August 25, 2025 Nolan Hughes

Three PBA Central Regional Tour events were held over the past 10 days in Ohio. The tournaments drew many PBA Tour champions, including Kris Prather, AJ Johnson, Alec Keplinger, Jason Sterner, Graham Fach and more.

But the under-25 crowd stole the show and revealed a glimpse at the next generation of bowling prowess.

Twenty-year-old Ethan Fiore, who became the fourth-youngest player to win a PBA Tour major championship earlier this year, won the PBA Kremer Roofing Central Classic in Minster.

Aidan Furukawa, a college bowler at the Savannah College of Art and Design, won the PBA Dave & Diane Kill Central Open in Delphos.

Finally, Brett Lloyd won the PBA Bowlerstore.com Classic presented by Moxy's Xtra Pair in Coldwater, in his first event as a PBA member.

All three players are two-handed righties.

More Glory for Fiore

Fiore qualified sixth after eight games, averaging just shy of 220. He moved up to fourth after the four-game first advancer round, took the lead after the three-game second advancer round and maintained it through the two-game final advancer round.

Alec Keplinger flirted with perfection, shooting 299 to defeat Kyle Sherman in the opening match of the stepladder finals. The Michigan native then prevailed over Kris Prather in a 188-166 grindfest.

Three hours exactly due south of Jackson, Mich. — where Fiore won and Keplinger finished fourth in the PBA Players Championship — Fiore again emerged with the trophy after a 214-186 victory over Keplinger, marking his third career regional title.

Six weeks ago, Fiore said his goal this offseason was to “win 2-3 more regional titles.” He’s already won two.

More information and complete standings from the PBA Kremer Roofing Central Classic are available here.

Busy Bee Claims Second Regional Title of the Year

Kris Prather led the eight-game qualifying round in the second regional, this time at Delphos Recreation. Brandon Flora, Aidan Furukawa, Michael Davidson and Hayden Stippich rounded out the top five.

In the eight-game cashers round, 19-year-old Furukawa moved into pole position while averaging more than 234. 

Matt Kuba, Stippich and Jean Perez joined the 2024 Junior Team USA member in the stepladder finals. Stippich won the all-lefty opening match of the stepladder finals over Perez before falling to Kuba in the semifinal match.

Furukawa fired 258 in the title match to claim his second regional title as a non-member. He also won the PBA Brighton Construction Myrtle Beach Open in May.

Furukawa is about to embark on his sophomore season at the Savannah College of Art and Design, a budding powerhouse in the college bowling ranks.

More information and complete standings from the PBA Dave & Diane Kill Central Open are available here.

Lloyd Shows No Mercy in Coldwater

Pla Mor Lanes in Coldwater has a reputation for demanding lane conditions and (sometimes comically) unfriendly pin carry. Players revere the challenge and laud those who conquer it.

The $10,000 top prize helped draw at least eight PBA Tour champions and a dozen more touring players — and likely several more if not for the concurrent Storm Lucky Larsen Masters and wedding of Kyle Troup.

Fiore Fetty Wap’d the eight-game qualifying round, shooting 1,738 to lead the 92-player field.

Zac Tackett seized the lead during the cashers round, a position he would not relinquish until the title match.

Lloyd hovered between third and fourth throughout the 17 games to reach the stepladder finals. There, Lloyd defeated Ric McCormick 216-183 and Trae Henrichsmeyer, the 2023 PBA LBC Open Classic division champion, 172-170 to meet the younger Tackett brother in the championship.

A key ball change in the fifth frame helped Lloyd hambone in the sixth through ninth frames. Tackett left the Big Four in the ninth frame, sinking the top seed's chances for victory against Lloyd.

Lloyd, a 23-year-old Knightdale, N.C. native competing in his first event as a PBA member, won the match 199-184.

In 2024, Lloyd won the PBA Bayport Mortgage Chesapeake Super Regional as a non-member last August and the Intercollegiate Team Championships title at Webber International University.

Lloyd is now a graduate assistant coach at Mount Mercy University, where he also spent time as a player.

More information and complete standings from the PBA Bowlerstore.com Classic presented by Moxy's Xtra Pair are available here.