Lebanon, Ore. -- The Northwest Women Bowlers Tour (NWWBT) went to Linn Lanes in Lebanon on Sunday as 28 women bowled for the title in a six-game qualifier and step ladder finals.

The day started strong with Sheryl Woodward rolling a 236 in the first game to take an early lead. Cassandra Hunter and Sarah Wilson trailed closely behind. Woodward continued to set the pace with a 220 in the second game, but Hannah Wools surged into second place with a powerful 238, while Sarah Spellman climbed into third.

The leaderboard continued to shuffle in game three as Wools claimed the top spot with a 219. Laura Cowling joined the top three with a 238, pushing Woodward to second place. The competition tightened in game four when Cowling vaulted into first with a 247, as Woodward slipped to second and Amanda Whitcomb rocketed into third after her 243 game.

Cowling solidified her position in game five with a 239, keeping her at the top. Whitcomb moved up to second after scoring 214, while Woodward rounded out the top three. The final game of qualifying saw Wools battling to stay on the cut line with a 179. Ultimately, the top eight bowlers advanced to match play, with Cowling leading the pack with a total score of 1416.

The semi-finals featured four games of match play, where Cowling proved her dominance, winning all four matches with games of 225, 256, 237, and 265. Her high scores earned her the top seed in the step ladder finals. Whitcomb claimed the second seed with games of 212, 192, 200, and 247, while Woodward, with two match play victories, earned the third seed.

In the finals, Amanda Whitcomb faced Woodward in the first match, Whitcomb rolled a 212 scratch game to defeat Woodward’s 163, advancing to the championship match. Against the top-seeded Cowling, Whitcomb delivered a 235 scratch game, outpacing Cowling’s 212 to claim the title.

While the tournament was a handicap event, Whitcomb’s scratch scores at the end demonstrated she didn’t need the advantage.