300 games, Standard record highlight exciting stretch at Open Championships
May 29, 2023
Pictured above (from left): Erick Podwill, Andrea Fredericks, Dave Ellsworth, Greg Bill and Greg Nardo
RENO, Nev. – Three 300 games and a Standard Team record on the way to the lead have highlighted an exciting two-day stretch at the 2023 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Craig Nidiffer of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, started his singles set Friday with 12 strikes, and Michael Snell of Papillion, Nebraska, added his name to the list Saturday during his final game in Reno. Ryan Lofton of Strafford, Missouri, connected for 300 to help celebrate his 23rd birthday to start his team event Saturday evening. There have been eight perfect games rolled at the 2023 event, with four taking place in singles and three in team competition.
Between the 300s by Snell and Lofton on Saturday, the members of Irvine Team 1 of Corona, California, fired the highest team game since the introduction of the Standard Division in 2017 (1,187) to start their 2023 appearance, and the group finished with games of 869 and 960 for a 3,016 total to take over the top spot at the National Bowling Stadium.
Surgically Repaired of Darien, Illinois, had held the lead in Standard Team since March 8 with 2,977.
The record-setting score in Game 1 for Irvine Team 1 was led by Erick Podwill’s 254. He was followed by Dave Ellsworth (245), Greg Bill (245), Greg Nardo (222) and Andrea Fredericks (221).
The previous record belonged to 2022 champion JW’s All Stars of Wellington, Florida. The team rolled 1,143 in its final game to collect the victory in Las Vegas with a 3,132 total.
Podwill also led the overall effort with a 644 series. Bill had 620, while Nardo (598), Fredericks (579) and Ellsworth (575) were not far behind.
The big performance from Irvine Team 1 stemmed from the group working together and staying relaxed at the NBS.
All five team members have bowled together in the same league for a long time, and they decided to give the USBC Open Championships a shot as a team this year.
“Four of us all bowl on the same team in league, and we recruited Erick to join us this year, making us complete,” said Fredericks, who also credited their success to being comfortable with each other and keeping a laid-back type of vibe while participating. “We are able to be brutally honest with each other about our performances, and that comes with the comfort of being good friends.”
While everyone brings something special to the team, Fredericks noted that Nardo serves multiple roles as the team’s pro shop professional, captain, on-lane coach and supporter.
“All of the balls we used today worked well, and we all have Greg (Nardo) to thank for that,” Fredericks said. “Greg really will take the time to help all of us out with what he is seeing out on the lanes, even if he’s in the middle of bowling bad. We’re all better for it.”
Nardo also served as the team’s anchor bowler this year, and he delivered two strikes in his final frame Saturday to help push the team to the lead and the first 3,000 in the Standard Division at the 2023 event.
“I watched a lot of the scores the past few months and noted what had been rolling well down the lane as far as equipment goes,” Nardo said. “I wanted to set my team up for success as much as I could going into nationals.”
Making this year’s appearance even more special for the team was seeing Ellsworth return to bowling after a battle with cancer the last few years.
“I had dozens of surgeries and battled cancer through the entire pandemic alone in the hospital,” said Ellsworth, who now is cancer free. “I wasn’t able to bowl during that ordeal, and to be back on the lanes is a blessing.”
The entire team is going to be watching the scores when they return to California with hopes of hanging onto the lead and earning their first win at the event.
“My two goals at this tournament every year are to put up a score good enough to win and shoot a 300,” said Nardo, who made his fifth appearance at the Open Championships. “Hopefully this holds, and we can achieve an accomplishment we will be able to see on the scoreboard for the rest of our careers.”
Standard Team includes five-player groups with combined entering averages of 776-875.
Craig Nidiffer
Nidiffer is no stranger to posting a bunch of strikes at the hosting venue of the Open Championships. The 37-year-old right-hander fired games of 247, 300 and 299 for an 846 series to win Open Singles and Open Doubles (with Justin Neiman of Macomb, Michigan, with 1,601) at the 2017 Bowlers Journal Championships, and he posted 801 last year at the Bowlers Journal to place seventh in Open Singles.
He found something he liked toward the end of doubles Friday during his 13th appearance at the Open Championships and was able to capitalize on the look he and his teammates created from using urethane earlier in the block.
Although his final delivery crossed over the head pin for his 12th strike, the close-knit group from Michigan was able to celebrate the moment.
“The doubles was definitely flat, so we threw a lot of urethane to start to try to get it to not be what it was, and I think we did a good job,” said Nidiffer, who added games of 195 and 192 to close his singles set with 687. “It seemed like there was a little bit of shim if your angles were right, and we decided we had thrown enough of the urethane that we could get in and attack it.
“I threw a ball that was kind of close, and then Andrew (Anderson) suggested the Envy Tour. I wrapped a 10 on the fill shot to end doubles and it looked nice, so I just wanted to be aggressive with it. I felt like we could peel it off five on that pair, and it happened to be there for 11 shots. It might of went away on the 12th shot, but for one game, it was really nice.”
The camaraderie shared within the talented two-team group is fun to watch as they compete, and it’s something that’s been built over time at the local and national level.
The individual accolades range from Professional Bowlers Association Player of the Year honors for Anderson to a Junior Gold Championships victory for Tylor Greene to wins at top-tier events like the High Roller and New Mexico Open for Nidiffer.
It's the memories they get to share together, though, that really brings it all together.
“We’ve all known each other since we were kids,” Nidiffer said. “It’s cool to come out here and bowl this with them and try to win something. Justin and I won the tournament at the (Bowlers) Journal, and it’s something we still always talk about. To be able to do this with those guys is a lot of fun. The memories are good, and if you can pull something together, you’ll remember it for a lifetime.”
Nidiffer added sets of 660 in team and 641 in doubles for a 1,988 all-events score this year at the NBS.
Michael Snell
Snell had started singles with games of 206 and 200 before making his run in the final game for a 706 series, but things started to take shape for the 35-year-old right-hander toward the end of doubles.
With what he saw on the lanes, Snell elected to manage the pocket by using a different ball on each lane.
“I had finished doubles throwing the last six or seven, so I had a pretty good look,” said Snell, who made his 15th appearance at the Open Championships. “I had realized the right lane was a little tighter, so I started to throw the same ball on each lane (Hammer Obsession Tour), but I used the pearl version on the left lane and solid on the right lane to pick up a little sooner. In the second game of singles, I threw it really well and had a clean 200, so I was right there. It all clicked the last game.”
As Snell approached his final frame, he decided to make a move based on previous experiences.
He flushed the 10th shot and got a little help with a late trip of the 4 pin on his 11th delivery. Snell left no doubt on his final shot as he secured his spot in the tournament’s record book.
“I made a two and one going into the 10th,” said Snell, a 2005-2006 Dexter High School All-American Team member. “I wasn’t really sure if I needed to make it, but just knowing my tendencies in pressure situations, I made the move. The first one was really good, and the second one felt like it was good, but it hooked up a little high and the 4 pin was a little slow to fall, so I was happy about that one. I’ve never been more nervous in my life on the last shot. I’ve thrown a ton of pressure shots, but I’ve never been more nervous. I told myself to commit to the shot.”
After his final shot, he gave a nod to his late grandfather, Neal, and was able to share the moment with his wife (Jasmine) and mother (Ruth) and had an emotional hug with his father, Mick.
“I wish my sister (Apryl) could have been here, too, since she normally bowls, but she couldn’t make it this year,” Snell said. “I was really happy that my immediate family was here so I could share that with them. It was awesome to hug my dad after the last one. We had a good embrace, and I told him I had asked Grandpa for some help on the last one if I needed it. He was definitely on my mind during that last shot.”
Snell grew up developing his craft at Li-Mi-Rick Lanes in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, which was owned by Neal and his grandmother, Janet. He spent a lot of time on the final lane at the 12-lane center, which helped him create a natural drift to open up the lanes.
“I have this huge drift to the left, and I developed that because as a kid, I’d only bowl on Lane 12 after leagues finished up,” Snell said. “That’s when Pete (Weber) and Amleto (Monacelli) were on TV every week, and I’m throwing it 4 miles per hour but wanted to hook the lane. So, I had to walk around the ball return. It feels natural to me.”
Snell added sets of 628 in team and 585 in doubles during his appearance at the 2023 Open Championships for a 1,919 all-events total.
In addition to getting to add his name to the storied list of bowlers to achieve perfection at the tournament, Snell also will get to enjoy some friendly banter with some of individuals he bowls with back in Nebraska.
“It’s really special to have our name in the record book,” Snell said. “Especially here at the Stadium. It seems like I hit the pocket a lot here but just haven’t struck, but I probably can’t say that anymore. It’s really special to have that moment.
“There’s a couple guys back home, and we go back and forth a little bit. One of them – Matt Tomsu – has a 300 here. It always bugged me that I didn’t have one, so I’m glad I caught up to him now.”
Ryan Lofton
Lofton started his third Open Championships appearance with 12 strikes, and he added 196 and 225 for a 721 series to help Century Lanes 1 of Springfield, Missouri, to a 2,837 total.
The timing of his team event taking place on his birthday added a little extra incentive for the two-hander heading into the 2023 event, and he was able to deliver.
“I felt pretty good coming in, and one of my goals was to shoot 300,” Lofton said. “I thought it would be pretty cool to do that on my birthday, so it’s pretty nice to achieve that.”
Lofton is no stranger to stepping up to pressure situations on the lanes, but the chance to go for 300 at the Open Championships helped to amplify the moment as he prepared for his final shot.
“If I get through the first nine frames, I always think I have a shot,” Lofton said. “When I got to the 12th ball, though, it was probably the most nervous I’ve been for a 300. To see all 10 fall, I can’t even describe it.”
Lofton finished his 2023 appearance with 675 in singles and 579 in doubles for a 1,975 all-events tally.
The Regular Division features bowlers with entering averages of 176 and above.
The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The 143-day tournament will feature more than 9,700 five-player teams and nearly 50,000 bowlers making their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
RENO, Nev. – Three 300 games and a Standard Team record on the way to the lead have highlighted an exciting two-day stretch at the 2023 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Craig Nidiffer of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, started his singles set Friday with 12 strikes, and Michael Snell of Papillion, Nebraska, added his name to the list Saturday during his final game in Reno. Ryan Lofton of Strafford, Missouri, connected for 300 to help celebrate his 23rd birthday to start his team event Saturday evening. There have been eight perfect games rolled at the 2023 event, with four taking place in singles and three in team competition.
Between the 300s by Snell and Lofton on Saturday, the members of Irvine Team 1 of Corona, California, fired the highest team game since the introduction of the Standard Division in 2017 (1,187) to start their 2023 appearance, and the group finished with games of 869 and 960 for a 3,016 total to take over the top spot at the National Bowling Stadium.
Surgically Repaired of Darien, Illinois, had held the lead in Standard Team since March 8 with 2,977.
The record-setting score in Game 1 for Irvine Team 1 was led by Erick Podwill’s 254. He was followed by Dave Ellsworth (245), Greg Bill (245), Greg Nardo (222) and Andrea Fredericks (221).
The previous record belonged to 2022 champion JW’s All Stars of Wellington, Florida. The team rolled 1,143 in its final game to collect the victory in Las Vegas with a 3,132 total.
Podwill also led the overall effort with a 644 series. Bill had 620, while Nardo (598), Fredericks (579) and Ellsworth (575) were not far behind.
The big performance from Irvine Team 1 stemmed from the group working together and staying relaxed at the NBS.
All five team members have bowled together in the same league for a long time, and they decided to give the USBC Open Championships a shot as a team this year.
“Four of us all bowl on the same team in league, and we recruited Erick to join us this year, making us complete,” said Fredericks, who also credited their success to being comfortable with each other and keeping a laid-back type of vibe while participating. “We are able to be brutally honest with each other about our performances, and that comes with the comfort of being good friends.”
While everyone brings something special to the team, Fredericks noted that Nardo serves multiple roles as the team’s pro shop professional, captain, on-lane coach and supporter.
“All of the balls we used today worked well, and we all have Greg (Nardo) to thank for that,” Fredericks said. “Greg really will take the time to help all of us out with what he is seeing out on the lanes, even if he’s in the middle of bowling bad. We’re all better for it.”
Nardo also served as the team’s anchor bowler this year, and he delivered two strikes in his final frame Saturday to help push the team to the lead and the first 3,000 in the Standard Division at the 2023 event.
“I watched a lot of the scores the past few months and noted what had been rolling well down the lane as far as equipment goes,” Nardo said. “I wanted to set my team up for success as much as I could going into nationals.”
Making this year’s appearance even more special for the team was seeing Ellsworth return to bowling after a battle with cancer the last few years.
“I had dozens of surgeries and battled cancer through the entire pandemic alone in the hospital,” said Ellsworth, who now is cancer free. “I wasn’t able to bowl during that ordeal, and to be back on the lanes is a blessing.”
The entire team is going to be watching the scores when they return to California with hopes of hanging onto the lead and earning their first win at the event.
“My two goals at this tournament every year are to put up a score good enough to win and shoot a 300,” said Nardo, who made his fifth appearance at the Open Championships. “Hopefully this holds, and we can achieve an accomplishment we will be able to see on the scoreboard for the rest of our careers.”
Standard Team includes five-player groups with combined entering averages of 776-875.
Craig Nidiffer
Nidiffer is no stranger to posting a bunch of strikes at the hosting venue of the Open Championships. The 37-year-old right-hander fired games of 247, 300 and 299 for an 846 series to win Open Singles and Open Doubles (with Justin Neiman of Macomb, Michigan, with 1,601) at the 2017 Bowlers Journal Championships, and he posted 801 last year at the Bowlers Journal to place seventh in Open Singles.
He found something he liked toward the end of doubles Friday during his 13th appearance at the Open Championships and was able to capitalize on the look he and his teammates created from using urethane earlier in the block.
Although his final delivery crossed over the head pin for his 12th strike, the close-knit group from Michigan was able to celebrate the moment.
“The doubles was definitely flat, so we threw a lot of urethane to start to try to get it to not be what it was, and I think we did a good job,” said Nidiffer, who added games of 195 and 192 to close his singles set with 687. “It seemed like there was a little bit of shim if your angles were right, and we decided we had thrown enough of the urethane that we could get in and attack it.
“I threw a ball that was kind of close, and then Andrew (Anderson) suggested the Envy Tour. I wrapped a 10 on the fill shot to end doubles and it looked nice, so I just wanted to be aggressive with it. I felt like we could peel it off five on that pair, and it happened to be there for 11 shots. It might of went away on the 12th shot, but for one game, it was really nice.”
The camaraderie shared within the talented two-team group is fun to watch as they compete, and it’s something that’s been built over time at the local and national level.
The individual accolades range from Professional Bowlers Association Player of the Year honors for Anderson to a Junior Gold Championships victory for Tylor Greene to wins at top-tier events like the High Roller and New Mexico Open for Nidiffer.
It's the memories they get to share together, though, that really brings it all together.
“We’ve all known each other since we were kids,” Nidiffer said. “It’s cool to come out here and bowl this with them and try to win something. Justin and I won the tournament at the (Bowlers) Journal, and it’s something we still always talk about. To be able to do this with those guys is a lot of fun. The memories are good, and if you can pull something together, you’ll remember it for a lifetime.”
Nidiffer added sets of 660 in team and 641 in doubles for a 1,988 all-events score this year at the NBS.
Michael Snell
Snell had started singles with games of 206 and 200 before making his run in the final game for a 706 series, but things started to take shape for the 35-year-old right-hander toward the end of doubles.
With what he saw on the lanes, Snell elected to manage the pocket by using a different ball on each lane.
“I had finished doubles throwing the last six or seven, so I had a pretty good look,” said Snell, who made his 15th appearance at the Open Championships. “I had realized the right lane was a little tighter, so I started to throw the same ball on each lane (Hammer Obsession Tour), but I used the pearl version on the left lane and solid on the right lane to pick up a little sooner. In the second game of singles, I threw it really well and had a clean 200, so I was right there. It all clicked the last game.”
As Snell approached his final frame, he decided to make a move based on previous experiences.
He flushed the 10th shot and got a little help with a late trip of the 4 pin on his 11th delivery. Snell left no doubt on his final shot as he secured his spot in the tournament’s record book.
“I made a two and one going into the 10th,” said Snell, a 2005-2006 Dexter High School All-American Team member. “I wasn’t really sure if I needed to make it, but just knowing my tendencies in pressure situations, I made the move. The first one was really good, and the second one felt like it was good, but it hooked up a little high and the 4 pin was a little slow to fall, so I was happy about that one. I’ve never been more nervous in my life on the last shot. I’ve thrown a ton of pressure shots, but I’ve never been more nervous. I told myself to commit to the shot.”
After his final shot, he gave a nod to his late grandfather, Neal, and was able to share the moment with his wife (Jasmine) and mother (Ruth) and had an emotional hug with his father, Mick.
“I wish my sister (Apryl) could have been here, too, since she normally bowls, but she couldn’t make it this year,” Snell said. “I was really happy that my immediate family was here so I could share that with them. It was awesome to hug my dad after the last one. We had a good embrace, and I told him I had asked Grandpa for some help on the last one if I needed it. He was definitely on my mind during that last shot.”
Snell grew up developing his craft at Li-Mi-Rick Lanes in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, which was owned by Neal and his grandmother, Janet. He spent a lot of time on the final lane at the 12-lane center, which helped him create a natural drift to open up the lanes.
“I have this huge drift to the left, and I developed that because as a kid, I’d only bowl on Lane 12 after leagues finished up,” Snell said. “That’s when Pete (Weber) and Amleto (Monacelli) were on TV every week, and I’m throwing it 4 miles per hour but wanted to hook the lane. So, I had to walk around the ball return. It feels natural to me.”
Snell added sets of 628 in team and 585 in doubles during his appearance at the 2023 Open Championships for a 1,919 all-events total.
In addition to getting to add his name to the storied list of bowlers to achieve perfection at the tournament, Snell also will get to enjoy some friendly banter with some of individuals he bowls with back in Nebraska.
“It’s really special to have our name in the record book,” Snell said. “Especially here at the Stadium. It seems like I hit the pocket a lot here but just haven’t struck, but I probably can’t say that anymore. It’s really special to have that moment.
“There’s a couple guys back home, and we go back and forth a little bit. One of them – Matt Tomsu – has a 300 here. It always bugged me that I didn’t have one, so I’m glad I caught up to him now.”
Ryan Lofton
Lofton started his third Open Championships appearance with 12 strikes, and he added 196 and 225 for a 721 series to help Century Lanes 1 of Springfield, Missouri, to a 2,837 total.
The timing of his team event taking place on his birthday added a little extra incentive for the two-hander heading into the 2023 event, and he was able to deliver.
“I felt pretty good coming in, and one of my goals was to shoot 300,” Lofton said. “I thought it would be pretty cool to do that on my birthday, so it’s pretty nice to achieve that.”
Lofton is no stranger to stepping up to pressure situations on the lanes, but the chance to go for 300 at the Open Championships helped to amplify the moment as he prepared for his final shot.
“If I get through the first nine frames, I always think I have a shot,” Lofton said. “When I got to the 12th ball, though, it was probably the most nervous I’ve been for a 300. To see all 10 fall, I can’t even describe it.”
Lofton finished his 2023 appearance with 675 in singles and 579 in doubles for a 1,975 all-events tally.
The Regular Division features bowlers with entering averages of 176 and above.
The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The 143-day tournament will feature more than 9,700 five-player teams and nearly 50,000 bowlers making their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.