Big scores continue early at 2024 USBC Women’s Championships
May 01, 2024
RENO, Nev. – Another outstanding day of big scores took place at the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships, as new leaders ascended to the top of the leaderboard in Ruby Doubles and Ruby Team, with a tie for the top spot in Emerald Team.
The Ruby Doubles lead was taken over Tuesday at the National Bowling Stadium by Vivian Geary of Orlando, Florida, and Jodi Ragazzo of Apopka, Florida, with a 1,271 total.
Geary bowled strong games of 201, 245 and 201 for a 647 series; Ragazzo finished off doubles with games of 191, 235 and 198 for a series of 624.
Leading up to their event, the two were starting to get familiar with the National Bowling Stadium and noticed the tournament’s leaderboard scrolling across the wall behind the lanes. The discovery of the scores and division they were in made them aware of the number they needed to get to.
“Before we were bowling, Jodi said, ‘That’s the board we’re going to be on,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s good to have goals,’” Geary said. “Hashtag goals!”
Completing their doubles event and making it on the board exceeded Geary’s expectations. Seeing their names on the leaderboard was a sense of excitement and confidence for the two bowlers from Florida.
“Here we are on the board, it’s so great,” said Geary, after finishing up doubles with Ragazzo.
The pair had a great mindset going into the set and during it. This gave them an extra boost to perform well overall.
“My expectation was to get all the pins down and get a high score,” Geary mentioned. “I actually was not expecting to be on top of the leaderboard, and it is great that we are because it shows that I stuck to my plan by getting all the pins down.”
Geary and Ragazzo have been bowling for over 20 years now, and many years together. They have seen each other strive to the best of their ability, especially Tuesday in doubles.
“Every tournament I’ve been to, doubles is where I do the best because I don’t want to let my partner down,” Geary said. “We both had the same idea, so it really worked.”
Putting emphasis on working hard throughout the tournament is what Geary and Ragazzo hoped to accomplish to gain a bigger reward. The reward Tuesday was taking the lead and celebrating the accomplishment.
“I am excited to go and enjoy vacation now, and we’re going to enjoy four days of having fun,” Geary said. “It’s been really great, with good scores and great memories.”
Ruby Doubles features bowlers with combined entering averages of 311-350.
The excitement continued in the Ruby Division on Tuesday as the team lead was taken over by the members of Amy’s Cancer Sucks Team 2 of Milner, Georgia, with a score of 2,548. It’s In Our DNA of Wood Dale, Illinois, previously led with 2,455.
After games of 861 and 786 at the National Bowling Stadium, the team excelled and pulled through, putting up an impressive score of 901 to close out the third game.
Ruth-Mendoza-Cervantes led the team with a 696 series, and she was joined by Amy Jones (645), Tatianna Francis (614) and Jenny McDonald (593).
“I am super excited,” Jones said. “We struck where we needed to.”
Support is another important part of the game that makes a team push to do better. In the team event, the support for their group was present in highlighting those top moments of enjoyment.
“I think I put together a very good team,” Jones said. “Especially when you have a cheering squad behind you that is cheering for everyone. I feel like we did really well as a team.”
The team bond is prevalent within them as a team and from their name. The story behind the name has a deeper bond that brings them together on a personal level.
“The cancer sucks because there’s a lot of girls that have gone through it on the team,” said Jones, mentioning the story behind their team’s name. “It brings all the ladies together and motivates them even more.”
Ruby Team includes four-player groups with combined entering averages of 621-700.
On Monday, the team known as the Elbow Benders of Elizabeth, Colorado, tied for the lead in the Emerald Division with a total score of 2,081. They matched the score rolled by Untouchables of Grantville, Georgia, during the tournament’s opening squad Saturday.
The team had games of 646, 725 and 710 at the National Bowling Stadium.
Leadoff bowler Marie Lumba had a series of 397, and Carol Ann Stepanich was next in the lineup with a series of 515. Latasha Green was the team’s top scorer with a 624 series, and anchor bowler Debbie Brothis had a series of 545.
The group has really enjoyed the atmosphere of Reno so far.
“We love it every year that we have come to Reno,” Brothis said. “We always have a good time. We will miss it being here in Reno next year, but our main thing is to bowl and have fun.
“If we bowl great that’s a plus, and I love the overall atmosphere and groups of people that show up to the tournament.”
The teammates were a little astounded about their team being tied for the lead at the USBC Women’s Championships.
“I’m shocked, I am really shocked by that,” Brothis said. “When you came over to say we’re tied for first, I was like, ‘Wow, I’m so happy.’”
Emerald Team features groups with combined entering averages of 541-620.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.
The Ruby Doubles lead was taken over Tuesday at the National Bowling Stadium by Vivian Geary of Orlando, Florida, and Jodi Ragazzo of Apopka, Florida, with a 1,271 total.
Geary bowled strong games of 201, 245 and 201 for a 647 series; Ragazzo finished off doubles with games of 191, 235 and 198 for a series of 624.
Leading up to their event, the two were starting to get familiar with the National Bowling Stadium and noticed the tournament’s leaderboard scrolling across the wall behind the lanes. The discovery of the scores and division they were in made them aware of the number they needed to get to.
“Before we were bowling, Jodi said, ‘That’s the board we’re going to be on,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s good to have goals,’” Geary said. “Hashtag goals!”
Completing their doubles event and making it on the board exceeded Geary’s expectations. Seeing their names on the leaderboard was a sense of excitement and confidence for the two bowlers from Florida.
“Here we are on the board, it’s so great,” said Geary, after finishing up doubles with Ragazzo.
The pair had a great mindset going into the set and during it. This gave them an extra boost to perform well overall.
“My expectation was to get all the pins down and get a high score,” Geary mentioned. “I actually was not expecting to be on top of the leaderboard, and it is great that we are because it shows that I stuck to my plan by getting all the pins down.”
Geary and Ragazzo have been bowling for over 20 years now, and many years together. They have seen each other strive to the best of their ability, especially Tuesday in doubles.
“Every tournament I’ve been to, doubles is where I do the best because I don’t want to let my partner down,” Geary said. “We both had the same idea, so it really worked.”
Putting emphasis on working hard throughout the tournament is what Geary and Ragazzo hoped to accomplish to gain a bigger reward. The reward Tuesday was taking the lead and celebrating the accomplishment.
“I am excited to go and enjoy vacation now, and we’re going to enjoy four days of having fun,” Geary said. “It’s been really great, with good scores and great memories.”
Ruby Doubles features bowlers with combined entering averages of 311-350.
The excitement continued in the Ruby Division on Tuesday as the team lead was taken over by the members of Amy’s Cancer Sucks Team 2 of Milner, Georgia, with a score of 2,548. It’s In Our DNA of Wood Dale, Illinois, previously led with 2,455.
After games of 861 and 786 at the National Bowling Stadium, the team excelled and pulled through, putting up an impressive score of 901 to close out the third game.
Ruth-Mendoza-Cervantes led the team with a 696 series, and she was joined by Amy Jones (645), Tatianna Francis (614) and Jenny McDonald (593).
“I am super excited,” Jones said. “We struck where we needed to.”
Support is another important part of the game that makes a team push to do better. In the team event, the support for their group was present in highlighting those top moments of enjoyment.
“I think I put together a very good team,” Jones said. “Especially when you have a cheering squad behind you that is cheering for everyone. I feel like we did really well as a team.”
The team bond is prevalent within them as a team and from their name. The story behind the name has a deeper bond that brings them together on a personal level.
“The cancer sucks because there’s a lot of girls that have gone through it on the team,” said Jones, mentioning the story behind their team’s name. “It brings all the ladies together and motivates them even more.”
Ruby Team includes four-player groups with combined entering averages of 621-700.
On Monday, the team known as the Elbow Benders of Elizabeth, Colorado, tied for the lead in the Emerald Division with a total score of 2,081. They matched the score rolled by Untouchables of Grantville, Georgia, during the tournament’s opening squad Saturday.
The team had games of 646, 725 and 710 at the National Bowling Stadium.
Leadoff bowler Marie Lumba had a series of 397, and Carol Ann Stepanich was next in the lineup with a series of 515. Latasha Green was the team’s top scorer with a 624 series, and anchor bowler Debbie Brothis had a series of 545.
The group has really enjoyed the atmosphere of Reno so far.
“We love it every year that we have come to Reno,” Brothis said. “We always have a good time. We will miss it being here in Reno next year, but our main thing is to bowl and have fun.
“If we bowl great that’s a plus, and I love the overall atmosphere and groups of people that show up to the tournament.”
The teammates were a little astounded about their team being tied for the lead at the USBC Women’s Championships.
“I’m shocked, I am really shocked by that,” Brothis said. “When you came over to say we’re tied for first, I was like, ‘Wow, I’m so happy.’”
Emerald Team features groups with combined entering averages of 541-620.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.