Moments after the last ball was thrown, fans lined up to congratulate the bowler at the Earl Anthony Medford Classic Wednesday at Lava Lanes.
But it wasn't one of the stars they flocked around.
It was one of their own, Matt Eilenberger, a three-times-a-week league bowler who had just advanced into the main draw of the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour event.
Eilenberger, a 35-year-old Central Point resident, emerged as the top amateur in the qualifying round. He and the six best PBA members made it into the tournament. They take the lanes at 11 this morning for the first of two seven-game qualifying blocks. The other is at 6 p.m., after which the field will be trimmed to 32 for match play.
Eilenberger had a pinfall of 1,542 for the seven-game session, which was 51 pins better than No. 2 amateur James Hylton of Albany.
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The two leaders in the non-exempt points race, Steve Rogers and Liz Johnson, did not qualify.
Eilenberger had a high of 264 in his fourth game and wound up with an average of 220.29, placing him 14th overall in the field of 58.
"It hasn't sunk in yet," said Eilenberger, whose goal was to shoot what is considered even par in bowling — a 200 average — for the session.
He opened in the 10th frame of the first game for a 187, but followed with a 237 and a 209 before his big fourth game.
"I said now, let's keep it going," said Eilenberger. "I was concentrating on spares as much as I was strikes, and I rarely do that. I tried to just concentrate on what I was doing, then go to the next ball."
His last three games were 211, 227 and 212. The sixth game, coupled with a 170 by his closest amateur pursuer at the time, Curtiss Bergheim, gave him breathing room heading into the final game.
Eilenberger was a star athlete at North Medford High, from which he graduated in 1989. He went on to pitch at Fresno State and Portland State.
On Wednesday, he borrowed from those experiences and "had that mentality to never give up. I had a goal to achieve, and at that point, the only person standing in my way was myself."
After the sixth game, said Eilenberger, he looked into the stands and saw his wife, Alicia, who seemed to be far more nervous than he was.
"She was freaking out," said Eilenberger, "and that made me laugh. I thought, 'Oh man, this is what it's all about.'"
He'll be crossing lanes with the game's superstars today.
"I'm just going to come down here like I did today and be focused," he said. "You'll see all the big names tomorrow, but everyone still has to throw the ball."
Freiberg led a qualifying round for the first time, finishing with a 1,815 count. He opened with a 287, and followed with games of 267, 258 and 253 to take command. Steve Weber was second at 1,736.
Smith had a pinfall of 1,698, including a 289 game to start the block and a 290 in Game 6.
Others to advance were Troy Wollenbecker (1,668), Dino Castillo (1,602) and Ronnie Russell (1,586).
Tour Qualifying Round
(Pos., name/hometown and seven-game pinfall. Top six PBA members (1-6) and top amateur (14) advance. Places 7-13 cash)
1, Matt Freiberg, Somerset, N.J., 1,815, Advanced; 2, Steve Weber, Chalmette, La., 1,736, Advanced; 3, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 1,698, Advanced; 4, Troy Wollenbecker, Toledo, Ohio, 1,668, Advanced; 5, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,602, Advanced; 6, Ronnie Russell, Indianapolis, 1,586, Advanced; 7, Chester Rogers Jr., Milwaukie, 1,579, $1,000; 8, Shawn Boyd, Southampton, Pa., 1,568, $800; 9, Bill Machin, Simi Valley, Calif., 1,566, $600; 10, Corey Husted, Clackamas, Ore, 1,565, $450; 10, Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., 1,565, $350; 12, Steve Rogers, Bourbonnais, Ill., 1,562, $300; 13, James Wallace, Hicksville, N.Y., 1,555; 14, Matt Eilenberger, Central Point, 1,542, Advanced; 15, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 1,539; 16, Missy Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif., 1,537; 17, Adam Monks, Oakland, N.J., 1,528; 18, Gregory Thompson Jr., Dayton, Ohio, 1,501; 19, James Hylton, Albany, 1,491; 20, DJ Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 1,488; 21, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, 1,486; 22, Tracy Teeters, Salem, 1,462; 22, Vayle Floria, Cerritos, Calif., 1,462; 24, Shawn Copeland, Milwaukie, Ore., 1,461; 25, Jon Magerle, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,449.
26, Robert Reed Sr., Weed, Calif., 1,441; 26, Curtiss Bergheim, Vancouver, Wash., 1,441; 28, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 1,438; 29, Edward VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 1,435; 30, Don Allen III, Vancouver, Wash., 1,434; 31, Kevin Henley, Medford, 1,433; 32, Jerome Lee, Medford, 1,432; 32, Charles Eilenberger, Central Point, 1,432; 34, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,430; 35, Joshua Risley, Saugerties, N.Y., 1,427; 35, Chad Kloss, Greenfield, Wis., 1,427; 37, Walter Schaub II, Schaumburg, Ill., 1,422; 38, Randy Pedersen, Clermont, Fla., 1,400; 39, Richard Huryn, Bothell, Wash, 1,373; 40, Eddie Kunkle, Daly City, Calif., 1,369; 41, Allen Blansette, Willits, Calif., 1,362; 42, Rick Guined, Eugene, 1,357; 43, Chad Harrington, Salem, Ore, 1,343; 43, Greg Newtson, Klamath Falls, 1,343; 45, Gary Ezell, Kenner, La., 1,338; 46, Garret Ball, Albany, 1,336; 46, Will Smith, Albany, 1,336; 48, Mike Savoia, Olympia, Wash., 1,335; 49, Travis Adams, Eureka, Calif., 1,334; 50, Aaron Pawloski, Brentwood, Calif., 1,324; 51, Andrew Walters, Bend, 1,294; 52, Matt Olsen, Spokane, Wash., 1,279; 52, Jarrett Raz, Portland, 1,279; 54, Kenneth Edwards, Milwaukie, 1,267; 55, Dean Buchanan Jr., Snohomish, Wash., 1,262; 56, Randy Scruggs, Brookings, 1,214; 57, Steve Wilstein, Arlington, Wash., 1,190; 58, Dwayne Webb, Olympia, Wash, 1,038.
Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail ttrower@mailtribune.com
