Earnest, Smith win singles titles at TOA

ARLINGTON, Texas - Team USA members Josie Earnest of Nashville, Tenn., and Steve Smith of San Diego each won singles titles at the 51st Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas in Sunrise, Fla., on Tuesday.

In the two-day singles competition, participants bowled six games each day at Strikers Lanes. The 20-member USA delegation, which includes two Team USA, two Junior Team USA and four U15 development team members, won seven of the 10 singles titles.

Earnest (above) took the Adult Women title with a 2,584 pinfall total for the12 games, while Brittni Hamilton of Webster, N.Y., tied for third at 2,437. Valerie Calberry (2,440) of Canada finished second.

Smith and teammate Eddie VanDaniker of Chatsworth, Calif., took the top two spots in Adult Men. Smith had a 2,734 total (227.8 average) with VanDanker totaling 2,592. Mexico's Enrique Kassian (2,457) took third.

Junior Team USA member Elise Bolton of Merritt Island, Fla., edged teammate Morgan O'Brien of Lomira, Wis., by seven pins (2,302 to 2,295) to win the Junior A (ages 16-19) Women division. Andrew Anderson (2,666) of Holly, Mich., took the Junior A Men title, beating second-place Jordan Klassen of Canada by more than 200 pins. Michael Coffey of Melbourne, Fla., was fourth.

In Junior B (ages 12-15) competition, U15 development team members Breanna Clemmer (2,388) of Clover, S.C., and Ashley Dunn (2,295) of Palmdale, Calif., took second and third, respectively, in the women's division behind Lisvier Cardenas (2,416) of Venezuela. Bradley Crouse of Nazareth, Pa., finished third in the men's division won by Venezuela's Massimiliano Fridegotto (2,355).

In the Senior Women (age 45-plus) division, Paula Vidad (2,436) and Char Hammel (2,129) finished 1-2 while Pete Thomas, who opened the tournament with a 300 game on Monday, cruised to the Senior Men (ages 50-plus) title at 2,581.

USBC Hall of Famer Dana Miller-Mackie (2,171) edged Mexico's Lordes Ortega (2,157) in the Super Senior Women (age 55-plus) division and Ed Roberts (2,389) took second in Super Senior Men (age 60-plus) behind Mexico's Mario Boneta (2,433).

The doubles competition will take place on Wednesday.

The Lee Evans Tournament of the Americas, the oldest annual international tournament in the American Zone, is a week-long invitational competition for countries in the Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON), the American Zone of the World Tenpin Bowling Association.

In each division, one team comprised of two men and two women compete in singles, doubles, mixed doubles and mixed team. After 36 games, individual all-events and national all-events champions are recognized.

Go to bowlingamericas.com for scores and schedules.