The first of this season’s two Greater Iowa Bowling Association Ebonite Classics is set for Sept. 12-14 at Maple Lanes in Waterloo, Iowa, GIBA Administrator Joe Engelkes announced.

Maple, 2608 University Ave., was torched by burglars in February 2020 and had to be rebuilt almost from the ground up, re-opening in magnificent form only a few weeks before the 2021 Ebonite Fall Classic, as I detailed in this story.

Engelkes said the tournament will have at least $6,000 in sponsorship. In addition to Ebonite (now owned by Brunswick) and the Waterloo Convention and Visitors Bureau, sponsors include Brandon Steen/The Steen Team, Kwik Trip/Kwik Star, IAM Bowling, Budweiser, Fran’s Pro Shop, Hampton Inn, and The Other Place Restaurant.

The entry fee is $170 ($140 prize fund, $30 lineage). Engelkes can be reached at jengelkesgiba@gmail.com or 319-260-1356 or 319-269-6909.

The field is limited to 168 bowlers and Engelkes this week reported that the field is full with a waiting list. However, it is common for players to get in from the waiting list. Contact Engelkes to get on the waiting list.

The basics of the lane pattern are released about a week in advance and the pattern is released at the practice session on the Friday of tournament weekend.

The pattern typically is a difficult Sport level pattern that Kegel develops for GIBA.

The practice session will be from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12 for $10, with that $10 including a free raffle ticket for prizes. Ebonite donates a bowling ball certificate for the raffle, and Cadillac donates the lineage so the entire $10 will go back into the tournament to help pay for the webcast by Mike Flanagan’s InsideBowling.com.

Qualifying on Saturday is seven games and the squad times have changed slightly to try to get the last two squads running on time: A will be at 8:30 a.m., B at 1:45 p.m. and C at 7 p.m. The field is limited to 168 players.

The top 56 with 168 players advance to a 6-game semifinals at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Pins carry over and the top 10 after 13 games making the 10-man modified stepladder with the top four making the stepladder and the remaining six bowling bracket matches to determine the final spot. Seeds 5 and 6 get a bye before facing the winners of matches between seeds 7-10 and 8-9.

Anyone who has bowled one of these tournaments the past few years knows what awesome events they are. To those who haven’t: you are missing a well-run tournament with a strong field and format, challenging condition and great payout.

With 168 entries, there will be 56 cashers, first through fifth will be $2,800, $2,300, $1,700, $1,400 and $1,200, 9th and 10th will be $750, and last cash will be $230.

There also is a guaranteed 1 in 3 cashing ratio for seniors and women. For example, if there are 15 senior entries and three cash in the regular prize fund, two more spots will be paid so there are five total cash spots. The minimum payout will be $160.

And there will be pots and brackets, with half of the bracket proceeds going back into the prize fund. And there is a Bet You Win pot.

The flyer is attached at the end of this story and also is available at the GIBA website and the GIBA Facebook page.

Spencer Robarge won the Ebonite Winter Classic in February 2025, Keaton Ostrowski won the Ebonite Fall Classic in September 2024, Nate Stubler won the Ebonite Winter Classic in February 2024, Brady Stearns won the Ebonite Fall Classic in September 2023, Spencer Robarge won the Ebonite Winter Classic in March 2023, Chad Nelson won the Ebonite Fall Classic in September 2022, Matt Gasn won the Ebonite Winter Classic in January 2022, Nate Stubler won the Ebonite Fall Classic in September 2021, Daniel Healy won the Ebonite Winter Classic in March 2021, Nate Stubler won the Ebonite Fall Classic in September 2020, Tom Hess won the Ebonite Winter Classic in February 2020 and Dave Beres won the Ebonite Fall Classic in September 2019. Past Fusion winners were Michael Martell in February 2019, Tom Hess in September 2018, Nick Pate in February 2018, Chris Pierson in September 2017, Vince Biondo in February 2017, Casey Murphy in September 2016, Dave Beres in February 2016, Steve Keeler in September 2015, Matt Smith in January 2015, Tom Hess in September 2014, Murphy in February 2014, Jason Poli in September 2013, Nick Heilman in February 2013, Derek Sapp in September 2012, and Matt McNiel in September 2011.