Big scores this weekend at Storm Bowlers Journal Championships
April 12, 2010
RENO, Nev. - For 64 years, the Storm Bowlers Journal Championships, presented by USBC, has complimented the USBC Open Championships as the ultimate warm-up for bowlers before they compete under the bright lights and custom scoreboards of the main event.
Bryan O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas, stopped at the Bowlers Journal Championships for a tune-up this week and rolled the highest individual set on the tournament lanes since the event changed to a four-game format in 2006.
O'Keefe posted games of 275, 286, 258 and 235 for a 1,054 total and teamed up with Chris Viale of Westfield, Mass., to move into second place in Open Doubles with a 1,932 total. Viale contributed 213, 289, 189 and 187 for an 878 set. Erik Vermilyea of Mansfield, Texas, and Anthony LaCaze of Melrose Park, Ill., lead with 1,972.
Chad Maas of Brookfield, Wis., previously held the four-game record with 1,045, which he shot on the way to the Classic Singles title in 2008. Unfortunately for O'Keefe, he will not be celebrating singles glory of his own after neglecting to take advantage of the tournament's Dual Entry feature, which allows bowlers to count their four-game totals for doubles and singles at the same time.
"I honestly just forgot about it," said O'Keefe, who shared the 1996 Classic Singles title with Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association champion Robert Smith. "After I got done bowling my first doubles set, I just paid my entry for the next set and didn't think about it. I have won the event before, and to win it twice would have been awesome. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about it now."
In their second game, O'Keefe and Viale both tossed 10 consecutive strikes and combined to shoot 575. Not to be outdone, O'Keefe's wife, Team USA member Shannon O'Keefe, struck 11 times on the way to a 295 game.
"Chris and I both started with a spare in the first frame," said O'Keefe, who made his first Bowlers Journal Championships appearance in 1994. "We got to the last ball of the 10th frame and I left a 2-4-8-10, while Chris left a 10 pin. My wife, Shannon, started with the first 11 strikes, but the last ball was a little wide and she left a washout for 295."
O'Keefe's experience and knowledge as a USBC Coaching Specialist helped him realize what was happening on the lanes and what he needed to do to succeed.
"During practice, I saw there was a little more hook, so I made a move left," said O'Keefe, who finished third in Regular Doubles at the 2009 Open Championships. "During the second game, we went back to the pair that I started on in my previous set, and I knew that one lane was tighter. Then, I shot 286, and it just went on from there. The lanes were playable, and it helped that the three other people on my pair were playing in the same area. It is cool to know that is the highest four-game set ever."
O'Keefe, who entered the 2010 Open Championships with a career average of 213 through 16 years, shot 638 in singles, 600 in team and 547 in doubles for a 1,785 all-events total. Shannon O'Keefe rounded out her second tournament appearance with 710 in team, 623 in doubles and 604 in singles for 1,937. Their team, Cambridge 1 of Feeding Hills, Mass., is seventh in Regular Team with 3,217.
Mike Tryniski of Fulton, N.Y., also found success at the Bowlers Journal this weekend as he posted the second perfect game of this year's event. LaCaze rolled the other.
The accomplished right-hander already owns a 300 game and 800 series at the Bowlers Journal, and his efforts this weekend helped him into eighth place in Classic Singles with 890 (194, 300, 214, 183). Jeffrey Mersch of Orlando, Fla., leads with 970.
"It felt good," Tryniski said. "After the first game, I moved a little left and was able to roll the ball a little bit more. I also was able to hook the ball a little more, and I ended up shooting 300."
Each year, Tryniski, 49, looks at the Bowlers Journal Championships as an opportunity.
"It's another opportunity to compete," said Tryniski, who owns Lakeview Lanes in Fulton, N.Y. "Usually, the shot is different, and it's a way for bowlers to get loose. Our group has had some past winners, and we look forward to bowling with each other with another chance to make money."
Two of those past winners are Joe Petrowski of East Syracuse, N.Y., and Art Alexander III of Baldwinsville, N.Y., who won Open Doubles in 2006. Petrowski also looks forward to the Bowlers Journal every year.
"I like how all 10 guys can be involved," Petrowski said. "We all bowl with each other for doubles, and it gives everyone an opportunity to compete and cash with each other."
Tryniski also has a track record of success at the Open Championships with a 300 game at the 1993 event in Tulsa, Okla., and Regular Doubles and Team All-Events titles a year later in Mobile, Ala. He and his Lakeview Lanes teammates made a run at the Regular Team lead at the National Bowling Stadium on Sunday night.
The group put together games of 1,024, 1,213 and 1,076, but fell short and settled into second place with 3,313. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads with 3,408.
Petrowski led the way with a 726 series and was followed by Alexander (690), Tryniski (657), Dean Distin (626) and Ray Cyr Jr. (614).
Their companion team, Ray Cyr's Pro Shop of Baldwinsville, N.Y., also bowled well and moved into fifth place in Regular Team with 3,248.
Joe Conti Jr. of Liverpool, N.Y., the Open Singles champion at last year's Bowlers Journal event, led the way for Ray Cyr's Pro Shop on Sunday with a 697 series and was followed by Larry Porter (660), Matt Chetney (639), Michael Carno (633) and Joseph Losurdo (619).
This year's Storm Bowlers Journal Championships, presented by USBC is being held at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino and runs daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.
Bryan O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas, stopped at the Bowlers Journal Championships for a tune-up this week and rolled the highest individual set on the tournament lanes since the event changed to a four-game format in 2006.
O'Keefe posted games of 275, 286, 258 and 235 for a 1,054 total and teamed up with Chris Viale of Westfield, Mass., to move into second place in Open Doubles with a 1,932 total. Viale contributed 213, 289, 189 and 187 for an 878 set. Erik Vermilyea of Mansfield, Texas, and Anthony LaCaze of Melrose Park, Ill., lead with 1,972.
Chad Maas of Brookfield, Wis., previously held the four-game record with 1,045, which he shot on the way to the Classic Singles title in 2008. Unfortunately for O'Keefe, he will not be celebrating singles glory of his own after neglecting to take advantage of the tournament's Dual Entry feature, which allows bowlers to count their four-game totals for doubles and singles at the same time.
"I honestly just forgot about it," said O'Keefe, who shared the 1996 Classic Singles title with Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association champion Robert Smith. "After I got done bowling my first doubles set, I just paid my entry for the next set and didn't think about it. I have won the event before, and to win it twice would have been awesome. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about it now."
In their second game, O'Keefe and Viale both tossed 10 consecutive strikes and combined to shoot 575. Not to be outdone, O'Keefe's wife, Team USA member Shannon O'Keefe, struck 11 times on the way to a 295 game.
"Chris and I both started with a spare in the first frame," said O'Keefe, who made his first Bowlers Journal Championships appearance in 1994. "We got to the last ball of the 10th frame and I left a 2-4-8-10, while Chris left a 10 pin. My wife, Shannon, started with the first 11 strikes, but the last ball was a little wide and she left a washout for 295."
O'Keefe's experience and knowledge as a USBC Coaching Specialist helped him realize what was happening on the lanes and what he needed to do to succeed.
"During practice, I saw there was a little more hook, so I made a move left," said O'Keefe, who finished third in Regular Doubles at the 2009 Open Championships. "During the second game, we went back to the pair that I started on in my previous set, and I knew that one lane was tighter. Then, I shot 286, and it just went on from there. The lanes were playable, and it helped that the three other people on my pair were playing in the same area. It is cool to know that is the highest four-game set ever."
O'Keefe, who entered the 2010 Open Championships with a career average of 213 through 16 years, shot 638 in singles, 600 in team and 547 in doubles for a 1,785 all-events total. Shannon O'Keefe rounded out her second tournament appearance with 710 in team, 623 in doubles and 604 in singles for 1,937. Their team, Cambridge 1 of Feeding Hills, Mass., is seventh in Regular Team with 3,217.
Mike Tryniski of Fulton, N.Y., also found success at the Bowlers Journal this weekend as he posted the second perfect game of this year's event. LaCaze rolled the other.
The accomplished right-hander already owns a 300 game and 800 series at the Bowlers Journal, and his efforts this weekend helped him into eighth place in Classic Singles with 890 (194, 300, 214, 183). Jeffrey Mersch of Orlando, Fla., leads with 970.
"It felt good," Tryniski said. "After the first game, I moved a little left and was able to roll the ball a little bit more. I also was able to hook the ball a little more, and I ended up shooting 300."
Each year, Tryniski, 49, looks at the Bowlers Journal Championships as an opportunity.
"It's another opportunity to compete," said Tryniski, who owns Lakeview Lanes in Fulton, N.Y. "Usually, the shot is different, and it's a way for bowlers to get loose. Our group has had some past winners, and we look forward to bowling with each other with another chance to make money."
Two of those past winners are Joe Petrowski of East Syracuse, N.Y., and Art Alexander III of Baldwinsville, N.Y., who won Open Doubles in 2006. Petrowski also looks forward to the Bowlers Journal every year.
"I like how all 10 guys can be involved," Petrowski said. "We all bowl with each other for doubles, and it gives everyone an opportunity to compete and cash with each other."
Tryniski also has a track record of success at the Open Championships with a 300 game at the 1993 event in Tulsa, Okla., and Regular Doubles and Team All-Events titles a year later in Mobile, Ala. He and his Lakeview Lanes teammates made a run at the Regular Team lead at the National Bowling Stadium on Sunday night.
The group put together games of 1,024, 1,213 and 1,076, but fell short and settled into second place with 3,313. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads with 3,408.
Petrowski led the way with a 726 series and was followed by Alexander (690), Tryniski (657), Dean Distin (626) and Ray Cyr Jr. (614).
Their companion team, Ray Cyr's Pro Shop of Baldwinsville, N.Y., also bowled well and moved into fifth place in Regular Team with 3,248.
Joe Conti Jr. of Liverpool, N.Y., the Open Singles champion at last year's Bowlers Journal event, led the way for Ray Cyr's Pro Shop on Sunday with a 697 series and was followed by Larry Porter (660), Matt Chetney (639), Michael Carno (633) and Joseph Losurdo (619).
This year's Storm Bowlers Journal Championships, presented by USBC is being held at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino and runs daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.