MarX ProShop - Ian Nakonechny

05/25/2026

Amazing time to get your jerseys and look your best heading into next season! use Code:MARX010 for extra savings, and to tell them I sent you :)

We have multiple amazing Summer specials this year including this incredible deal. Head over to Bowlifi and check them out.

05/05/2026

04/21/2026

THE FIRST EVER BEAT THE CHAMP GRAND CHAMPION HAS BEEN CROWNED.

And it didn’t come easy.

Andrew Stewart closed out the inaugural season of Beat the Champ, presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts, by navigating one of the deepest and tightest fields we’ve seen all year—earning the title, the belt, and his place in BTC history.

A FINAL WORTHY OF THE STAGE

The Grand Finals brought together 24 of Thunder Bay’s top bowlers, including two-time event champion Jesse Wilson and a field packed with contenders who had earned their way in through a full season of qualifying.

Five games. No room for error.

And from the start, it showed.

Jesse Wilson came out firing with games of 243 and 247 to set the early pace. But the field didn’t back down. Andrew Stewart answered with a 270, while Chris Barbini followed with 265 in Game 3 to keep the pressure on.

Nick Kuper was the model of consistency through four games—hovering near the top of the leaderboard the entire way—before a tough fifth game cost him a shot at the number one seed.

Behind them, the margins were razor thin.

Just 56 pins separated 2nd through 11th place.

Rollie Turrie and Mitch Parker finished tied at 1156, good for 7th, splitting the first casher spot—something both have become all too familiar with this season. Just behind them, Glen St. Onge and Jacob Fortier tied for 9th to round out the top 10.

And still, it came down to the final frames.

THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

The heartbreak of the tournament belonged to Brad Jarvis.

Runner-up in BTC2, Jarvis stepped up in the final game needing a strike on his second-last shot to jump into the stepladder.

He left a 7 split.

Just like that—his run was over.

Two pins short.

THE STEPLADDER BATTLE

The final five was set:

• Andrew Stewart (1st seed)
• Nick Kuper
• Chris Barbini
• Aaron Porto
• Jesse Wilson

Stewart, as the top seed, waited—while the rest battled through one of the toughest stepladders of the season.

Jesse Wilson, battling through a knee issue, opened against Aaron Porto. Porto took control late, advancing with a 213–199 win as Wilson began to fade.

Next up, Porto faced Chris Barbini, who capitalized on his opportunity after entering the field following Aaron Craig’s withdrawal. As conditions tightened, ex*****on became everything. Barbini edged Porto 178–169 to move on.

In the semifinal, Barbini built an early lead against Nick Kuper—but back-to-back splits on lane 3 turned the match. Kuper took over and advanced with a 219–186 win.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

And then, the final.

Andrew Stewart vs. Nick Kuper. Two games. Total pinfall.

With the lanes breaking down and pressure at its peak, Stewart leaned on experience and control—making the right moves, staying ahead of transition, and never giving the match away.

Final score: 492–404.

The belt.
The title.
The first name etched into Beat the Champ history.

SEASON BY THE NUMBERS

The inaugural season of Beat the Champ delivered in every way:

• 89 bowlers participated in league qualifying
• Average of 4 entries per bowler
• 59 competitors in BTC events
• $5,795 paid out in regular prize money
• Over $1,500 in side pots awarded
• 22 different bowlers cashed
• 13 bowlers reached a stepladder final

FULL RESULTS & COVERAGE

All scores can be found here:
https://www.marxproshop.com/beat-the-champ-1/btc-gf

The stepladder finals will be available on YouTube later today.

THANK YOU

A huge thank you to everyone who made this first season a success:

Presenting Sponsor: Fat Guys Auto Parts
Supporting Sponsors: Pioneer Construction, Fisher Wavy Concrete
Host Venue: Mario’s Bowl and their staff for delivering a first-class experience all season long

FINAL PRIZE LIST

Andrew Stewart — $1,010.00
Jesse Wilson — $860.00
Aaron Craig — $585.00
Nick Kuper — $570.00
Aaron Porto — $400.00
Brad Jarvis — $400.00
Mitch Parker — $337.50
Chris Barbini — $290.00
Dave Zahodnik — $160.00
Steve Martyn — $155.00
Larry Metcalf — $140.00
Rollie Turrie — $125.00
Jani Lehtila — $100.00
Aaron Woolley — $95.00
Glen St. Onge — $95.00
Lionel Laprade — $95.00
Amanda Chepesiuk — $85.00
Joe Kolodziejak — $70.00
Derek Shaffer — $60.00
Trenton Martyn — $60.00
Austin Porto — $55.00
Jacob Fortier — $47.50

If this was year one… year two is going to be a problem.

04/20/2026

Congratulations to Andrew Stewart our inaugural Beat the Champ Grand Champion.

Andrew was the final champ of the season, and rode that momentum to to the Grand Finals!

Full write up and stepladder on YouTube tomorrow! Thank you to our sponsors for a great first season! We hope to keep it going next year!

04/14/2026

LESS THAN A WEEK OUT.
THE BELT IS WAITING.

The inaugural Beat the Champ Grand Finals — Presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts — are here.

April 19th at Mario’s Bowl.
Everything that’s been building all season is about to collide.

This isn’t just another tournament.
This is the final chapter.

THE CHAMPION’S PATH HAS CHANGED

For months, one name sat at the top of the mountain — Aaron Craig.
The reigning force. The standard. The target.

But now, he won’t be there.

And just like that… everything shifts.

Jesse Wilson vs. Andrew Stewart.
Two proven threats. Two completely different paths.
One shot to become the Last Champ Standing — and claim the #1 seed in the Grand Championship Match.

No shortcuts. No controversy.
Earn it or go home.

THE FIELD IS SET — AND IT’S STACKED

24 bowlers. One belt.

This is the deepest field Beat the Champ has seen all season:

Jesse Wilson (212)
Andrew Stewart (200)
Dave Zahodnik (199)
Mitch Parker (206)
Lionel Laprade (203)
Joe Kolodziejak (202)
Dan Erreca (203)
Kimmo Parkkari (191)
Glen St. Onge (190)
Jacob Fortier (187)
Brad Jarvis (187)
Tim Melnick (185)
Larry Metcalf (184)
Aaron Woolley (184)
Rollie Turrie (183)
Jani Lehtila (180)
Nick Kuper (174)
Vern Allan (171)
Lisa Kleinssasser (171)
Austin Porto (169)
Aaron Porto (166)
Faith Hayden (158)
Rob Craig (152)
Chris Barbini (212)

FROM THE OUTSIDE… TO THE MOMENT

All season long, he hovered on the edge.

Close calls. Missed cuts. Just short.

Now?

Chris Barbini (212) is in the field — stepping into the biggest stage of the season.

THE FORMAT THAT DECIDES EVERYTHING
5 games of qualifying — no hiding, no easing in
Champions battle within the field to determine the Last Champ Standing
Top scores advance to the stepladder
One survives
One earns the belt
WHAT’S ON THE LINE

1st — $830
2nd — $570
3rd — $290
4th — $265
5th — $230
6th — $205
7th — $155

But let’s be honest…

This isn’t about the money.

It’s about the belt.
It’s about the title.
It’s about being the one name that closes the first season of Beat the Champ.

POWERED BY OUR PARTNERS

This season doesn’t happen without the support behind it.

Beat the Champ is proudly presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts, whose commitment has helped elevate this event from an idea into one of the most exciting competitive series in the region.

With additional support from our partners, this event has grown into something bigger than expected — bigger fields, bigger moments, and a championship worthy of the stage.

FINAL WORD

All the storylines…
All the entries…
All the shots taken since October…

It all comes down to this.

April 19th. 2PM. Mario’s Bowl.

No more chasing.
No more waiting.

Time to find out who the Champ really is.

04/02/2026

🎳 GET NEW GEAR LEAGUE IS BACK! 🎳

Looking to upgrade your arsenal and keep bowling through the off-season? This is your chance.

Starting Tuesday, May 5th, join our 9-week No-Tap League at Mario’s Bowl — where everyone walks away with a brand new ball.

🔥 What you get:
• 9 weeks of bowling
• 9-Pin No-Tap format (more strikes, more fun)
• Individual competition — bowl with who you want
• Weekly prize packs
• League Champion wins a custom jersey

💥 Choose your option:
Option A – $60/week
High-performance balls (Ion Max, Transformer, Origin EX & more)

3 entries into weekly prize pack

Option B – $50/week
Upper mid-performance lineup (Phaze II, Widow Dynasty, Gremlin & more)

2 entries into weekly prize pack

Option C – $40/week
Reliable performance options (Hustle, Vibe, Rhino, Tropical Surge & more)

1 entry into weekly prize pack

Option D – $30/week (Bowling Only)
No Gear Needed ? No problem — come out and bowl!

📅 League Details:
Practice: 6:15 PM | Bowling: 6:30 PM
📍 Mario’s Bowl
⚠️ Minimum 15 bowlers required

📩 Message to register or sign up in the pro shop today.

03/31/2026

The hysteria- very popular among a range of styles. The venom gear core - An all timer.

Motiv simply cannot miss these days...

Introducing the new VENOM HYSTERIA!
Available 4/22/2026 🐍

It was inevitable, two of the most proven forces in MOTIV history were bound to collide and the result is something truly spectacular. The Venom line, one of the most trusted lines in bowling, pairs with the exact coverstock and color combination from the 2025 Ball of the Year, the Evoke Hysteria. This deadly combination delivers the predictability and control of the Venom line while adding a new level of traction and bite! When the Evoke Hysteria is too strong but you want to stay in the Propulsion MXV cover, this new Venom Hysteria is going to be the perfect ball to complement it.

See more: https://www.motivbowling.com/products/balls/light-medium-oil/venom-hysteria.html

03/30/2026

A new champion has been crowned as the Beat the Champ regular season comes to a close.

An epic stepladder final was a fitting way to end the regular season of the inaugural Beat the Champ. Twenty of the top 24 bowlers in the standings were part of the 29-player field, all battling for the chance to challenge two-time defending CHAMP Aaron Craig.

In the end, two bowlers from the top 10 in the standings — Mitch Parker and Andrew Stewart — were joined by Amanda Chepesiuk, who came in on the outside of the Grand Finals cut line and was hoping to punch her ticket to April 19 the hard way.

Before any of that, the field had to survive a demanding four-game qualifying round.

Mitch Parker set the tone early with a tournament-high 268 in Game 1 and never looked back, leading the field wire to wire. Kaylee Hofer also came out strong, opening with 258, and stayed in the hunt throughout the day before ultimately finishing in a tie for 20th. Larry Metcalf, already a two-time top-five finisher this season, was in contention all day, but a difficult fourth game dropped him to 8th. On the other side, Jacob Fortier made a late push with a 233 in Game 4, jumping from the middle of the pack into 6th and just outside the cash spots.

When the dust settled, consistency proved to be the difference. Dave Zahodnik (957) and Brad Jarvis (958) cashed, while the final three bowlers left standing were Amanda Chepesiuk (1017), Andrew Stewart (1043), and Mitch Parker (1100).

Amanda and Andrew both struggled to get going in the opening stepladder match, working to find the right line and carry on the championship pair. Andrew, carrying a 10-pin handicap advantage, managed to escape with a narrow five-pin victory.

That moved him into Match 2 against top qualifier Mitch Parker.

Once again, scoring was noticeably lower than it had been in qualifying, with the pressure of the CHAMP waiting in the final clearly looming large. It was another close battle, but Stewart once again made the most of his handicap advantage and edged Parker 214–205 to advance.

That set up the Championship Match against two-time defending CHAMP Aaron Craig in a two-game total pinfall showdown.

By that point, Stewart had settled into the match play environment and found his groove. He jumped out to an early lead in Game 1 and never let go, firing a strong 254 game (289 with handicap). Over the two-game total, Stewart defeated Craig 506–458 to claim the title and become the third CHAMP of the season.

With that result, the field is now officially set for the Beat the Champ Grand Finals on April 19.

CHAMPS
Jesse Wilson
Aaron Craig
Andrew Stewart

QUALIFIERS
Dave Zahodnik
Mitch Parker
Lionel Laprade
Jacob Fortier
Larry Metcalf
Joe Kolodziejczak
Rob Craig
Dan Erreca
Brad Jarvis
Aaron Woolley
Austin Porto
Aaron Porto
Jani Lehtila
Nick Kuper
Rollie Turrie
Vern Allan
Tim Melnick
Glen St. Onge
Lisa Kleinssasser
Kimmo Parkkari
Faith Hayden

The stage is now set for the Beat the Champ Grand Finals on April 19th at Mario’s Bowl, presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts, with support from Pioneer Construction and Fisherwavy. Twenty-four of Thunder Bay’s top bowlers will battle through a five-game qualifying round, with total pinfall plus handicap determining seeding for the finals. With three champions in the field, the race for “Last Champ Standing” will determine who earns the #1 seed in the championship match. From there, it all comes down to the stepladder finals, where one bowler will walk away with the inaugural Beat the Champ title.

Full standings and Grand Finals field: https://www.marxproshop.com/beat-the-champ

03/24/2026

The storylines are piling up heading into the final Beat the Champ event before the Grand Finals.

Pam Christie made sure her bid for this Sunday’s Beat the Champ came down to the very last frame. After struggling through her first two games and needing a 179 or better in Game 3 to make the cut, Pam roared back with a huge 181 — 40 pins over her average. That gave her a 3-game total of 436 scratch, or 651 with handicap, enough to clear Lisa Wilson’s 649 and lock up her spot in the fifth and final BTC round, presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts.

Pam’s late charge leaves several Beat the Champ regulars in real danger of missing the Grand Finals. Lisa Wilson currently sits 23rd in the season standings with 2631 points, but she has no chance to add to that total after being eliminated from this weekend’s event. Glen St. Onge and Lisa Kleinsasser are in a similar position, tied for 19th at 2789 points. They have a little more breathing room, but they too will be watching from the sidelines this weekend and hoping their number holds.

That leaves a wide-open group chasing the final Grand Finals spots.

Kimmo Parkkari currently holds the 24th and final spot at 1891 points, but he sits just one point ahead of Faith Hayden at 1890, who secured her place in this weekend’s field on the second-last day of qualifying. Also still within striking distance are Lucas Jackson (1854), Kaylee Hofer (1830), Pam Christie (1796), Chris Barbini (1786), Tanner McDonald (1742), and Aime Martyn (1668).

With four games of qualifying plus potential stepladder bonus points still available, one big run could put St. Onge, Kleinsasser, and Wilson in serious jeopardy of missing the year-end event on April 19.

While things are calmer at the top of the standings, there is still plenty of intrigue. Can Aaron Craig defend the BTC Championship one more time and hold off the field, leaving only himself and Jesse Wilson to battle for the title of Last Champ Standing on April 19? Or can someone from outside the top 24 crash the party, win this weekend, and throw the entire Grand Finals picture into chaos?

Practice begins March 29 at 1:45 p.m. for the final Beat the Champ round, which will set the field for the BTC Grand Finals on April 19 featuring Thunder Bay’s top 24 bowlers.

Thank you to our sponsors: Fat Guys Auto Parts, Pioneer Construction, Fisher Wavy, Mario’s Bowl, and MarX ProShop.