SILVERTON, OR — Kian Pryor capped off a high-scoring day at Silver Creek Lanes by capturing the title at the first-ever Vanportbowlingnews.com Player of the Year tournament, held Sunday, August 3, 2025. The invitational event welcomed 29 of Oregon’s top bowlers for a day of elite competition, featuring qualifying, match play, and a stepladder final.

The tournament was made possible thanks to a $1,000 sponsorship from Marcus Winklepleck and the Nick Shivers Team, who continue to show strong support for the Oregon bowling community.

The day began with five games of qualifying, and the scores took off immediately. Kian Pryor opened with a 277, only to be followed closely by Gary Lenox (267), Bill Machin (256), and DoHoon Kwon (245). After just one game, 20 of the 29 bowlers were already above par.

In game two, Corey Hall rolled a perfect 300 while Machin surged to the top with a 290. Machin was on fire, posting an 801 series after three games and maintaining the lead through all five games of qualifying, finishing at 1292. Lenox (1210), Pryor (1207), Kwon (1192), and Hall (1167) rounded out the top five. The top 12 advanced to match play.

Match Play Shakes Up the Field

Three rounds of head-to-head match play followed, with bonus pins up for grabs. In the opening round, the only upset was #2 seed Lenox falling to Jordan Yoke.

Pryor moved to the top of the standings after a dominant 268–169 win over Machin in match play round two. A pivotal 276 from Nick Losi in the final match play round vaulted him into 5th, claiming the last stepladder finals spot ahead of Tuholski by just 20 pins. The top 5 finalists were set: Pryor, Lenox, Kwon, Machin, and Losi.

Stepladder Finals

Match 1: Bill Machin started strong again, eliminating Losi 236–193.

Match 2: Machin rolled a perfect 300 game, defeating 15-year-old standout DoHoon Kwon (213). Kwon’s 4th-place finish earned a $265 USBC SMART scholarship.

Match 3: Machin continued his roll with a 243, but Lenox strung late strikes to sneak past with a 254 and move to the title match.

Championship Match

In the final, scoring slowed as both finalists struggled to find the line. Pryor opened strong with five strikes in the first six frames, but a string of four open frames to close left the door open. Lenox, however, couldn’t take advantage, falling victim to multiple splits and a 157 game. Pryor’s 180 was enough to secure the title and the $700 top prize.

The tournament was a celebration of competitive bowling in Oregon and a showcase for the state’s top talent. Organizers praised the hospitality of Tawnya and Ryan Zwicker and the entire team at Silver Creek Lanes for hosting the event.

Special recognition also goes to Marcus Winklepleck and the Nick Shivers Team for their sponsorship. Pryor’s win marked the beginning of what promises to be an awesome annual event.

Plans are already in motion for the 2026 tournament with format refinements and an even bigger event in the works.