Zack Hattori and Morgan O’Brien
Win Teen Masters High School Division Titles
Greg Young and Ashley Dunn win 14-under crowns

Zack Hattori of Las Vegas and Morgan O’Brien of Lomira, Wis., won the high school boys and girls titles in the 14th annual Teen Masters at the National Bowling Stadium recently.

Hattori won a $4,000 scholarship as high school boys winner while McKenzie Eaton of Wyoming, Mich. earned $2,000 as runner-up. O’Brien won a $3,000 scholarship and Kaylee Magazine of Clearwater, Fla. $1,500 as high school girls champion and runner-up, respectively.

Hattori, who will be a senior at Silverado High School in Las Vegas this fall, defeated Eaton, 4-2 (167-197, 236-216, 208-204, 209-187, 229-248, 234-203) in the best-of-seven-game championship match.

“I had a good line but the first game I wasn’t executing really well,” said Hattori, in his fourth Teen Masters. “It was hard for me to double because I couldn’t get the left lane down (long pattern.) I switched balls and got in more so that’s when I started making good shots and it started to come together.

“I didn’t know much about McKenzie coming into this week but we were rooting for each other in the championship match and I just happened to come out on top.”

O’Brien, who will be a senior at St. Marys Springs high school this fall, took advantage of an open frame by Magazine in the 10th frame of game seven to win the girls championship match, 4-3 (187-211, 158-193, 169-163, 221-180, 216-186, 193-194, 181-175). O’Brien had a spare and strike in the 10th to clinch the final game.

“She had me in the first two games,” said O’Brien in her third Teen Masters. “After that, I made an adjustment and a ball change and that made a big difference. I also saw how she was playing and I decided to adjust to use her line.

“My coaches told me to not focus on beating my opponent but beating the pins so that’s what I did but
my heart was still beating out of my chest.”

In the 14-under division, 14-year-old Greg Young of Viera, Fla., captured the boys title with a 3-1 victory (202-194, 200-219, 226-203, 188-184) in the best-of-five-game championship match over Jeffrey Juarez of East Meadow, N.Y., to win a $1,200 scholarship. Juarez won $1,000.

“I did not want to go into game five,” said Young, bowling in his first Teen Masters. “ I was struggling on the long pattern and the ball was checking up. I had some nerves and was glad to win it in game four.”

In the girls 14-under title match, 13-year-old Ashley Dunn of Palmdale, Calif., defeated Chevelle Holstein of Sparks, Nev., 3-1 (191-171, 224-158, 135-199, 195-146) for a $1,000 scholarship. Holstein won $700 for second place.

“I’m very excited,” Dunn said. I got more confident as the week went on and that helped me. In the last match I had to switch my ball on the long pattern and move left on the short pattern and those moves got me to the pocket and get more carry.”

In addition to competing for scholarship prizes, Teen Masters champions O’Brien and Hattori will join Danielle McEwan, Rockland, N.Y., and Mike Fujita, El Sobrante, Calif., from the Collegiate Masters in receiving invitations to bowl alongside the best bowlers in the world in the 2010 PBA World Series of Bowling, Oct. 24-Nov. 6, at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

The Teen Masters was created by Gary Beck, founder of Killer B Promotions, in 1997 and has provided young bowlers with more than $1 million in scholarships over a span of 14 years.

14TH ANNUAL TEEN MASTERS
National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev., July 29

(All prize money listed is scholarship money)


BOYS HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION
Championship (best-of-seven-game, single-elimination match play)
#3 Zack Hattori, Las Vegas ($4,000) def. #13 McKenzie Eaton, Wyoming, Mich. ($2,000), 4-2 (167-197, 236-216, 208-204, 209-187, 229-248, 234-203).

GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION
Championship (best-of-seven-game, single-elimination match play)
#4 Morgan O'Brien, Lomira, Wis. ($3,000) def. #11 Kaylee Magazine, Clearwater, Fla. ($1,500), 4-3 (187-211, 158-193, 169-163, 221-180, 216-186, 193-194, 181-175).

BOYS 14-UNDER DIVISION
Championship (best-of-five-game, single-elimination match play)
Greg Young, Viera, Fla. ($1,200) def. Jeffrey Juarez, East Meadow, N.Y. ($1,000), 3-1 (202-194, 200-219, 226-203, 188-184).

GIRLS 14-UNDER DIVISION
Championship (best-of-five-game, single-elimination match play)

Ashley Dunn, Palmdale, Calif. ($1,000) def. Chevelle Holstein, Sparks, Nev., ($700) 3-1 (191-171, 224-158, 135-199, 195-146).