04/21/2026
THE FIRST EVER BEAT THE CHAMP GRAND CHAMPION HAS BEEN CROWNED.
And it didn’t come easy.
Andrew Stewart closed out the inaugural season of Beat the Champ, presented by Fat Guys Auto Parts, by navigating one of the deepest and tightest fields we’ve seen all year—earning the title, the belt, and his place in BTC history.
A FINAL WORTHY OF THE STAGE
The Grand Finals brought together 24 of Thunder Bay’s top bowlers, including two-time event champion Jesse Wilson and a field packed with contenders who had earned their way in through a full season of qualifying.
Five games. No room for error.
And from the start, it showed.
Jesse Wilson came out firing with games of 243 and 247 to set the early pace. But the field didn’t back down. Andrew Stewart answered with a 270, while Chris Barbini followed with 265 in Game 3 to keep the pressure on.
Nick Kuper was the model of consistency through four games—hovering near the top of the leaderboard the entire way—before a tough fifth game cost him a shot at the number one seed.
Behind them, the margins were razor thin.
Just 56 pins separated 2nd through 11th place.
Rollie Turrie and Mitch Parker finished tied at 1156, good for 7th, splitting the first casher spot—something both have become all too familiar with this season. Just behind them, Glen St. Onge and Jacob Fortier tied for 9th to round out the top 10.
And still, it came down to the final frames.
THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
The heartbreak of the tournament belonged to Brad Jarvis.
Runner-up in BTC2, Jarvis stepped up in the final game needing a strike on his second-last shot to jump into the stepladder.
He left a 7 split.
Just like that—his run was over.
Two pins short.
THE STEPLADDER BATTLE
The final five was set:
• Andrew Stewart (1st seed)
• Nick Kuper
• Chris Barbini
• Aaron Porto
• Jesse Wilson
Stewart, as the top seed, waited—while the rest battled through one of the toughest stepladders of the season.
Jesse Wilson, battling through a knee issue, opened against Aaron Porto. Porto took control late, advancing with a 213–199 win as Wilson began to fade.
Next up, Porto faced Chris Barbini, who capitalized on his opportunity after entering the field following Aaron Craig’s withdrawal. As conditions tightened, ex*****on became everything. Barbini edged Porto 178–169 to move on.
In the semifinal, Barbini built an early lead against Nick Kuper—but back-to-back splits on lane 3 turned the match. Kuper took over and advanced with a 219–186 win.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
And then, the final.
Andrew Stewart vs. Nick Kuper. Two games. Total pinfall.
With the lanes breaking down and pressure at its peak, Stewart leaned on experience and control—making the right moves, staying ahead of transition, and never giving the match away.
Final score: 492–404.
The belt.
The title.
The first name etched into Beat the Champ history.
SEASON BY THE NUMBERS
The inaugural season of Beat the Champ delivered in every way:
• 89 bowlers participated in league qualifying
• Average of 4 entries per bowler
• 59 competitors in BTC events
• $5,795 paid out in regular prize money
• Over $1,500 in side pots awarded
• 22 different bowlers cashed
• 13 bowlers reached a stepladder final
FULL RESULTS & COVERAGE
All scores can be found here:
https://www.marxproshop.com/beat-the-champ-1/btc-gf
The stepladder finals will be available on YouTube later today.
THANK YOU
A huge thank you to everyone who made this first season a success:
Presenting Sponsor: Fat Guys Auto Parts
Supporting Sponsors: Pioneer Construction, Fisher Wavy Concrete
Host Venue: Mario’s Bowl and their staff for delivering a first-class experience all season long
FINAL PRIZE LIST
Andrew Stewart — $1,010.00
Jesse Wilson — $860.00
Aaron Craig — $585.00
Nick Kuper — $570.00
Aaron Porto — $400.00
Brad Jarvis — $400.00
Mitch Parker — $337.50
Chris Barbini — $290.00
Dave Zahodnik — $160.00
Steve Martyn — $155.00
Larry Metcalf — $140.00
Rollie Turrie — $125.00
Jani Lehtila — $100.00
Aaron Woolley — $95.00
Glen St. Onge — $95.00
Lionel Laprade — $95.00
Amanda Chepesiuk — $85.00
Joe Kolodziejak — $70.00
Derek Shaffer — $60.00
Trenton Martyn — $60.00
Austin Porto — $55.00
Jacob Fortier — $47.50
If this was year one… year two is going to be a problem.
