Ben Betchkal, 20, is competing in the Men’s Division finals of the Kenosha News Match Game Bowling Tournament for the very first time, but he didn’t take long to move into the lead.

After failing to qualify for match play last year, Betchkal rolled a division high eight-game pinfall of 1,975 on Tuesday night at Surfside Bowl and finished with 570 points and a 6-1-1 record.

The man right behind Betchkal, though, is no stranger to him or area bowlers for that matter. It’s Lennie Boresch Jr., Betchkal’s uncle and an eight-time News Match Game champion, who went a perfect 8-0 and finished with 498 points and a 1,858 pinfall.

Boresch defeated Betchkal 223-203 in the final game of the night to hand Betchkal his only loss. Betchkal tied Ryan Yanel with a 236 in Game 5.

“I am,” Betchkal said when asked if he was surprised to be leading going into Friday’s second half of finals given his limited News Match Game experience. “(The keys were) staying slow and letting the ball roll.”

Betchkal started out on fire with a 1,043 pinfall (270.8 average) over his first four games — including an 827 series (269, 278, 280) in Games 2-4.

Boresch, whose last Match Game title came in 2005, wasn’t nearly as spectacular but steady enough to win. His worst game was a 218 and his best were a pair of 247s.

Friday night could potentially be a shootout, however, as seven bowlers topped the 400-point barrier.

Greg Brooks, who had the second-best pinfall Tuesday (1,950), is third with 485 points and followed by Tim Lewis (473) Ed Seliga (419), Jim Capps (405) and Dave Sjuggerud (402).

A.J. Hedges, last week’s top men’s qualifier, didn’t fare nearly as well this week. He is 16th in the 16-player division with 76 points.

The 46th annual tournament continues at 6:30 tonight with the Senior Men champion determined. Carl Martens Sr. (546 points) holds a 75-point lead over 2006 and 2007 winner Tom Kaddatz (471).