Boomershine lifts team at 2014 Open Championships

RENO, Nev. - Lindsay Boomershine of Brigham City, Utah, is confident on the lanes at the National Bowling Stadium and extremely comfortable around her teammates, and that proved to be a perfect combination Tuesday as she led Storm Products Inc. into the lead at the 2014 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.

The 28-year-old right-hander shot 225, 235 and 247 for a 707 series and helped the Brigham City team to games of 1,109, 1,158 and 1,074 for a 3,341 total. Towne & Country Lanes 1 of Hartland, Wis., previously held the lead in Regular Team with 3,311.

Dave Symes added a 704 set for Storm Products Inc. and was followed by Tyler Jensen (679), Chris Sand (672) and Ernest Goedicke (579).

"All of the people in our group are really good friends, and we work and bowl well together," said Boomershine, who won three titles at the NBS during the 2012 USBC Women's Championships. "That makes it so much easier. We're all out there working toward a goal, and we love being around each other."

During the team event, the group was under the watchful eye of Storm Vice-President of Sales and Marketing Hank Boomershine, who was unable to bowl because of a recent wrist surgery, but was able to see the lanes from a different perspective and offer suggestions about moves and ball changes.

"We communicate well as a team and constantly talk through what's happening on the lanes," said Boomershine, who bowls regularly at Bear River Bowl and made her sixth USBC Open Championships appearance. "Having Hank back there was very helpful, too. He helped the guys drill some balls, and then he had a great perspective to see the ball motion while we were bowling."

After victories in Scratch Doubles and Scratch All-Events, and a co-championship in Diamond Doubles at the Women's Championships in 2012, Boomershine looks at the Stadium in a whole new way.

In three games Tuesday, she only had two strike shots that knocked down less than nine pins, and she was 13-for-13 on single-pin spares on the way to 30 clean frames.

"There's just something about the aura here," Boomershine said. "I feel so confident because of the titles I won here previously. It really changes your whole mentality."

Much of Boomershine's drive and passion for bowling are courtesy of her uncle, Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Tom Baker, who owns 10 PBA Tour titles and nine PBA50 Tour (formerly PBA Senior Tour) victories.

Bowling is as big a part of her life as ever before, and she's been busy doing a lot of coaching and clinics. Helping others has taught her to focus more on the positive things, even if it means fighting a battle with carry like she did Tuesday with help from her supportive teammates.

"I love to bowl, and so do these guys," Boomershine said. "They wait for this trip every year, and I'm so glad I get to be a part of it. Even if we didn't bowl well, we would've had fun, but this makes it so much better."

Storm Products 2 finished the day with a 2,879 total. Rex Johnson led the way with a 666 series and was joined by Corbet Austin (620), Jocko Mangin (567), Isaac Symes (534) and Lee Upp (492).

The members of Storm Products Inc. returned to the NBS on Wednesday and moved into second in Team All-Events with 9,401. Sand paced the group as he moved into second in Regular All-Events with 2,069, while Symes (1,883), Boomershine (1,852), Jensen (1,842) and Goedicke (1,755) contributed to the effort.

Towne & Country Lanes 1 leads Team All-Events with 9,756. Curtis Odom of Coldwater, Mich., sits on top of the standings in Regular All-Events with 2,076.

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Presenting sponsors for the 2014 USBC Open Championships include Circus Circus Reno, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno.