BREWER – Shawn Morrison will defend his title on his home lanes when the Maine State Candlepin Bowling singles tourney gets under way at the Bangor-Brewer Bowling Lanes today.

Morrison has a bye in the first round and then will roll off in the quarterfinal round against the winner of a match between Brian Purdy of Big 20 Lanes in Scarborough and Walt Bowden of 1-7-10 Lanes of Augusta.

The men’s and women’s first-round and quarterfinal matches will be held today at 11 a.m. with the semifinals Sunday and the championships next Sunday, both at noon.

All matches are five strings until the 10-string championship round.

Other bowlers competing in the men’s tourney include:

Shane Tripp, Mike Leland, Nate Nealey, Mark Smith and Scott Burnham of Colonial Lanes in Westbrook; Jeff LaPierre of Vacationland Lanes of Biddeford, Dave Gilbert of 1-7-10 Lanes, and Scott Layne and Frank Layne of Saco Valley Lanes of Fryeburg.

Morrison is the top-seeded bowler and Tripp is seeded second.

Brooke Anton of Big 20 Lanes leads the women’s tourney as the No. 1 seed while Amanda Carroll, also of Big 20, is ranked second.

Also competing in the women’s tourney are Rici Justice, Jeanne Gilbert, and Judy Bowden of 1-7-10 Lanes; Grace Everest of Big 20, and Kim Kangas of Colonial.