Tuesday, May 14, 2019


OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS WEEKLY GLANCE
(For May 8 - May 14, 2019)
Minnesota bowler joins 100,000-Pin Club at 2019 USBC Open Championships
Michael Schmid of Arden Hills, Minnesota, reached another special milestone at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, where he became the 23rd member of the event's elite 100,000-Pin Club.
The 77-year-old right-hander entered the 2019 tournament needing 1,211 pins to reach the plateau, and he got there with a high-flush strike in the ninth frame of his first game of singles May 8 at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
He is the first bowler to reach the 100,000-pin mark during the 2019 tournament in Las Vegas, and he is the third competitor from Minnesota to achieve the feat, joining the late Sylvester Thiel (2005) and active participant Maynard Johnson (2014) on the list.
"This never entered my mind until a few years ago when one of my teammates mentioned I had a shot," Schmid said. "I was really glad to throw a strike to get it, rather than a washout or something. I'm so happy, but I'm glad it's over because I've been worried about it for six months. I kept thinking, 'what if I shot the lowest all-events possible and didn't make it?' I'd take so much heat at home."
Schmid started his 2019 USBC Open Championships campaign May 7 with a 515 series in his team event, and he needed to knock down 696 pins during doubles and singles to reach the mark.
He added games of 169, 209 and 178 for a 556 set in doubles, leaving him 140 pins short with three games to go. After leaving a Greek Church (4-6-7-9-10) in the seventh frame of his opening game of singles, Schmid left, and converted, a 10 pin to set up the ninth-frame excitement.
Competition came to a halt across the 60-lane South Point Bowling Plaza, as tournament director Duane Hagen immediately presented Schmid with a crystal bowling pin to commemorate his entry into the 100,000-Pin Club.
Schmid finished with games of 197, 153 and 183 for a 1,604 all-events total, bringing his career pinfall total to 100,393, a 191.2 average for more than 500 tournament games.
Late USBC Hall of Famer and eight-time Open Championships titlist Bill Lillard Sr. of Houston tops the all-time pinfall list with 124,087, toppled over 68 events from 1948-2015.
This year's Open Championships marked Schmid's 58th tournament appearance, a career that began at the 1961 event in Detroit.
Local bowler honored at South Point Bowling Plaza for 65 years of participation
Clinton Zavakos of nearby Henderson, Nevada, was the first of two bowlers who reached milestones this week at the USBC Open Championships as he became the 14th bowler in history to reach 65 years of participation on the tournament lanes.
He was recognized for his longevity May 9 and received a chevron, plaque and custom ring to commemorate the milestone.
Zavakos, an 82-year-old right-hander, also is one of 23 members of the tournament's elite 100,000-Pin Club. He entered the 2019 Open Championships 13th on the all-time pinfall list and added sets of 464 in singles, 452 in doubles and 378 in team for a 1,294 all-events total.
In 65 years on the biggest stage in bowling, Zavakos has knocked down 106,010 pins for a career average of 183.
Dennis Lecher of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, added his name to the list of bowlers who have notched 55 appearances at the Open Championships. He reached the 55-year mark May 13 and received a chevron, plaque and engraved watch for the achievement.
Former Team USA member shoots 300 at Bowlers Journal Championships
Past Team USA member (2009) and two-time Junior Team USA member (2007, 2009) Tim Pfeifer of Oakdale, Pennsylvania, fired the fifth perfect game of the 2019 Bowlers Journal Championships presented by USBC.
Pfeifer's 300 came in his first game of competition May 14 at the South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas. He finished with games of 223 and 238 for a 761 series, which is seventh this year in Open Singles.
He also took advantage of the event's dual entry feature and teamed with three-time USBC Open Championships titlist Mike Rose Jr. of Fairport, New York, for a 1,422 doubles total. They are fifth in the Open Doubles standings.
AJ Rice of Columbus, Georgia, owner of one of the year's 300s, leads Open Singles at the 2019 Bowlers Journal Championships with 835. Robert Callan of Vacaville, California, and Warren Crawford of McKinleyville, California, top the doubles standings with 1,475.
The Bowlers Journal Championships is being held alongside the Open Championships for the 73rd year and features the same oil pattern competitors are facing during doubles and singles at the Open Championships.
Defending doubles champions won't repeat in 2019
Defending Regular Doubles champions AJ Chapman of Lewisville, Texas, and Richard Eighme of Waterloo, Iowa, fell short in their bid to become the first doubles winners in 116 years of USBC Open Championships history to successfully defend their title.
The two combined for a 1,094 total May 13 at the South Point Bowling Plaza, which included a 575 series from Chapman and 519 effort from Eighme. Cotie Holbek of Burlington, Wisconsin, and Steven Fisher of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, lead Regular Doubles this year with 1,478.
Chapman, a 25-year-old right-hander, finished his sixth Open Championships with 667 in singles and 569 in team for a 1,811 all-events total. Eighme, a 51-year-old right-hander, had 672 in singles and 590 in team for 1,781. This year marked Eighme's 34th tournament appearance.
On the way to the win last year at the Oncenter Convention Center in Syracuse, New York, Chapman (737) and Eighme (720) posted a 1,457 total.
A look ahead
Reigning Standard Singles champion Ted Rybialek of South Elgin, Illinois, will return to the USBC Open Championships this week and receive his championship watch before his team event May 16.
He won the title last year in Syracuse, New York, by a single pin with a 707 total. He'll compete in the Regular Division this year in Las Vegas.
On May 19, last year's Classified All-Events champion, Isaac Wake of Versailles, Indiana, will be recognized on the lanes before he begins his 2019 tournament campaign.
Just 17 years old when he took the lead in his Open Championships debut, Wake's 1,754 all-events total held on to win the Eagle.
This year, as a collegiate bowler, he'll make his debut in the Regular Division, which includes bowlers with entering tournament averages of 176 and above.
For more information on the Open Championships, visit BOWL.com/OpenChamp.
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The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world - the USBC Open and Women's Championships - and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 1,638 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
2019 USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
South Point Bowling Plaza
Las Vegas
(Division leaders with hometown and pinfall)
As of May 14, 2019
REGULAR DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 876 and above)

1, Melrose Bowl Red (John Hommes, Michael Wirz, Craig Schiffler, Thomas Jones, Christopher Castle), Norwood, Minn., 3,301. 2, S and B Pro Shop 1, Warren, Mich., 3,254. 3, Bowlers Sport Shop, Indianapolis, 3,249. 4, Mento Produce, Syracuse, N.Y., 3,204. 5, Coach K Scholarship, Pleasant View, Utah, 3,199. 6, Rose Bowl Lanes, Rochester, N.Y., 3,197. 7, Bergie's Pro Shop 2, Alexandria, Minn., 3,180. 8, EWASHMAN, Yakima, Wash., 3,179. 9, Red Carpet Lanes, Ocala, Fla., 3,161. 10, Kegel Productions 1, Weed, Calif., 3,160.
Doubles
(Combined averages of 351 and above)

1, Cotie Holbek, Burlington, Wis./Steven Fisher, Winthrop Harbor, Ill., 1,478. 2, Lawrence Porter, Whitesboro, N.Y./Art Anderson, North Syracuse, N.Y., 1,423. 3, Joseph Conti, Liverpool, N.Y./Derek Magno, Cicero, N.Y., 1,404. 4, Aaron Pawloski, Brentwood, Calif./Robert Huckaby, Santa Cruz, Calif., 1,392. 5, Dan Vick, Pittsford, N.Y./David Gerhart, Mount Joy, Pa., 1,390. 6, Will Barnes, Wichita, Kan./Geoffrey Young, Roanoke, Texas, 1,384. 7, Anthony Coats, Pflugerville, Texas/Justin Pyle, Round Rock, Texas, 1,378. 8, Todd Sigeti, Lititz, Pa./Connor Harrington, Syracuse, N.Y., 1,376. 9, William Kazmierski, Pinconning, Mich./Jeffrey Grego, Fort Wayne, Ind., 1,375. 10(tie), Curtis Woods, Santa Rosa, Calif./Sam Carter, Ben Lomond, Calif. And Paul Fleming, Fort Worth, Texas/Chris Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 1,367.
Singles
(Averages of 176 and above)

1, Mitch Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 812. 2, Ron Case, Oakley, Calif., 803. 3, Ryan Mouw, Muskegon, Mich., 802. 4, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 800. 5, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 792. 6, William Welch, Franklin, Wis., 778. 7(tie), Greg Engelkes, Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Doug Kent, Newark, New York, 772. 9, Thomas Jordan, Wayne, N.J., 768. 10, Jason Price, Shakopee, Minn., 767.
All-Events
(Averages of 176 and above)

1, Ryan Mouw, Muskegon, Mich., 2,156. 2, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 2,151. 3, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 2,150. 4, Derek Magno, Cicero, N.Y., 2,142. 5, Aaron Pawloski, Brentwood, Calif., 2,128. 6, Daniel Vick, Pittsford, New York, 2,122. 7, John Burkett, Fort Worth, Texas, 2,095. 8, Joseph Conti, Liverpool, N.Y., 2,084. 9, Charlie Esteban, San Francisco, 2,071. 10, Robert Gotchall, Clarksville, Tenn., 2,070.
Team All-Events
(Combined all-events totals of all five team members)

1, Mento Produce (Anthony Pepe, Travis Mento, Steve Meyer, Derek Magno, Joseph Conti), Syracuse, N.Y., 9,983. 2, S and B Pro Shop 1, Warren, Mich., 9,967. 3, Bowlers Headquarters/EFX, Muskego, Wis., 9,717. 4, Big O Tires, Oakley, Calif., 9,709. 5, The Locker Guy 1, Owatonna, Calif., 9,607. 6, Bowlers Sport Shop, Indianapolis, Ind., 9,577. 7, Shady Unicorns, Chula Vista, Calif., 9,575. 8, Huskers 1, DeForest, Wis., 9,555. 9, Rose Bowl Lanes, Rochester, N.Y., 9,551. 10, Enhance This 2, Allen, Texas, 9,550.
STANDARD DIVISION    
Team
(Combined averages of 776-875)

1, Shawn Blanton Team 2 (Chris Strehl, Shawn Blanton, Andrew Dill, John Leonard, Davey Murphy), Owensboro, Ky, 2,870. 2, Steve Austin Team 1, Sparta, Mich., 2,864. 3, Buffalo Wild Wings 1, Chicago, 2,854. 4, Schliep Consulting LLC, Shakopee, Minn., 2,849. 5, WALCO 1, Kalona, Iowa, 2,848. 6, Cancer Sucks 3, McDonough, Ga., 2,840. 7, Just One More, Sunnyside, Wash., 2,825. 8, Brucker Funeral Home, Newark, Ohio, 2,823. 9, Surdyks Decorating, Sussex, Wis., 2,820. 10(tie), Alyson's Five, Scottsdale, Ariz., and Strini's Jewelers, Foristell, Mont., 2,813.
Doubles
(Combined Averages of 311-350)

1, Todd Reno, Lemont, Ill./Robert Riley, Plainfield, Ill., 1,270. 2, Jeff Schott/Tyler Shellabarger, Celina, Ohio, 1,248. 3, Mitchell Scheller/David Scheller, Mount Olive, Ill., 1,230. 4, Wes Leong, Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada/William Walters, Thornville, Ohio, 1,226. 5, Paul Spiotta/Greg Wolff, Batavia, N.Y., 1,225. 6(tie), Caroline Pirkola/Joshua Kurdziel, Appleton, Wis., Steve Reyna/Jordyn Johnson, Lincoln, Neb., and Colin Alexander, Palm Harbor, Fla./Scott Alexander, Stamford, Conn., 1,220. 9(tie), Scott Fitzhugh, Cambridge, Md./Martin Vitelli, Princess Anne, Md., and Daniel Lilly/Matthew Jaramillo, Henderson, Nev., 1,217.
Singles
(Averages of 156-175)

1, Andrew Leppen, Amherst Junction, Mich., 679. 2, Dale Storm, St. Charles, Minn., 678. 3, Monty Hansen, Sterling Heights, Mich., 676. 4, Dan Krostal, Waukegan, Ill., 673. 5(tie), Richard Yuhnke, Chico, Calif., Richard Sprecht, Epworth, Iowa, Daniel Hangman, Omaha, Neb., and Adam Norton, Omaha Neb., 667. 9(tie), Jeffrey Isenburg, Saybrook, Ill., David Reutener, Elyira, Ohio, Richard Burandt, Chicago, Ill., and Danny Wood, Beaverton, Mich., 665.
All-Events
(Averages of 156-175)

1, Vicente Ada, Bellmawr, N.J., 1,873. 2, Ryan Allender, Griffith, Ind., 1,866. 3, Tyler Boe, Mountlake Terrace, Wash., 1,849. 4, Joshua Shane Brady, McDonough, Ga., 1,837. 5, David Hill, Bellevue, Neb., 1,817. 6, Trestian Siemering, Norfolk, Neb., 1,812. 7, Chris Brooks, Florham Park, N.J., 1,803.  8(tie), Kevin Paulson, Glen Ellyn, Ill., and Colin Dall, Omaha, Neb., 1,800. 10, Paul Mooney, Sandy Springs, Ga., 1,799.
CLASSIFIED DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 775 and below)

1, Lynn Christianson Team 1 (Doug Fugleberg, Corey Hanson, Ricky Crane, Jody Bueng, Lynn Christianson), Twin Valley, Minn., 2,624. 2, Romano's "B" Team, Essington, Pa., 2,589. 3, Roy Allen Team 2, Springfield, Mo., 2,580. 4, High Rollers, Baton Rouge, La., 2,557. 5, The Bowlers Store 1, Dayton, Ohio, 2,533. 6, Keith Settles Team 2, Indianapolis, 2,532. 7, Greater Toronto Ten Pin, Toronto, 2,501. 8, Woodshed Pizza, Winona, Wis., 2,498. 9, Keith Settles Team 1, Indianapolis, 2,495. 10, Brazilian Lanes, Brazil, Ind., 2,487.
Doubles
(Combined averages of 310 and below)

1, Kevin Graham, Fairfield, Conn./Anthony Merritt, Naugatuck, Conn., 1,133. 2, Erik Koteles, Madison, Wis./Michael Henes, Cottage Grove, Wis., 1,117. 3, Jennifer Prokopinski, Chippewa Falls, Wis./Lori Stuart, Fall Creek, Wis., 1,114. 4, Stephen Martin and Jesse Banks, Chicago, 1,105. 5, Charles Hurst, Julesburg, Colo./Matthew Walters, Englewood, Ohio, 1,103. 6(tie), Mare Byres, Rio Rancho, N.M./Linda Johnson, Albuquerque, N.M., and Gregory Gates, Pontiac, Mich./John Sawyers, Waterford, Mich., 1,100. 8, Ronald Shelton, Waukon, Neb./Michael Rediske Hokah, Minn., 1,097. 9, Dylan Gauna/Stan Gauna, Albuquerque, N.M., 1,096. 10, Matthew Cooper/J. Wayne Cooper, Denton, Texas, 1,093.
Singles
(Averages of 155 and below)

1, Charles Vo, Sugar Land, Texas, 644. 2, Bill Vianco, Delphi, Ind., 638. 3, Patrick Murphy, Ballwin, Mo., 626. 4, Robert McKinzie, Liberty, Mo., 624. 5(tie), Derek Hopson, Belleville, N.J., and Larry Meyers, Renwick, Iowa, 612. 7(tie), Jennifer Prokopinski, Chippewa Falls, Wis., and Patricia Franklin, Elizabethtown, Ind., 609. 9, Paul Westerhold, La Habra, Calif., 606. 10, Christina Hutchinson, Elgin, Minn., 605.
All Events
(Averages of 155 and below)

1, Larry Meyers, Renwick, Iowa, 1,707. 2, Derek Hopson, Belleville, N.J., 1,687. 3, Wesley Straight, Cooperstown, N.D., 1,673. 4, Brian Whited, Cave Creek, Ariz., 1,668. 5, Jeremy McGill, Louisville, Ky., 1,667. 6, Bill Vianco, Delphi, Ind., 1,657. 7, Chris Johnson, Lincoln, Neb., 1,650. 8, Brian Haendel, Horicon, Wis., 1,647. 9, Stevan Kemp, San Marcos, Calif., 1,644. 10(tie), Sean Tennison, Adrian, Mich., and Jody Bueng, Ada, Minn., 1,636.
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