Bowlers Win First Pro Titles After 10 Years, 30 Years of Trying

After 10 years on tour and 30 years of dreaming, two professional bowlers finally got to taste championship champagne in Portland, Maine.

Zach Wilkins and AJ Chapman won the Owen's Craft Mixers PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship at Bayside Bowl on April 19, 2026. The duo defeated brothers Sean and Anthony Lavery-Spahr in back-to-back games to claim their first career PBA Tour titles.

"It feels like the weight has just been lifted off your shoulders," Wilkins said after the final pin fell. "You picture that moment in practice of what it's going to be like to throw the last shot."

The road to victory wasn't smooth. Chapman threw his ball into the gutter in the ninth frame of the championship game, a mistake that could have cost them everything. But his partner never wavered in his belief.

"He still believes in me," Chapman said about Wilkins. "He knows that I'm not going to do that again."

Chapman converted the spare under pressure, keeping their championship hopes alive. Wilkins then needed to knock down just five pins to seal the win, a fitting twist since he started his bowling career as a five-pin bowler in Canada.

He took no chances and struck on his final shot, clinching the $50,000 prize and the title both men had chased for so long.

Why This Inspires

The emotional moment hit both champions differently. Wilkins admitted his heart was pounding despite appearing calm, while Chapman struggled to find words to express his joy. "I don't know what to feel. I don't know what to say. I'm just loving every moment of this," he said.

The victory came against Chapman's former doubles partner, Sean Lavery-Spahr, after the two amicably split this season. "I wish everybody could win at that point," Chapman said, showing the deep friendships that exist even in fierce competition.

For Wilkins, the win opens a new door. He'll now compete in the prestigious PBA Tournament of Champions in Ohio, a venue where he'd only thrown four shots before. "It's going to be awesome being able to step foot in that building and say that I'm a PBA Tour champion," he said.

Their story reminds us that dreams don't have expiration dates.