It’s the kind of thing you hear all the time in sports: “If you’d have given me second (or whatever) before the tournament started, I’d have taken it.”
I know I’ve said it after losing a title, and I’ve heard it from others.
But could anyone say that four tournaments in a row?
That’s Derek Eoff’s situation.
Since joining the PBA, the new Madisonian with the effortless power game has bowled four PBA Regionals and finished second in all of them.
It’s a stunning accomplishment, and nothing to be taken as a negative, especially when you consider who he lost those titles to.
He lost out to future Hall of Famer Dale Traber in the final position round game in Wheaton, Ill.
He lost to Hall of Famer Pete Weber in the title match of the stepladder finals in Oak Forest, Ill.
And on Sunday, he lost to Dave Traber in the title match of the stepladder finals of the Illinois Valley Viper Classic presented by Storm at Super Bowl in Peru, Ill. It was Dave's 28th PBA Regional title to go with his four PBA Tour titles.
The results here include everything but the stepladder results. If someone sends me those I will add them.
Dave Beres of Waukesha, who finished seventh and won $700, reported this Sunday night on Facebook: "What was brutal was the fact that Traber needed the first two in the tenth....on the first shot he went through the face and a messenger took out the 3-6-10. Then threw it good on the second....brutal way to lose....but he will be OK."
That seems clear from the comments Eoff emailed me later Sunday night: "I don't have much to say other than I am pleased with how I have been bowling and obviously I want to win. I have bowled well in every tournament and came up a little short. In the title matches, it has been a combination of being out-bowled and a little bad luck. That doesn't take away what I have accomplished prior to those one game matches. I am sure plenty of people would love to trade places with me."
That's akin to “If you’d have given me second (or whatever) before the tournament started, I’d have taken it,” and indicates that (if there was any doubt) Eoff will be fine.
He will be aiming to break his streak next weekend in Orland Park, Ill.
Dave Traber earned $2,500 for first, while Eoff, who was the top seed, won $1,400 for second.
Dale Traber of Cedarburg was fourth for $750, and. Chad Maas of Waukesha was sixth for $725.
The 43 players competed on the Viper pattern. A dozen players made the round-robin match play finals after eight games with a cut score of 1,860. The last cash spot, a tied for 14th, was 1,830.
