Click here to watch Fox Bowl 1 at the USBC Open Championships

RENO, Nev. - Michael Nape of Yorkville, Ill., knows what it feels like to be the lifetime average leader and a champion at the USBC Open Championships.

With the majority of this year's 12,837 teams already done competing, Nape entered the National Bowling Stadium with a pretty good idea of what he needed to shoot in order to experience those feelings again.

The 42-year-old right-hander came into this year's Open Championships with a 216.86 average for 23 years, while Gail Myers Jr. of Monroe, Wis., was a close second at 216.74.

Last month, Myers helped Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1 of Madison, Wis., into the top spot in Regular Team with a 3,473 total and went on to finish with a 2,115 all-events score. Nape knew he'd need to shoot just shy of 2,100 to stay ahead of Myers and unofficially remain at the top of the list.

"Gail gave me a huge number to shoot at, and their team bowled awesome," said Nape, who helped his team to the Team All-Events title at the 2008 tournament in Albuquerque, N.M. "I had the average lead for two years, and then I lost it. That's really when I realized what a great honor it is, and I wanted it back."

Nape also arrived in Reno with the hope of adding another eagle to his mantle, and his Fox Bowl 1 team came very close to making that happen.

First, with thousands of bowling fans, including Myers, watching live on BOWL.com, the group made a run at the Regular Team lead with the help of a 1,278 game, the second-highest team game in tournament history. The highest team effort in 108 years of Open Championships competition belongs to Myers and his group. They closed this year's team event with a 1,281 game.

Fox Bowl 1's near-record performance came between games of 1,018 and 1,091 for a 3,387 total, which is eighth overall. Although they came up short, just as they did on the way to a third-place team finish in 2008, they had a great start toward a second Team All-Events crown.

Nape and his teammates spread their doubles and singles out over three squads Friday and had the Team All-Events lead in their sights going into the final game. In the end, they came up short again and moved into second place with a 10,242 total, the 10th highest score ever rolled on the tournament lanes. K&K Bowling Services 5 of Las Vegas leads with 10,283.

Nape finished with a 2,123 all-events total, the second-highest of his career, and was joined by the team's newcomer Josh Blanchard (2,129), two-time champion Gregg Zicha (2,035), Peter Spreadbury (1,980) and Anthony Jordan (1,975).

"Obviously, it doesn't feel good coming up a little short, but what's important is that we keep putting ourselves in position to win, and that's all you can ask for," said Nape, who rolled a 300 game at the 1996 event in Salt Lake City. "There are so many factors involved in winning, and that's why you have to enjoy it when you get the chance. There's only one trophy in each event, and to get one really is something special."

Although Nape says he thrives on pressure, he bowled early in the day and could only watch as Spreadbury and Jordan closed things out for Fox Bowl 1.

"I tried to keep myself busy at the hotel and stay away for a while because I knew there was a lot of pressure on Pete and Tony," Nape said. "Personally, I love bowling under pressure, and almost wished it was me out there, but it just happened to work out that they were the last ones to bowl. They are both great bowlers and got it done for us when we won in 2008, and they both bowled really well again. We still shot a huge score, so we're proud of that. Most years, it would be enough to win. It just happened to come in a year when another team put up an even bigger number."

The 10,000 mark has been eclipsed 33 times at the Open Championships, including two by Nape and his current teammates. They took home the 2008 Team All-Events title with a 10,025 total.

Click here to watch video highlights from the 2011 Open Championships.
Presenting sponsors for the 2011 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Humana, official registration sponsor, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.