Junior Team USA earns two singles medals at 2011 PABCON Youth Championships

RESULTS: Boys | Girls

SANTIAGO, Dominican Republic - Junior Team USA's Elise Bolton took the girls singles silver medal, while Andrew Koff earned the boys bronze Monday in the opening event of the 2011 Pan American Bowling Confederation Youth Championships.

Bolton finished with a six-game total of 1,211 and finished 80 pins back of gold medalist Juliana Franco of Colombia. Koff's total of 1,239 earned him the bronze, while Venezuela's Kevin Belandria won the gold with 1,251.

"I feel disappointed because I bowled a 150 game, and I missed some spares I shouldn't have missed," said Bolton, who finished second last week at the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships. "Regardless, I'm happy because it's my first medal outside of the United States."

On the boys side, Koff also had a bad game in the middle of the set with 145 in Game 4. He fell just short of the gold medal in the final game, needing 214 he shot 202.

"I'm very happy to have earned a medal," said Koff, who also finished second at Junior Gold last week. "It's just unfortunate that I had that 145. Pair to pair they are difficult and at least I know to keep that in mind and try to avoid low games in the coming events."

James Stanley of Costa Rica took the silver medal in boys singles, while Sandro Perrino of Venezuela also earned a bronze medal along with Koff. For the girls, Puerto Rico's Neishka Cardona took the bronze medal.

Junior Team USA's Kaitlin Quinn just missed a medal, finishing fourth by 13 pins. Danielle McEwan was 14th, while Jessica Earnest finished 20th.

Other U.S. finishers in the boys division were Marshall Kent in fifth place, missing a medal by 3 pins, and E.J. Tackett in sixth place, missing a medal by six pins. Kyle King finished in 24th place.

The PABCON Youth Championships continue tomorrow with the doubles event. Earnest and Quinn will pair up, while Bolton and McEwan will bowl together. For the boys, Koff and Tackett will join forces, while Kent and King will pair up.

2011 PABCON YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Cibao Bowling Center, Santiago, Dominican Republic
Monday's Results

SINGLES MEDALISTS
(Six games)

BOYS
Gold - Kevin Belandria, Venezuela, 1,251
Silver - James Stanley, Costa Rica, 1,245
Bronze (tie) - Sandro Perrino, Venezuela, and Andrew Koff, United States, 1,239

GIRLS
Gold - Juliana Franco, Colombia, 1,291
Silver - Elise Bolton, United States, 1,211
Bronze - Neishka Cardona, Puerto Rico, 1,179