John Janawicz Leads PBA50 Norfolk Classic
Norfolk, Virginia – John Janawicz had never bowled at AMF Norfolk Lanes prior to Monday’s practice session at the 2026 PBA50 Norfolk Classic. After averaging nearly 260 during qualifying on Tuesday, he can’t wait to get back out on the lanes.
He started off with the front 10 before leaving the 6-7 for a 286 game. He followed that up with 254 and 277 for an 817 series.
“So far, I am kind of digging it here. I might try to join a summer league,” Janawicz joked.
He hit one pair where the lanes played quite differently, resulting in a 200 game. Yet, he responded with 279, 276 and 247 for an opening score of 1,819.
“Fortunately, I got lined up right away. I was then able to chase it in a little bit,” Janawicz said. “I felt like scores were going to be pretty high, so I tried to be as proactive as I could be to be in front of it and not get too behind it. Most everything except for one game worked out pretty well.”
Janawicz is a big fan of the shorter oil patterns. He won the Ballard Championship earlier this year on a 36-foot pattern and he is matching up strongly on this Holman 38-foot pattern. He is happy to rebound from his 34th place finish at the Bud Moore Players Championship with a solid start at this tournament.
“I have had a pretty good look on short patterns in my career. I drilled two balls for today specifically and those were the two that I used primarily to shoot the scores,” Janawicz said. “The Storm Concept and the Roto Grip Wicked Gremlin. I didn’t throw urethane today because it didn’t look good for me.”
Mark Tarkington posted the second highest block of the day. He shot 235, 268, 218, 258, 258, 211 and 279 for 1,727.
Jon Rakoski is also a fan of this new center on the schedule. He started off with 277, 290 and 249 for 816. He then added 223, 239, 228 and 202 for 1,708, which puts him in third place. Behind Rakoski by just one pin is Tom Hess with 1,707 and in fifth place is Jeffrey Campbell with 1,697.
The field of 76 players will bowl seven final games of qualifying starting at noon Eastern on Wednesday to determine the top 26 for Thursday’s Advancers Round. Currently, Mitch Sacks is the cut line at 1,567 (+167). You can watch the Norfolk Classic only on BowlTV.
Top 10: PBA50 Norfolk Classic standings:
- John Janawicz, 1,819 total pinfall (+419)
- Mark Tarkington, 1,727 (+327)
- Jon Rakoski, 1,708 (+308)
- Tom Hess, 1,707 (+307)
- Jeffrey Campbell, 1,697 (+297)
- Parker Bohn III, 1,664 (+264)
- Tom Adcock, 1,635 (+235)
- Pete Dohan Jr., 1,634 (+234)
- John Burkett, 1,620 (+220)
- Ronald Simms Jr., 1,611 (+211)
Full standings - Bud Moore PBA50 Players Championship
