January 27, 2025

Jake Klemsen Wins 2025 Ed Bliquez Mini Masters

Jake Klemsen emerged as the champion of the 2025 Ed Bliquez Mini Masters at Milwaukie Bowl, a tournament honoring the late Ed Bliquez. A total of 89 bowlers participated in this annual event, which featured five games of qualifying followed by a bracket-style final for the top 16 competitors.

 

Keith Stoner led the qualifying round with a total score of 1133, followed by Payden Stumpf (1093) and USBC Youth bowler Dohoon Kwon (1090). The remaining top 16 qualifiers included Rob Edwards, Tyler Cruz, Jake Klemsen, 2024 USBC Open Championship Singles Champion Jason Hollinsworth, Tyler Coates, Ian Willard, Jed Docker, Ryan Nikolas, Andrew Guba II, Corey Hall, Tim Myers, AJ Schock, and Rob Gardner.

 

The finals took place on Sunday and used a two-game, single-elimination format. Upsets were the story of the day, as 14th-seed Tim Myers defeated 3rd-seed Dohoon Kwon, and 13th-seed Corey Hall overcame 4th-seed Rob Edwards in the first round. Fifth-seed Tyler Cruz was also eliminated by Andrew Guba II.

 

In the second round, top-seed Keith Stoner defeated Tyler Coates, while Corey Hall advanced past Andrew Guba II, setting up a semifinal matchup between Stoner and Hall. On the other side of the bracket, Jake Klemsen defeated Tim Myers, and Jason Hollinsworth eliminated Payden Stumpf, creating a semifinal match between Klemsen and Hollinsworth.

 

Corey Hall continued his strong performance, defeating top-seed Keith Stoner to reach the finals. He faced Jake Klemsen, who advanced by beating Jason Hollinsworth in their semifinal matchup.

 

In the finals, Klemsen dominated the two-game series. He took a commanding 50-pin lead in the first game with a 209 to Hall’s 159. Hall managed a 185 in the second game, but Klemsen's consistent scoring, including a 221 in the second game, secured his victory with a total score of 430 to Hall’s 344.

 

The Ed Bliquez Mini Masters serves as both a competition and a fundraiser in memory of Ed Bliquez, who passed away in 2021. Born in Gladstone, Oregon, in 1960, Bliquez was a prominent figure in the Pacific Northwest bowling community, known for his competitive achievements and dedication to mentoring others. His career highlights include over 100 sanctioned perfect games, a 1996 Portland Masters title, and induction into both the Portland Bowling Hall of Fame and the Oregon State Bowling Hall of Fame.

 

In addition to honoring Bliquez’s legacy, the tournament awards annual scholarships to youth bowlers who demonstrate leadership and dedication. This year, scholarships were awarded to five youth bowlers: Tamia Yeager, Vance Youngren, Tristan Bierman, Wyatt Connolly, and Rebecca Culp. Eligible applicants include high school seniors and college students with a bowling background, who must submit a 500-word essay. Scholarship recipients are announced and recognized during the tournament each year.

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