Three bowlers achieve perfection at 2022 USBC Open Championships
Three bowlers at different points in their competitive careers – William Young of Cortland, New York, Aaron Hendren of Vancouver, Washington, and Derek Miller of Watertown, South Dakota, joined an exclusive club this week at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, where they rolled perfect games on the tournament lanes.
Young, a 58-year-old right-hander, notched the first 300 in team competition this year at the South Point Bowling Plaza as part of a 722 series April 2. He was making his 23rd tournament appearance and helped Foster’s Plumbing 1 of Savannah, Tennessee, to a 3,111 total, which is just outside the top 20 in Regular Team.
Hendren’s 300 was the first of the year in singles and came after games of 191 and 236 to complete a 727 series, also just outside the top 20 in Regular Singles. The 2022 event marked the 56-year-old right-hander’s third appearance on the tournament lanes, with the first two coming more than 20 years apart in 1998 and 2021.
Miller, a 37-year-old two-hander, capped the first series of his USBC Open Championships career with a 300 game. His debut April 4 got out to a tough start with games of 125 and 156, but he got situated in time to claim a spot in the record book.
The surge helped River Card Casino to a 1,117 finale, the second-highest team game in the five-event history of the Standard Division, and a 2,857 total, which is just outside the top 10 in the Standard Team standings this year. The group opened with games of 822 and 918.
“I don’t really remember what I was thinking as the game went on, but I can say for sure that on the last two shots, I was shaking pretty badly,” Miller said. “Somehow, I pulled it together, and it was an amazing experience.”
Standard Team includes teams with combined entering averages of 776-875. Parkway Bowl Team 1 of Lakeside, California, leads this year with 2,936.
The highest game in Standard competition was a 1,133 effort that helped Him Bowling Events 7 to a tie for second place at the South Point Bowling Plaza in 2021.
Individually, Miller competed in the Classified Division – for bowlers with entering averages of 155 and below – and finished his first Open Championships with sets of 581 in team, 476 in singles and 411 in doubles for a 1,468 total.
James Zaharis of Apalachin, New York, rolled the first perfect game of the 2022 Open Championships on March 25, the 14th day of competition at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
McNiel lifts team into lead at South Point Bowling Plaza
Four-time Eagle winner Matt McNiel recently made a cross-country move from Minneapolis to Alva, Florida, and he was on the move again April 1 at the 2022 USBC Open Championships, where he helped Storm Products Inc. 1 climb the Regular Team standings.
Led by McNiel’s 11-strike 279 game, the team kicked things off with the highest opening game of the year at the South Point Bowling Plaza, a 1,203 effort, that was followed by games of 1,089 and 1,194 for a 3,486 total.
It is the highest team score on the tournament lanes since 2014, when it took a record 3,720 total to claim the Regular Team title.
McNiel finished with a 746 series and was followed by Jon Rakoski (740), David Langer (703), Justin Veitch (694) and 2001 Team All-Events champion Ron Mohr (603). Supreme Deck of Grand Haven, Michigan, previously held the lead with 3,372, which included a 1,218 finish.
Standard Team lead also changes hands at 2022 Open Championships
Securing the lead in Standard Team on April 2 came down to the final frame for Timothy Ursillo of Lakeside, California, and his Parkway Bowl Team 1 teammates.
Ursillo delivered a strike and a nine-count to get just enough. He was working on a ninth-frame strike and had to have the first one in the 10th frame.
Parkway Bowl Team 1 finished with games of 921, 1,073 and 942, edging Whitewater Cheated 3 of Appleton, Wisconsin, which previously held the lead with 2,934.
Ryan Pastorino led the way for Parkway Bowl Team 1 with a 624 series and was followed by Kayla Ursillo (610), Timothy Ursillo (591), Matthew Green (557) and Jeffrey Green (554).
The Standard Division was added to the Open Championships landscape in 2017 and includes teams with combined entering averages of 776-875.
A look ahead
Coming up April 11, Bill Fisher of Brodhead, Wisconsin, will become the newest member of the 50-Year Club at the USBC Open Championships.
Fisher, 77, will be the seventh of the 31 bowlers scheduled to celebrate 50 years of participation during the 2022 tournament at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
Las Vegas also will welcome three bowlers participating for the 60th time, one making his 65th appearance and one competing for the 70th time.
For more information on the Open Championships, visit BOWL.com/OpenChamp.
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2022 USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
South Point Bowling Plaza
Las Vegas
(Division leaders with hometown and pinfall)
As of April 5, 2022
REGULAR DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 876 and above)
1, Storm Products Inc. 1 (Matthew McNiel, Jon Rakoski, Justin Veitch, David Langer, Ronald Mohr), Alva, Fla., 3,486. 2, Supreme Deck, Grand Haven, Mich., 3,372. 3, Holiday Bowl, Boonton, N.J., 3,305. 4, Vick Vick Boom 1, York, Pa., 3,294. 5, BowlTec, Rancho Cordova, Calif., 3,291. 6, #Whackliffe 1, Lakewood, Ohio, 3,257. 7, Whitewater Cheated 1, Appleton, Wis., 3,242. 8, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 1, St. Charles, Mo., 3,241. 9, Storm Products Inc. 2, Minneapolis, 3,224. 10, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 3, St. Charles, Mo., 3,211.
Doubles
(Combined averages of 351 and above)
1, Chris Barnes, Denton, Texas/Billy Rogers, Denison, Texas, 1,479. 2, Andrew Carson, York, Pa./Scott Kinkaid, Elizabethtown, Pa., 1,433. 3, Trevor Yonan, Sheboygan, Wis./Rob Warren, Antigo, Wis., 1,425. 4, Eric Nelson, Minot, N.D./Daniel Kimmer, Monticello, Minn., 1,399. 5, Timothy Behrendt/Shea Bittenbender, St. Charles, Mo., 1,391. 6, Steve Studer/Justin Studer, Rupert, Idaho, 1,389. 7, Shawn Bibee, St. Louis/Zulmazran Zulkifli, Malaysia, 1,368. 8, Charles Zmozynski/Peter Zmozynski, Depew, N.Y., 1,366. 9(tie), David Mitchell, Waterville, Minn./Don Breeden, Urbandale, Iowa, and Andy Mills/Nicholas Heilman, La Crosse, Wis., 1,358.
Singles
(Averages of 176 and above)
1, Sam Cantrell, Roseville, Calif., 777. 2, Ryan Schlotfeld, Lincoln, Neb., 772. 3(tie), James Greg Buff, Manchester, Pa., and Jose Uvero Jr., St. Cloud, Minn., 758. 5, David Carroll, Wyoming, Mich., 757. 6, Matthew Zitnik, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, 756. 7, Arnie Diaz, Missoula, Mont., 754. 8, Chris Barnes, Denton, Texas, 750. 9, Chris Breshears, Albany, Ore., 746. 10 Michael Hausler, Haysville, Kan., 742.
All-Events
(Averages of 176 and above)
1, Chris Barnes, Denton, Texas, 2,197. 2, Sam Cantrell, Roseville, Calif., 2,159. 3, Peter Zmozynski, Depew, N.Y., 2,146. 4, Robert Callan, Vacaville, Calif., 2,139. 5, Dennis Assaff, North Olmstead, Ohio., 2,107. 6, Rob Warren, Antigo, Wis., 2,089. 7, David Carroll, Wyoming, Mich., 2,080. 8, Charles Brown II, Byron Center, Mich., 2,068. 9, Daniel Vick, Pittsford, N.Y., 2,061. 10(tie), Justin Studer, Rupert, Idaho, and Aaron O’Brien, Dupo, Ill., 2,057.
Team All-Events
1, Supreme Deck (Robert Schepis, Michael Maynard, David Carroll, Charles Brown II, Jason Porter), Grand Haven, Mich., 9,917. 2, Nicholas J’s Pro Shop 2, La Crosse, Wis., 9,888. 3, Storm Products Inc. 1, Alva, Fla., 9,859. 4, Go Bills, Depew, N.Y., 9,571. 5, #Whackliffe 1, Lakewood, Ohio, 9,567. 6, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 1, St. Charles, Mo., 9,557. 7, BowlerMaxx 1, Hanover, Pa., 9,550. 8, Performance Bowling Service 2, Weed, Calif., 9,549. 9, Holiday Bowl, Boonton, N.J., 9,504. 10, Bowlers and Bodybuilders, Denton, Texas, 9,445.
STANDARD DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 776-875)
1, Parkway Bowl Team 1 (Matthew Green, Kayla Ursillo, Jeffrey Green, Ryan Pastorino, Timothy Ursillo), Lakeside, Calif., 2,936. 2, Whitewater Cheated 3, Appleton, Wis., 2,934. 3, #TeamHaidin20, Beaumont, Texas, 2,933. 4, Minnesota Select Sires 1, Fergus Falls, Minn., 2,927. 5, Ale N Angus Pub 1, Fulton, N.Y., 2,920. 6, Luke All Stars, Phoenix, 2,898. 7, Lightning, Cheyenne, Wyo., 2,890. 8, Stars and Strikes 2, Salem, Ore., 2,888. 9, Alyson’s Five, Scottsdale, Ariz., 2,878. 10, Waikem Auto Group, Paris, Ohio, 2,876.
Doubles
(Combined Averages of 311-350)
1, Michael Steppert, Weston, Wis./Dan Cherek, Wausau, Wis., 1,312. 2, Sheldon Short, Huber Heights, Ohio/Anthony Dann, Dayton, Ohio, 1,291. 3, Eric Davis, Fall Creek, Wis./Michael Holzhueter, Menomonie, Wis., 1,287. 4, Keith Betts/Bryan Miloshoff, Griffith, Ind., 1,257. 5, Johnny Baker III, Erda, Utah/John Harris, Tooele, Utah, 1,251. 6, Jermaine Bautista/Danielle Jones, Santa Maria, Calif., 1,235. 7, David Lee, South Bound Brook, N.J./Mitchell Douglas, Somerset, N.J., 1,225. 8, Cody Monahan, Pine Island, Minn./Phillip Howell, Fulton, N.Y., 1,211. 9(tie), Brock Green, Plymouth, Minn./David Green, St. Michael, Minn., and Michael Bower, Lewisville, Texas/Phil Tuazon, The Colony, Texas, 1,209.
Singles
(Averages of 156-175)
1, Daryl Stephens, Gilbert, Ariz., 705. 2, Walter Shaft, Freeland, Mich., 700. 3, Jun Dailo, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 695. 4, Daniel Hudson, Comstock Park, Mich., 691. 5, Bill Robson, Easley, S.C., 684. 6, Robert Alvarado, Corona, Calif., 680. 7, Donald Schwartz, Port Charlotte, Fla., 676. 8, Gregory Witt, Phoenix, 675. 9, Keith Gerger, Albany, Ore., 670. 10, Naveen Nair, Southern Pines, N.C., 667.
All-Events
(Averages of 156-175)
1, Gregory Witt, Phoenix, 1,982. 2, Dean Bruinsma, Clear Lake, S.D., 1,959. 3, David Lee, South Bound Brook, N.J., 1,944. 4, Steve Bowling, Union, Ky., 1,910. 5, Michael Steppert, Weston, Wis., 1,895. 6, Eric Davis, Fall Creek, Wis., 1,856. 7, James Hallam, Streator, Ill., 1,855. 8, Michael Langlie, North Mankato, Minn., 1,850. 9, Bryan Miloshoff, Griffith, Ind., 1,849. 10, Steve Foust, Brighton, Colo., 1,847.
CLASSIFIED DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 775 and below)
1, Alamo City PINs (Miguel Villarreal, Frances Villarreal, Ruben Rodriguez, Luis Ramirez, Robert Rosas), Helotes, Texas, 2,788. 2, Witt’s Classified Family Affair, Phoenix, 2,681. 3, Farmers Grain, Greenville, Miss., 2,668. 4, Halos, Bloomington, Ill., 2,662. 5, Northern New Mexico Elite, Ohkay Owingeh, N.M., 2,611. 6, FPA League City, Texas, 2,584. 7, Go Ugly Early, Casa Grande, Ariz., 2,563. 8, Pahrump Nugget Bowl 3, Pahrump, Nev., 2,557. 9, Dancing Chickens, Salado, Texas, 2,556. 10, Paul Vormittag Team 1, 2,546.
Doubles
(Combined averages of 310 and below)
1, Kurtis Weber, Carrollton, Ill./James Weder, Winchester, Ill., 1,113. 2, Shiong Chu, San Gabriel, Calif./Todd Van, Temple City, Calif., 1,107. 3, Theain Lim/David Lim, Las Vegas, 1,100. 4, Dan Rizzo/Ronald Rizzo, Florence, Ariz., 1,099. 5, Larry Flannigan/Nicole Flannigan, Kaneohe, Hawaii, 1,093. 6, Jeremy Wininger/Jacob Wininger, Georgetown, Texas, 1,091. 7, Edward Baiz Jr./David Baiz, Granger, Iowa, 1,082. 8(tie), Cord Smith/Ashlee Rockwell, Boone, Iowa, and William Mayberry/Ryan Wheat, Hanford, Calif., 1,080. 10, Stanley Aldis, Longwood, Fla./Paul Vormittag, Crystal Lake, Ill., 1,079.
Singles
(Averages of 155 and below)
1, Ron Hilliard, Lancaster, Calif., 665. 2, Hunter Reber, Cedar City, Utah, 657. 3, Edwin Humbert, Strasburg, Colo., 644. 4(tie), Dean Crick, Waddell, Ariz., Benjamin Tingue, Stafford, Va., 636. 6, Billy Duvall, Bloomington, Ind., 633. 7, David Granados, El Centro, Calif., 632. 8, Chad Clapp, Casa Grande, Ariz., 630. 9, Travis Spier, Sioux Falls, S.D., 629. 10, Carl Schwabe, Waynetown, Ind., 628.
All Events
(Averages of 155 and below)
1, Ronald Hilliard, Lancaster, Calif., 1,824. 2, Carl Schwabe, Waynetown, Ind., 1,730. 3, Zachary Watson, Thornton, Colo., 1,728. 4(tie), Jose Ruiz, Brighton, Colo., and Drew Manor, Winona, Minn., 1,723. 6. Edmund Manning, Pahrump, Nev., 1,718. 7, Brock Green, Plymouth, Minn., 1,707. 8, Billy Duvall, Bloomington, Ind., 1,703. 9, Jason Ruwoldt, St. Marys, Ohio, 1,702. 10, Alan Haugen, St. Paul Park, Minn., 1,695.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). 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 1,519 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.
