Corey Rapela grows into Times-News Open contender
When Corey Rapela first bowled in the Times-News Open in 2015, he was 17 years old and stood 5 feet, 7 inches.
People were wondering, who is this young man? How is he going to do bowling against all the big names in Erie’s most prestigious bowling tournament?
Rapela finished 49th that year, not bad for someone who was anything but a household name.
The following year, 2016, he jumped to 22nd, and the next year, his third in the tournament, and still just 19, Rapela climbed all the way to sixth.
In the meantime, he kept growing, and knocking down lots of pins in the process. And it wasn’t long before people were no longer wondering who he was.
Now, Rapela stands 6 feet, 4 inches, and like his height, his name continues to grow in the various houses where he bowls.
In this year’s qualifying rounds, Rapela bowled 200 or higher in 13 of the 16 games, and averaged 223.4 while finishing fifth. Bowling 3,574, he ended 157 pins behind qualifying champion Mike Machuga (3,731).
With the only names between him and the top spot being Machuga, T.J. Mitchell, Lee Eighmy Jr. and Killian Kilpatrick, Rapela is right up there with some big names.
He will take a shot at the title in the 16-game, 16-bowler match-play finals at Rolling Meadow Lanes on Saturday and Eastway Lanes on Sunday, where all bowlers start afresh. Action begins each day at noon.
Rapela, who is from Erie, began bowling at age 6. Oddly, it was a broken arm that got him started.
“I wasn’t about to sit around and do nothing, so I started bowling two-handed with some friends, which I could do with the broken arm,” Rapela said. “When it healed, I switched to one-handed, and kept it up ever since.”
With help from several of Erie’s elite bowlers, Rapela’s game quickly grew along with his height.
“It came through a lot of years of hard work with Mike Shady, Mike Machuga and Lee Eighmy Jr.,” Rapela said. “They really brought me up into the sport. But actually, everybody in this town helped me grow into the bowler that I now am.”
Qualifying results: Mike Machuga makes adjustment to win qualifying title at Times-News Open
“I watched Corey since he was a young tyke, and it’s amazing how well he’s latched onto the game,” said Eighmy, 45, who has won the Times-News Open a record eight times. “I never had to worry about him, but now I have to worry about him,” he said, laughing.
Rapela said that being so much taller now has helped his game.
“I was pretty small when I first started bowling, but since I’ve grown, it’s helped me throw the ball harder,” he said.
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“When he grew, he got stronger, which is huge for bowling. I used to be taller than him; now I look up to him. I must have gotten shorter,” Eighmy said, laughing.
“But I haven’t changed my style,” said Rapela, who says that he is a finesse bowler, but likes to throw the ball hard. “I usually just try to get as many revs on it as I can.”
A 2016 McDowell High School graduate, Rapela works at Micro Mold Co., Inc., and is currently taking courses to finish up his apprenticeship to become a tool maker.
In addition to bowling, his favorite thing, he loves hunting. “I love being in the woods,” he said. “Usually when I’m not on the lanes, you can find me sitting in a tree.”
Rapela bowls in the USBC Open every year and also competes in tri-state tournaments.
“My most memorable moment was when I bowled in my very first USBC Open, when I was 15,” he said. “I bowled with Buddy Malone, Pat Malone, Bob Montgomery and Tim Nick, which was a tremendous thrill for me.”
Getting to compete in such a prestigious national tournament with the likes of local bowling stars such as them is a testament to the potential they felt Rapela showed at his young age.
Semifinal results: Times-News Open semifinal scores
“He’s just going to get better and better over the years, as long as he stays within his game and sticks with it,” Eighmy said.
Rapela knows that it will be difficult finishing ahead of 15 other high-level bowlers in the finals, particularly three-time defending champion Machuga, who has also won the past three qualifying championships.
“Mike’s like a fine wine; he just keeps getting better with age,” he said.
Rapela said he’ll be standing tall to the task on Saturday at Rolling Meadow and Sunday at Eastway.
“I feel I’m at the top of my game right now. I know both houses well, and as long as I keep my head square, and do what I've got to do, I’ll be all right.”
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59th annual Times-News Open finals
Where, when: Saturday, Rolling Meadow Lanes, Sunday, Eastway Lanes, noon both days.
Number of bowlers: 16, including 14 former finalists with 96 previous finals between them, and 4 former champions with 19 championships between them.
Format: 16 games of match play (eight on Saturday, seven and one positional round on Sunday); 30 bonus points awarded for each win. All bowlers start finals afresh.
Former champions: Lee Eighmy Jr. (1998, 2000, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017); Mike Shady (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2013, 2014); Mike Machuga (1997, 2019, 2020, 2021); T.J. Mitchell (2018).
First-time finalists: Chris Jacobs, Dave Lanagan.
Qualifying champion: Mike Machuga (3,731).
Defending champion: Mike Machuga (4,303 in 2021 finals).
Online: www.tnopen.org, or on Facebook under “Times-News Open
Finalists/seeding:
The Times-News Open's 16 finalists with qualifying scores:
(Scoring starts afresh Saturday.)
1. Mike Machuga 3,731
2. T.J. Mitchell 3,701
3. Lee Eighmy Jr. 3,667
4. Killian Kilpatrick 3,579
5. Corey Rapela 3,574
6. Cory Bithell 3,518
7. Nick Kightlinger 3,511
8. Kylle Twaroski 3,473
9. Josh Dodson 3,456
10. Dan Mackowski Jr. 3,426
11. Ryan Lariccia 3,425
12. Chris Jacobs 3,422
13. Randy Prue 3,415
14. Mike Shady 3,393
15. Cody Tomlinson 3,383
16. Dave Lanagan 3,371
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Corey Rapela grows into Erie Times-News Open contender
