed to stay ahead of transition quickly found themselves falling down the leaderboard.

When qualifying concluded, Jayme Silva Jr. led the field with an impressive 1,214 five-game total, while several other competitors eclipsed the 1,175 mark during a high-scoring weekend.

After surviving five rounds of match play, Hall of Famer Stephen Dale Jr. emerged as the inaugural Major Bowling Singles Champion, earning his 12th career NEBA title and fourth career victory at Westgate Lanes.

MATCH PLAY BREAKDOWN

40 bowlers advanced into the single-elimination match play bracket, with the top 24 qualifiers receiving a first-round bye.

Stephen Dale Jr.'s Road to the Championship:

Round of 32: def. Nathan DeMello, 236-226
Round of 16: def. John Becker, 299-165
Quarterfinals: def. Bill Webb, 256-216
Semifinals: def. Tyler Hurne, 206-157
Championship Match: def. Nathaniel Clarke, 244-201

Dale's championship run showcased exactly why he remains one of the most decorated competitors in NEBA history. After narrowly surviving Nathan DeMello in the Round of 32, Dale exploded for a near-perfect 299 game against John Becker before continuing his march through a difficult bracket that included Hall of Famer Bill Webb and multi-time champion Tyler Hurne.

His dominant performance throughout match play culminated in a 244-201 victory over Nathaniel Clarke to secure the inaugural Major Bowling Singles title.

Other standout performances included Nathaniel Clarke's run to the championship match as well as Tyler Hurne and Max Macklin’s semifinal appearance.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RECAP

Our return to Westgate Lanes was capped off by a championship match featuring two of the tournament’s hottest competitors. Hall of Famer Stephen Dale Jr. entered looking to capture the 12th NEBA title of his career, while Nathaniel Clarke was seeking to become a multi-time champion. While the Boardwalk Bowl Medium pattern made getting to the pocket manageable, success ultimately came down to who could get their ball to travel through the pins properly and maximize carry. Dale entered the title match with a slight edge, averaging just under 250 during match play.

Both competitors attacked the pattern with tighter angles rather than sending the ball toward the outside friction. Dale relied on the stronger Brunswick Mesmerize, while Clarke countered with the smoother Storm Monsoon.

The match began with both players finding the pocket, but Clarke was first to lose ground, leaving a 4-pin in the second frame. Dale remained flawless early, extending his strike string through the first four frames. Clarke then battled early hook on the right lane, converting a 6-9-10 in the third before leaving a solid 9-pin in the fourth.

An opening appeared in the fifth frame when Dale left a 4-6 split, but any opportunity for momentum to shift disappeared immediately as he answered with strikes in the sixth and seventh frames. Clarke continued fighting the right lane and later opened on a 4-9 split before responding with strikes in the sixth and a crucial triple in frames seven through nine to stay within striking distance.

Despite Clarke’s late charge, Dale continued applying pressure. Needing strikes to keep pace, Clarke stepped onto the troublesome right lane and made the adjustment he felt was necessary, only to be met with a ringing 10-pin. Another 10-pin in the tenth frame officially sealed the outcome.

With the pressure removed, Dale stepped up in the tenth and closed out a 244-201 victory, capturing the inaugural Major Bowling Singles title and the 12th NEBA championship of his Hall of Fame career.

TOP PAYOUTS

1st – Stephen Dale Jr.: $1,100 + $125 Storm TOC Entry
2nd – Nathaniel Clarke: $800
T-3rd – Tyler Hurne & Max Macklin: $600 each

HIGH SCORES & NOTABLES

High Qualifier: Jayme Silva Jr. – 1,214

300 Games:

Aaron Major – 300 (Match Play and Qualifying)
Mike Rock, Jr (Qualifying)

Dale's victory marked:

• 12th Career NEBA Title
• 4th Career NEBA Title at Westgate Lanes
• Inaugural Major Bowling Singles Championship

HALL OF FAME COMPETITORS IN THE FINALS

Stephen Dale Jr.
Bill Webb
John Kirker

VINCENT HALL MEMORIAL CUP SERIES UPDATE

The Major Bowling Open Singles served as the sixth qualifying event for the $10,000 Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series.

The top eight finishers earned advancement into the elimination rounds later this season:

Stephen Dale Jr.
Nathaniel Clarke
Tyler Hurne
Bill Webb
Jayme Silva Jr.
Aaron Major
John Becker
Nathan DeMello

Note: This is representative of the top 8 of this event and does not yet reflect if a competitor has already made the finals.

A special thank you to Bruce Hall and the Hall family for their continued support of the Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series and the $10,000 bonus fund that provides competitors with an additional championship opportunity throughout the season.

THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS

NEBA would like to extend a sincere thank you to Major Bowling for adding $1,000 to the prize fund and Westgate Lanes for contributing an additional $500, helping make this inaugural event a tremendous success.

A special thank you goes to Westgate Lanes and the entire center staff for hosting an outstanding weekend of competition and providing a fantastic environment for the club's return to the center.

We also thank Storm, Roto Grip, and 900 Global for their continued support as NEBA's official season sponsors.

Finally, thank you to our NEBA members and competitors whose passion and commitment continue to make NEBA one of the strongest and most respected tournament organizations in the country.

WATCH THE FULL COVERAGE

The full championship match is available and the live champions interview will be streamed on Facebook and available on our YouTube channel:

youtube.com/BowlNEBA - Interview is June 4th at 6pm

ON DECK: TURBO GRIPS OVER 50 / UNDER DOUBLES & BETTER BOWLING CONCEPTS SINGLES

Bowlero Cranston
1450 Elmwood Ave
Cranston, RI 02910

June 13, 2026
Turbo Grips Over 50 / Under Doubles (Baker)
Presented by Island Bowling Supply
$500 Added Prize Fund

June 13-14, 2026
Better Bowling Concepts Singles
Presented by Ideal Bowling Concepts
$500 Added Prize Fund by NEBA

Two opportunities await competitors during another exciting dual-event weekend as bowlers compete for titles, prize money, points, and valuable Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series positioning.

CAMBRIDGE CREDIT INVITATIONAL REMINDER

Bowlers must compete in at least three NEBA events during the 2026 season to become eligible for the Cambridge Credit Invitational.

The season-ending championship event features added prize money, while the top eight players in season points will earn direct advancement into the Invitational Finals. Those bowlers will still bowl qualifying but receive automatic placement into the championship portion of the event.

KEEP UP WITH NEBA

Full Calendar: BowlNEBA.com/Tournaments
Stats & Records: BowlNEBA.com/Stats
Hall of Fame: BowlNEBA.com/Hall-of-Fame
Champions History: BowlNEBA.com/History/Champions

#BowlNEBA #MajorBowlingSingles #StephenDaleJr #WestgateLanes #NEBAChampion #VincentHallMemorialCup #RoadToCambridge #NEBA2026

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