CHAMPIONS DETERMINED AT 2017 USBC TEAM USA TRIALS, U.S. AMATEUR

CHAMPIONS DETERMINED AT 2017 USBC TEAM USA TRIALS, U.S. AMATEUR

HENDERSON, Nev. – Erin McCarthy of Omaha, Nebraska, and Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Arizona, captured the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials titles Sunday, while Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois, and Matt Russo of Millstone Township, New Jersey, closed the weekend with wins at the United States National Amateur Bowling Championships.

McCarthy finished the event at Sunset Station’s Strike Zone Bowling Center with a 241 game, giving her a fifth-place finish in the final round and moving her into the top spot in the women’s standings with 46 total ranking points. Butturff had built a lead during the week’s first four rounds and used a 14th-place finish Sunday on the 39-foot Seoul oil pattern to collect the win with 59 ranking points.

The players earned points based on their finishing positions in each qualifying round. The top bowler of the block earned one ranking point, second place earned two points, etc., with the lowest total of ranking points after the five six-game blocks determining the 2017 USBC Team USA Trials champions.

Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, led Sunday’s final round, firing a 1,465 six-game block. Chris Via of Springfield, Ohio, paced the men’s field in the final round with a 1,478 total.

The women’s title came down to the final frame as McCarthy delivered a strike to move ahead of Shannon O’Keefe of O’Fallon, Illinois, and hold off a late run by Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey.

“I tried my best to not look at the scoreboard all week, so I didn’t know how close it was, which probably helped take the nerves away,” said McCarthy, who made Team USA for the third consecutive year. “I went into that game focused on making good shots and the team. I’ve been battling some things with my swing since the U.S. Women’s Open and really worked hard the past two or three months trying to get it fixed. It really paid off this week, and I’m on cloud nine. Making the team again is a dream in itself, but I don’t know if this win will sink in for a couple of weeks.”

The victories also earned McCarthy and Butturff the opportunity to represent the United States at the 2017 QubicaAMF World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Also earning automatic spots on Team USA 2017 based on their overall performances at the Team USA Trials were O’Keefe, Kulick, Bond and Stephanie Zavala of Downey, California.

Missy Parkin of Laguna Hill, California, Sydney Brummett of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Kayla Johnson of Washington, Illinois, and Stephanie Schwartz of Racine, Wisconsin, were selected by the National Selection Committee based on their performances this week.

Pluhowsky, Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, Bryanna Coté of Red Rock, Arizona, Josie Earnest of Nashville, Tennessee, and Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, were selected by the National Selection Committee based on submitted resumes.

The red hot Butturff, who won two Professional Bowlers Association Tour titles and a record nine PBA regional titles in 2016, carried that momentum into the new year.

“Knowing you can handle the grind and deal with the pressure of winning this event against a very talented field of bowlers is a great feeling,” said Butturff, who is making his first appearance on Team USA. “It’s amazing to be one of the few who gets the chance to represent this country and the sport of bowling.”

Joining Butturff with automatic spots on Team USA 2017 are Russo, Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, Steven Badovinac of Monument, Colorado, and Andrew Cain of Phoenix.

AJ Johnson of Oswego, Illinois, Nick Pate of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Kyle King of Glendale, Arizona, and Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, were selected by the National Selection Committee based on their performances at the Team USA Trials this week.

Via, AJ Chapman of Wichita, Kansas, Ronnie Russell of Marion, Indiana, Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, South Carolina, and Sean Rash of Montgomery, Illinois, were selected by the National Selection Committee based on submitted resumes.

Making Team USA and winning the U.S. Amateur marked the next big steps for Bond, a Junior Team USA member and collegiate standout at Nebraska.

She put together a clean game in the women’s U.S. Amateur final, but left an opening for Zavala to double in the 10th frame and capture the title. Zavala left the 2-4-10 split on her first offering as Bond collected the win, 229-204.

“It’s hard to put into words what all of this means,” said Bond, who also joined Junior Team USA for the fourth consecutive year. “It’s an honor to be a part of both teams, and winning the U.S. Amateur makes it even better. It was an amazing week.”

Zavala earned her spot in the title match by defeating Brummett in the opening match, 220-210.

Russo grabbed an early lead in the men’s U.S. Amateur final against Badovinac with strikes in five of the first seven frames. Badovinac was unable to strike on the left lane until the 10th frame, and Russo delivered an eight count on the first ball of his final frame to secure the victory, 212-197.

“All of the hard work really paid off this week, and I’m going home as a member of Team USA, Junior Team USA and as the U.S. Amateur champion,” said Russo, who earned a spot on Junior Team USA for the second consecutive year. “It hasn’t fully sunken in yet, but I know it will when I wake up tomorrow morning. I can’t even describe the feeling now.”

Badovinac advanced to the championship match after defeating Cortez Schenck of Phoenix in the semifinal, 266-190.

Many of the nation’s top young bowlers also found success at Sunset Station this week, earning spots on Junior Team USA 2017.

Automatic spots for the girls went to Zavala, Schwartz, Breanna Clemmer of Clover, South Carolina, and Rebecca Gotterbarn of Garden City, New York.

Lauren Pate of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, and Jessica Mellott of Lauderhill, Florida, were selected by the National Selection Committee based on performance.

Bond, Brummett, Heather Penatzer of Tucson, Arizona, Sierra Kanemoto of Riverside, Ohio, Adrianna Stacy of Sebring, Florida, and Haley Cummings of Huber Heights, Ohio, already earned their spots on Junior Team USA 2017 based on their performances at the 2016 Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis.

Earning automatic spots on the boys’ side was Russo, Schenck, Brandon Biondo of Carpentersville, Illinois, and Bryan Hahlen of Greenwood, South Carolina.

Richard Paul III of Winton, California, and Briley Haugh of Faribault, Minnesota, were selected by the National Selection Committee based on performance.

Jared Armstrong of Louisville, Kentucky, Pete Vergos of Apopka, Florida, Thomas McNeal of Seattle, Jeffery Mann of West Lafayette, Indiana, Dustin Zehner of South Bend, Indiana, and Kennon McFalls of Gastonia, North Carolina, already earned their spots on Junior Team USA 2017 based on their performances at the 2016 Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis.

To be eligible for the U.S. Amateur, a bowler must not hold or have held a professional membership (PBA or Professional Women’s Bowling Association) in the preceding year. Also, anyone who has won a professional title (regional, national or senior) as a professional is not eligible to compete as an amateur.

Bowlers age 20 or younger as of Jan. 1, 2017 were eligible for spots on Junior Team USA this week.

For more information on the USBC Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur, visit BOWL.com/TeamUSATrials.

United States Bowling Congress
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 2,500 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.

2017 USBC Team USA Trials
At Sunset Station’s Strike Zone Bowling Center, Henderson, Nev.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

ROUND 5 – TOP 20
(Position, name, hometown, six-game total)

MEN

1, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 1,478.
2, Matthew O’Grady, Rahway, N.J., 1,473.
3, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 1,439.
4, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,430.
5, Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 1,405.
6, Bryan Hahlen, Greenwood, S.C., 1,392.
7, John Janawicz, Winter Haven, Fla., 1,390.
8, Richard Paul III, Winton, Calif., 1,380.
9, Cortez Schenck, Phoenix, 1,369.
10, Alex George, Wichita, Kan., 1,361.
11, Tyger Miller, Klamath Falls, Ore., 1,354.
12, Zach Hattori, Henderson, Nev., 1,353.
13, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 1,351.
14, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 1,341.
15, Mike Wolfe, Floyd Knobs, Ind., 1,339.
16, Steve Smith, San Diego, 1,338.
17, Darren Tang, San Francisco, 1,337.
18, Matthew Diamond, Centerville, Ohio, 1,326.
19, Andrew Cain, Phoenix, 1,324.
20, Aaron Yuratovich, Babson Park, Fla., 1,319.

WOMEN

1, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 1,465.
2, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 1,392.
3, Kayla Johnson, Washington, Ill., 1,369.
4, Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 1,365.
5, Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., 1,362.
6, Joely O’Grady, South Amboy, N.J., 1,361.
7, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 1,346.
8, Rebecca Gotterbarn, Garden City, N.Y., 1,336.
9, Kaitlyn Reth, Baltimore, 1,326.
10, Kelly Belzeski, Schererville, Ind., 1,319.
11, Lauren Hoffman, Monroe Township, N.J., 1,312.
T12, Correen Lieber, Tolleson, Ariz., 1,309.
T12, Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., 1,309.
14, Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 1,308.
15, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 1,306.
16, Sierra Kanemoto, Riverside, Ohio, 1,294.
17, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 1,292.
18, Lauren Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 1,281.
19, Maranda Pattison, Redwood Valley, Calif., 1,279.
T20, Kalynn Carl, Albany, N.Y., 1,278.
T20, Kasey Eaton, Wyoming, Mich., 1,278.

OVERALL – TOP 20
(Position, name, hometown, total points. Points based on finishing position in each round.)

MEN

1, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 59.
2, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 78.
3, Matt Russo, Millstone Township, N.J., 84.
4, Steven Badovinac, Monument, Colo., 91.
5, Andrew Cain, Phoenix, 102.
6, Cortez Schenck, Phoenix, 105.
T7, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 112.
T7, Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 112.
9, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 121.
10, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 131.
11, AJ Chapman, Wichita, Kan., 134.
12, Nick Kruml, Downers Grove, Ill., 137.
13, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 142.
14, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 143.
15, John Janawicz, Winter Haven, Fla., 151.
T16, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 153.
T16, Steve Smith, San Diego, 153.
18, Thomas McNeal, Seattle, 169.
19, Brandon Biondo, Carpentersville, Ill., 175.
20, Bryan Hahlen, Greenwood, S.C., 178.

WOMEN

1, Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., 46.
2, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 48.
3, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 51.
4, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 54.
5, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 58.
6, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 70.
7, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 71.
8, Bryanna Coté, Red Rock, Ariz., 80.
9, Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 81.
10, Kayla Johnson, Washington, Ill., 82.
11, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 84.
12, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 85.
13, Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 87.
14, Lauren Hoffman, Monroe Township, N.J., 88.
15, Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 90.
16, Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 115.
17, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 117.
18, Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., 131.
19, Rebecca Gotterbarn, Garden City, N.Y., 133.
20, Correen Lieber, Tolleson, Ariz., 137.

U.S. AMATEUR STEPLADDER FINALS

MEN

Semifinal
Steven Badovinac, Monument, Colo., def. Cortez Schenck, Phoenix, 266-190

Championship
Matt Russo, Millstone Township, N.J., def. Badovinac, 212-197

WOMEN

Semifinal
Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., def. Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 220-210

Championship
Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., def. Zavala, 229-204

HENDERSON, Nevada – Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Arizona, and Sydney Brummett of Fort Wayne, Indiana, found their way back to the top of the standings after four rounds at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials.

Butturff, who held a share of the lead after Round 2, regained the men’s lead after finishing in 15th place Saturday for a total of 45 ranking points. Brummett, who led the tournament’s opening round on the women’s side, paced the field at Sunset Station’s Strike Zone Bowling Center on Saturday and leads with 26 points.

The players earn points based on their finishing positions in each qualifying round. The top bowler of the block earns one ranking point, second place earns two points, etc., with the lowest total of ranking points after the five six-game blocks determining the 2017 USBC Team USA Trials champions.

Butturff has been steady throughout the first four days of competition, averaging more than 228 across four World Bowling oil patterns. The left-hander posted a 1,359 total Saturday on the 44-foot Tokyo condition and has continued to make the right decisions on moves throughout the week.

“Normally, when lefties encounter the transition from the righties moving left on the longer patterns, we move left,” said Butturff, a two-time Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion. “This week, I’ve been moving right, increasing the speed and taking some hand out of it, and it has worked. I’ve been able to stay pretty consistent the whole week. Hopefully, I will be able to do the same tomorrow.”

Matt Russo of Millstone Township, New Jersey, who led after Friday’s third round, sits in second place overall with 58 points. Steven Badovinac of Monument, Colorado, is third with 63 points, AJ Johnson of Oswego, Illinois, is fourth with 73 points and defending Team USA Trials champion Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, is fifth with 75 points.

Johnson bounced back from a 52nd-place finish during Round 3 to lead Saturday’s round with a 1,490 total, a 248.33 average. Justin Carl of Albany, New York, finished in second with 1,427 and William Boston of Evansville, Indiana, was third with 1,423.

Richard Paul III of Winton, California, rolled the only perfect game Saturday, the seventh of the week for the men, on his way to an 11th-place finish with 1,378.

After starting Saturday’s round with games of 219 and 217, Brummett averaged 259 in her final four games with scores of 237, 290, 246 and 263 for a 1,472 total to lead the women and move back into the overall lead.

“I had good ball reaction, and when that happens, it really loosens up your swing,” said Brummett, who earned a spot on Junior Team USA 2017 through the 2016 Junior Gold Championships. “Having good ball motion and a little bit of room on the lane is nice, and I felt comfortable. I’ve been taking it one day at a time and treating each day like an individual tournament, so the last four days are completely over. I’m going to try and get as many pins as possible tomorrow and hope it turns out well.”

Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, held onto the second spot with 27 points. Round 3 leader Missy Parkin of Laguna Hills, California, is third with 37 points, and Erin McCarthy of Omaha, Nebraska, and Shannon O’Keefe of O’Fallon, Illinois, are tied for fourth place with 41 points.

O’Keefe finished second in Saturday’s daily standings with a 1,425 total. Rebecca Gotterbarn of Garden City, New York, was third with 1,381.

The United States National Amateur Bowling Championships also is being contested during Team USA Trials. The top three amateur men and top three amateur women after Sunday’s final round of qualifying will advance to a stepladder finals, which will determine the U.S. Amateur champions. The winners will earn spots on Team USA.

The top three amateurs on the men’s side are Russo (58 ranking points), Badovinac (63 points) and AJ Chapman of Wichita, Kansas (76 points). The top three amateurs for the women are Brummett (26 points), Stephanie Zavala of Downey, California (43 points), and Julia Bond of Aurora, Illinois (52 points).

Competition continues Sunday at 11 a.m. Eastern with the final round of women’s qualifying. BOWL.com’s BowlTV will provide wire-to-wire coverage of the event, including the U.S. Amateur stepladder finals, starting at 10:30 p.m. Eastern.

A minimum of 12 men and 12 women will join Team USA 2017. The top four men and top four women at the 2017 Team USA Trials, based on ranking points, will earn automatic spots, while two additional men and two additional women will be selected by the National Selection Committee from the pool of players that competed during the week at Sunset Station.

The National Selection Committee will select a maximum of five men and five women for the team based on submitted resumes from Team USA or Junior Team USA members within the last 10 years or those in the top 25 in earnings during the 2016 PBA Tour season and top 25 in points during the 2016 PWBA Tour season.

For youth competitors, Junior Team USA 2017 will consist of 12 boys and 12 girls. The top four boys and top four girls at the 2017 Team USA Trials, based on ranking points, will earn automatic spots, while two additional boys and two additional girls from either the 2017 Team USA Trials or 2016 Junior Gold Championships will be selected by the National Selection Committee.

They will join the six boys and six girls who already earned their spots on Junior Team USA 2017 through qualifying at the 2016 Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis.

For more information on the USBC Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur, visit BOWL.com/TeamUSATrials.

2017 USBC Team USA Trials
At Sunset Station’s Strike Zone Bowling Center, Henderson, Nev.

SATURDAY’S RESULTS

ROUND 4 – TOP 20
(Position, name, hometown, six-game total)

MEN

1, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 1,490.
2, Justin Carl, Albany, N.Y., 1,427.
3, William Boston, Evansville, Ind., 1,423.
4, Pete Vergos, Apopka, Fla., 1,419.
5, Zach Hattori, Henderson, Nev., 1,412.
6, Steven Badovinac, Monument, Colo., 1,407.
7, Brandon Biondo, Carpentersville, Ill., 1,400.
8, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 1,388.
9, Dallas Leong, Las Vegas, 1,386.
10, Kyle Krol, Tinley Park, Ill., 1,383.
11, Richard Paul III, Winton, Calif., 1,378.
12, Kennon McFalls, Gastonia, N.C., 1,375.
13, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 1,368.
14, AJ Chapman, Wichita, Kan., 1,360.
15, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 1,359.
16, Cortez Schenck, Phoenix, 1,358.
17, Tyrell Ingalls, Loganville, Ga., 1,356.
18, Bryan Bourget, Woonsocket, R.I., 1,355.
19, Dakota Vostry, Chicago, 1,354.
T20, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,353.
T20, Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 1,353.

WOMEN

1, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 1,472.
2, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 1,425.
3, Rebecca Gotterbarn, Garden City, N.Y., 1,381.
4, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 1,371.
5, Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 1,357.
6, Lauren Hoffman, Monroe Township, N.J., 1,356.
7, Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., 1,353.
8, Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 1,350.
9, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,347.
10, Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 1,340.
11, Laura Branch, Victor, N.Y., 1,334.
12, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 1,333.
13, Correen Lieber, Tolleson, Ariz., 1,325.
14, Kayla Crawford, Silvis, Ill., 1,322.
15, Katherine Sutphin, Maitland, Fla., 1,321.
16, Sarah Lokker, New Baltimore, Mich., 1,320.
17, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 1,317.
T18, Bryanna Coté, Red Rock, Ariz., 1,312.
T18, Jacqueline Evans, Acton, Mass., 1,312.
T20, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 1,305.
T20, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 1,305.
T20, Kaitlyn Reth, Baltimore, 1,305.

OVERALL – TOP 20
(Position, name, hometown, total points. Points based on finishing position in each round.)

MEN

1, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 45.
2, Matt Russo, Millstone Township, N.J., 58.
3, Steven Badovinac, Monument, Colo., 63.
4, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 73.
5, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 75.
6, AJ Chapman, Wichita, Kan., 76.
7, Andrew Cain, Phoenix, 83.
8, Nick Kruml, Downers Grove, Ill., 85.
9, Cortez Schenck, Phoenix, 96.
10, Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 107.
T11, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 108.
T11, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 108.
13, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 112.
14, Thomas McNeal, Seattle, 114.
15, Perry Crowell IV, Hoquiam, Wash., 118.
16, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 127.
17, Brandon Biondo, Carpentersville, Ill., 136.
18, Steve Smith, San Diego, 137.
19, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 141.
20, John Janawicz, Winter Haven, Fla., 144.

WOMEN

1, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 26.
2, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 27.
3, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 37.
T4, Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., 41.
T4, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 41.
6, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 43.
7, Bryanna Coté, Red Rock, Ariz., 49.
8, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 52.
9, Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 56.
T10, Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 67.
T10, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 67.
12, Lauren Hoffman, Monroe Township, N.J., 77.
13, Kayla Johnson, Washington, Ill., 79.
14, Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 83.
15, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 84.
16, Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 87.
17, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 95.
18, Sarah Lokker, New Baltimore, Mich., 98.
19, Laura Branch, Victor, N.Y., 99.
20, Paige Kraushaar, Crown Point, Ind., 112.

PARKIN, RUSSO LEAD AFTER THREE ROUNDS AT 2017 USBC TEAM USA TRIALS

HENDERSON, Nevada – Missy Parkin of Laguna Hills, California, and Matt Russo of Millstone Township, New Jersey, are leading the way after three rounds at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials.

Parkin moved into the lead at Sunset Station’s Strike Zone Bowling Center after claiming the top spot for the second consecutive day, giving her a total of 17 ranking points through three rounds. Russo, who was tied for the lead after two rounds, finished fifth Friday in sole possession of the top spot with 17 points as well.

After averaging more than 241 to lead Thursday’s second round, Parkin continued at a torrid pace Friday, averaging better than 260 on the 45-foot Rome oil pattern to take the overall lead. The seven-time Team USA member rolled games of 287, 256, 205, 279, 257 and 278 for a 1,562 total.

“I think yesterday definitely loosened up my swing quite a bit,” said Parkin, who rolled a 300 game to start Thursday’s round. “It’s nice to capitalize on yesterday’s block and come in today with another great start. It allowed me to stay consistent, allowed my swing to stay relaxed and allowed me to bowl well the rest of the block.”

Parkin now is setting her sights on holding onto the top spot and earning a trip to the 2017 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico. The men’s and women’s Team USA Trials winners will represent Team USA at the event.

“I had a lot of motivation going into this week, but my goal definitely is to go to the World Cup,” said Parkin, who finished 15th in Wednesday’s opening round. “I’ve never been to the World Cup, and it’s definitely on my bucket list. After a slow first day, I knew I would have to bowl really well in order to do that.”

Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, is second overall on the women’s side with 18 points. Sydney Brummett of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is third with 25 points, and Bryanna Coté of Red Rock, Arizona, and Stephanie Zavala of Downey, California, are tied for fourth place with 31 points.

Zavala and Coté each moved into the top five for the first time this week after finishing Friday’s block in second and third, respectively. Zavala posted a 1,459 total, while Coté had 1,380. Leanne Vastbinder of Winter Park, Florida, finished fourth with 1,346, and Kulick was fifth with 1,340.

Laura Branch of Victor, New York, rolled the second 300 of the week on the women’s side during Friday’s third round. She finished the round in 25th place with a 1,242 total.

On the men’s side, Russo leaned on his experience from the 2016 event to get to the correct part of the lane from the start Friday, and the left-hander fired games of 267, 192, 237, 247, 241 and 268 for a 1,452 total.

“We hit this pattern last year, and I started by playing deeper and ran into trouble,” said Russo, a 2016 Junior Team USA member. “The last three games, I moved left and bowled well, so coming into this year I knew that’s where I had to play to give myself the best chance. I’ve been very fortunate to bowl well this week, and I hope to keep riding that wave and continue to make smart choices.”

Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Arizona, who shared the lead with Russo after Round 2, is second with 30 points. Andrew Cain of Phoenix is third with 32 points, and defending Team USA Trials champion Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, is fourth with 38 points. Nick Kruml of Downers Grove, Illinois, rounds out the top five with 50 points.

AJ Chapman of Wichita, Kansas, surpassed Parkin’s total Friday by four pins, firing games of 278, 258, 255, 264, 245 and 266 for a 1,566 total, a 261 average, to lead the men’s field. Andrew Anderson of Holly, Michigan, finished second with 1,495, while Kent (1,468) and Cain (1,457) were third and fourth, respectively.

Chapman has improved each round at the 2017 event, and the two-time Team USA member credited his opening pair’s strategy in helping getting out to a fast start.

“It was really nice the first game, since our pair stayed right in practice and played together,” said Chapman, who won two gold medals and one silver medal at the 2016 Pan American Bowling Confederation Adult Championships in Cali, Colombia. “We broke it down, moved left of the track and it got really good from there. The track play is pretty dominant here, which makes the long patterns pretty nice. It was cool to get out there and throw a bunch of strikes, and I really needed a day like this to get back in the hunt.”

The top three amateurs on the women’s side are Brummett (25 ranking points), Zavala (31 points) and Breanna Clemmer of Clover, South Carolina (35 points). The top three amateurs for the men are Russo (17 points), Steven Badovinac of Monument, Colorado (57 points), and Chapman (62 points). Chapman holds the edge over Bryan Hahlen of Greenwood, South Carolina, who also has 62 points, due to total pinfall.

To be eligible for the U.S. Amateur, a bowler must not hold or have held a professional membership (Professional Bowlers Association or Professional Women’s Bowling Association) in the preceding year. Also, anyone who has won a professional title (regional, national or senior) as a professional is not eligible to compete as an amateur.

Competition continues Saturday at 11 a.m. Eastern with the fourth round of men’s qualifying. BOWL.com’s BowlTV will provide wire-to-wire coverage of the event.

They will join the six boys and six girls who already earned their spots on Junior Team USA 2017 through qualifying at the 2016 Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis.

For more information on the USBC Team USA Trials and U.S. Amateur, visit BOWL.com/TeamUSATrials.

2017 USBC Team USA Trials
At Sunset Station’s Strike Zone Bowling Center, Henderson, Nev.

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

ROUND 3 – TOP 20
(Position, name, hometown, six-game total)

MEN

1, AJ Chapman, Wichita, Kan., 1,566.
2, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 1,495.
3, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 1,468.
4, Andrew Cain, Phoenix, 1,457.
5, Matt Russo, Millstone Township, N.J., 1,452.
6, Nick Kruml, Downers Grove, Ill., 1,446.
7, Steven Badovinac, Monument, Colo., 1,439.
8, DeeRonn Booker, Anaheim, Calif., 1,437.
9, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 1,429.
10, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 1,426.
11, Pete Vergos, Apopka, Fla., 1,410.
12, Briley Haugh, Faribault, Minn., 1,409.
13, Joshua Rondino, Lilburn, Ga., 1,391.
14, Darren Tang, San Francisco, 1,389.
15, Gregory Young Jr., Viera, Fla., 1,384.
16, Jack Cook, Denville, N.J., 1,375.
17, Andrew Hall, Westborough, Mass., 1,371.
18, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 1,369.
19, Kendle Miles, Daytona Beach, Fla., 1,359.
T20, Hunter Kempton, Buzzards Bay, Mass., 1,358.
T20, Cortez Schenck, Phoenix, 1,358.
T20, Matthew Farber, O’Fallon, Ill., 1,358.
T20, Sean Wilcox, Altamonte Springs, Fla., 1,358.

WOMEN

1, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 1,562.
2, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 1,459.
3, Bryanna Coté, Red Rock, Ariz., 1,380.
4, Leanne Vastbinder, Winter Park, Fla., 1,346.
5, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,340.
6, Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., 1,336.
7, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 1,334.
8, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 1,331.
9, Jordan Newham, Aurora, Ill., 1,330.
10, Brooke Carroll, Scottsdale, Ariz., 1,326.
11, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 1,306.
12, Lauren Hoffman, Monroe Township, N.J., 1,293.
13, Jordan Richard, Tipton, Mich., 1,286.
14, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 1,285.
15, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 1,282.
16, Jessica Mellott, Lauderhill, Fla., 1,270.
17, Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 1,265.
18, Kayla Johnson, Washington, Ill., 1,264.
19, Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 1,263.
20, Sarah Rhodes, Sparta, N.J., 1,260.

OVERALL – TOP 20
(Position, name, hometown, total points. Points based on finishing position in each round.)

MEN

1, Matt Russo, Millstone Township, N.J., 17.
2, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 30.
3, Andrew Cain, Phoenix, 32.
4, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 38.
5, Nick Kruml, Downers Grove, Ill., 50.
T6, Steven Badovinac, Monument, Colo., 57.
T6, Devin Bidwell, Wichita, Kan., 57.
8, Perry Crowell IV, Hoquiam, Wash., 61.
T9, Bryan Hahlen, Greenwood, S.C., 62.
T9, AJ Chapman, Wichita, Kan., 62.
T11, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 72.
T11, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 72.
13, Gregory Young Jr., Viera, Fla., 78.
14, Cortez Schenck, Phoenix, 80.
15, Thomas McNeal, Seattle, 81.
16, Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 87.
T17, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 89.
T17, Kenny Ryan, Farmingdale, N.J., 89.
19, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 95.
20, Jacob Kersten, Clarkston, Mich., 96.

WOMEN

1, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 17.
2, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 18.
3, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 25.
T4, Bryanna Coté, Red Rock, Ariz., 31.
T4, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 31.
6, Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb., 34.
7, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 35.
8, Shannon O’Keefe, O’Fallon, Ill., 39.
9, Giselle Poss, Montgomery, Ill., 43.
10, Kayla Johnson, Washington, Ill., 45.
11, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 46.
12, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 47.
13, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 48.
14, Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 51.
15, Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn., 59.
16, Lauren Hoffman, Monroe Township, N.J., 71.
17, Megan Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 77.
18, Sarah Lokker, New Baltimore, Mich., 82.
19, Paige Kraushaar, Crown Point, Ind., 87.
T20, Laura Branch, Victor, N.Y., 88.
T20, Lauren Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 88.