NEWS

Yankee Lanes Singles Open
Yankee Lanes – Keene, NH – August 2, 2026
Event #1067

139 Entries | 32 Finalists
Pattern: 2025 PBA Shark (47', 32.7 mL, 2.19:1.06 L / 2.45:1.03 R)

The New England Bowlers Association wrapped up its weekend at Yankee Lanes in Keene, New Hampshire with the 2026 Yankee Lanes Singles Open, as 139 entries took on one of the most demanding lane conditions competitors have faced this season.

When the final pins fell, Malik Grove stood alone as champion, breaking through after several close calls to capture the first NEBA title of his career.

Grove has remained a consistent threat when able to compete, despite missing significant portions of the NEBA season while coaching collegiate football at Ambrose College. This time, he survived one close call after another before finishing the job and finally adding his name to the NEBA champions list.

Nathaniel Clarke led qualifying with a four-game total of 921 to earn High Qualifier honors. William Trudell captured the morning squad lead with 876, while Henrik Tremblay, who traveled from Canada to compete, finished just behind him at 853.

SHARK SHOWS ITS TEETH

Competitors faced the 2025 PBA Shark, measuring 47 feet with 32.7 mL of oil.

On paper, Shark is known as a higher-volume pattern that can play tighter, but pairing it with the high-friction lane surface at Yankee Lanes created an especially difficult challenge.

The contrast from Saturday's Ace Mitchell Doubles was significant. The previous day's pattern featured approximately eight fewer feet of "live oil," allowing competitors to give away the pocket slightly more. Sunday's Shark pattern offered some additional hold through the middle of the lane, but the added live oil made misses to the right considerably less forgiving.

Finding the correct balance between Yankee Lanes' early friction and Shark's tighter characteristics proved difficult throughout qualifying. The result was one of the few NEBA events this season where qualifying cut scores finished below even, putting an even greater premium on controlling the pocket, filling frames and limiting mistakes.

ELIMINATOR FINALS BREAKDOWN

The 32 finalists entered an Eliminator format, with half of the remaining field advancing in each round until only two competitors remained for the championship.

The format produced an unusual storyline of its own, with three consecutive rounds requiring ties to be broken at the cut line.

Round 1 – Top 16 Advance

Cut: 189

Malik Grove found himself immediately fighting for survival after shooting 189, tying Thomas Coco for the final advancing position.

The eventual champion survived the roll-off against Coco to claim the 16th and final spot in Round 2.

Round 2 – Top 8 Advance

216 – Nathaniel Clarke
213 – Mike Ruben
210 – Henrik Tremblay
209 – Randal Dunbar
206 – Tommy Kumlin
197 – Malik Grove
195 – Bill Webb
193 – Cephus Beatty

Cut: 193

Grove's margin remained razor thin. His 197 was only four pins above the cut as another tie developed at the final advancing position.

Round 3 – Top 4 Advance

222 – Henrik Tremblay
193 – Bill Webb
191 – Malik Grove
190 – Mike Ruben

Cut: 190

For the third consecutive round, the cut line featured a tie. Grove once again found himself barely on the correct side of the number, advancing to the semifinals by just one pin with 191.

Round 4 – Top 2 Advance

213 – Henrik Tremblay
212 – Malik Grove

Cut: 212

Bill Webb – 166
Mike Ruben – 145

After surviving by the narrowest of margins throughout the Eliminator, Grove delivered 212 when it mattered most to advance alongside Henrik Tremblay into the championship match.

Tremblay's run was impressive in its own right. The October 2022 NEBA champion made the trip from Canada, nearly led the opening qualifying squad and then finished first in both Round 3 and the semifinal round to earn his opportunity at another NEBA title.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RECAP – GROVE VS. TREMBLAY

Our championship match featured Malik Grove, looking to put an end to a string of close calls and finally capture his first NEBA title, while Henrik Tremblay looked to reward his trip from up north by earning his second NEBA title.

The opening frames saw both competitors maintain control of the pocket. Grove started quickly with a double, while Tremblay opened with a strike before being denied by a stubborn 10-pin.

In the third frame, it appeared Grove might be facing his first open frame of the match, but a massive conversion of the 6-7 split kept his momentum alive. Tremblay continued to find success on his more favorable right lane, striking once again, but another stubborn 10-pin prevented him from connecting for a double.

Grove caught a break in the fourth frame when an errant shot sent a messenger across to take out the 6-pin. He made the most of the fortunate break by following it with another strike in the fifth frame.

At the halfway point of the match, a noticeable difference had developed in how the two competitors were attacking the lanes. Grove was playing a much tighter line to the pocket, while Tremblay was giving the pocket away slightly more. That difference would prove detrimental for Tremblay in the sixth frame, when he found himself facing a split that resulted in an open frame.

Grove took advantage of the opportunity with a filled frame before returning to the left lane, where he continued his locked-in performance with another strike.

As the match approached its final frames, Tremblay finally connected for his first double, reminding Grove that he wasn't going anywhere. Malik's response was that of a seasoned veteran, answering Henrik's charge immediately with a strike of his own.

Grove stepped up in the ninth frame with a real opportunity to seal the championship and caught another massive break. An errant shot managed to trip the 6-pin, allowing him to connect for four strikes in a row and move one step closer to the title.

Tremblay now needed to strike out to have any chance of staying in the match, but a 4-pin ended any possibility of completing the comeback and capturing the victory.

That left Grove to step onto the approach in the 10th frame with nothing left to do but enjoy the feeling of becoming a champion. After a season filled with close calls, Malik Grove finally had his moment in the winner's circle, capturing his first career NEBA title.

Final: Malik Grove 257 – Henrik Tremblay 189

With the victory, Grove turned a finals run in which he repeatedly flirted with elimination into his long-awaited breakthrough championship.

PRIZE FUND & PAYOUTS

Thanks to the support of Jeff Barden and Yankee Lanes, the event featured $1,000 in added prize money and a total prize fund of $11,725.

Top Finishers

1st – Malik Grove – $1,850 + Tournament of Champions Entry
2nd – Henrik Tremblay – $925
3rd – Bill Webb – $650
3rd – Mike Ruben – $650

Top Eight

5th – Nathaniel Clarke – $450
6th – Tommy Kumlin – $450
7th – Cephus Beatty – $450
8th – Randal Dunbar – $450

Prize money extended through all 32 competitors advancing to the finals.

HALL OF FAME WATCH

Two members of the NEBA Hall of Fame advanced to the finals:

Bill Webb
John Kirker

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

NEBA extends a huge thank you to Jeff Barden and Yankee Lanes for their continued support of NEBA and competitive bowling throughout New England, including $1,000 added to the prize fund for the Yankee Lanes Singles Open.

We also thank the entire staff at Yankee Lanes Keene for their hospitality and hard work throughout the weekend.

As always, we'd like to thank our 2026 season sponsors Storm, Roto Grip and 900 Global for their continued support of the New England Bowlers Association.

CAMBRIDGE CREDIT INVITATIONAL REMINDER

There is still time to qualify for the 2026 Cambridge Credit Invitational.

Bowlers need to compete in at least three regular-season NEBA events to become eligible for the season-ending Invitational.

The Top 8 point earners will receive automatic spots into the Invitational Finals while still bowling qualifying, making every remaining event another opportunity to earn valuable points and secure eligibility for one of NEBA's biggest events of the season.

VINCENT HALL MEMORIAL CUP SERIES

The next stop on the NEBA schedule also brings the return of the Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series.

The Tournament Sense Singles Open will serve as the next elimination round for competitors still alive in the $10,000 Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series.

Following the round at Lang's Bowlarama, the field will be reduced to the Top 20 competitors, who will advance to the next stage of the series.

UP NEXT

Tournament Sense Singles Open
August 22–23, 2026

Lang's Bowlarama
225 Niantic Ave.
Cranston, RI 02907

$500 Added to the Prize Fund by NEBA

Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series Elimination Round – Top 20 Advance

Congratulations once again to Malik Grove on capturing the 2026 Yankee Lanes Singles Open and finally breaking through for career NEBA title #1.