California crew dashes to Standard lead at 2026 USBC Open Championships
April 18, 2026
Pictured above (from left): Mike Gibson, Matthew Moran, Robert Deaver, Morgan Kimoto, Ron Montano II
RENO, Nev. – The members of Smash and Dash of Chula Vista, California, cruised to the top of the leaderboard in Standard Team after a strong performance Friday at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, using a dominant second game and steady finish to claim the lead.
The team shot games of 967, 1,154 and 967 to get to a 3,088 total at the National Bowling Stadium. The lead in Standard Team previously was held by Rolando’s OC Guys of Santee, California, with 2,959.
The team consisting of Mike Gibson (732), Matthew Moran (575), Robert Deaver (663), Morgan Kimoto (555) and Ron Montano II (563) put together a complete team effort, highlighted by a big second game that propelled them into contention going into Game 3.
“Proud is the first thing that comes to mind,” Gibson said. “I’m really grateful to be bowling with this group. We all talked about getting on the same page during warmup and letting the lanes break down the way we wanted them to.”
That approach paid off quickly as the team fed off each other’s momentum throughout the set.
“When one of us started stringing strikes together, it picked up the energy for everyone,” Gibson said. “You could feel it. We knew something special was happening. That second game was a monster, and we felt like this could happen.”
After Game 2, the members of Smash and Dash entered the final game knowing they had a chance to make a move up the leaderboard.
“I knew after Game 2 where we stood and what we needed just to get into the top 10,” Gibson said. “We told ourselves, ‘We just did it twice, we can do it again.’”
The final game had its challenges, but the group stayed composed and relied on their experience together to finish the job.
“The third game was a little bit of a struggle early, but we just kept telling each other that we’ve got this,” Gibson said. “Trust your game, trust your equipment and we’ll get there.”
The chemistry within the team has been building for years as the group has competed together consistently at the USBC Open Championships.
“We’ve been together about five years now,” Gibson said. “That consistency really helps you learn each other’s games and where everyone likes to play, and you build that trust.”
While the team comes from different areas – including California and Nevada – the annual trip to nationals is when everything comes together.
“This is really the one time each year the five of us are all together,” Gibson said. “Some of us bowl league together, but this is our big event. There’s always a little feeling-out period, but we know each other’s games pretty well by now.”
Preparation leading into the event also played a role in the team’s success.
“There’s always a group chat going leading up to this,” Gibson said. “We’re talking about what we’re seeing, what to expect and just getting ready for the week.”
Individually, Gibson also found success by making quicker adjustments compared to previous years.
“I think I was less stubborn this year,” Gibson said. “In the past, I tried to play it more like a house shot, but you can’t do that out here. I trusted the lane transition more, and I think that really helped.”
Despite taking the early lead, Gibson and his teammates understand the long road ahead with months of competition still to come.
“We know it’s early and there’s a lot of bowling left,” Gibson said. “You can’t count your chickens before they hatch yet. But no matter what happens, I’m just really proud of what we did today. This was by far one of the best team performances we’ve had.”
Standard Team includes five-player groups with combined entering averages of 801-905.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
RENO, Nev. – The members of Smash and Dash of Chula Vista, California, cruised to the top of the leaderboard in Standard Team after a strong performance Friday at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, using a dominant second game and steady finish to claim the lead.
The team shot games of 967, 1,154 and 967 to get to a 3,088 total at the National Bowling Stadium. The lead in Standard Team previously was held by Rolando’s OC Guys of Santee, California, with 2,959.
The team consisting of Mike Gibson (732), Matthew Moran (575), Robert Deaver (663), Morgan Kimoto (555) and Ron Montano II (563) put together a complete team effort, highlighted by a big second game that propelled them into contention going into Game 3.
“Proud is the first thing that comes to mind,” Gibson said. “I’m really grateful to be bowling with this group. We all talked about getting on the same page during warmup and letting the lanes break down the way we wanted them to.”
That approach paid off quickly as the team fed off each other’s momentum throughout the set.
“When one of us started stringing strikes together, it picked up the energy for everyone,” Gibson said. “You could feel it. We knew something special was happening. That second game was a monster, and we felt like this could happen.”
After Game 2, the members of Smash and Dash entered the final game knowing they had a chance to make a move up the leaderboard.
“I knew after Game 2 where we stood and what we needed just to get into the top 10,” Gibson said. “We told ourselves, ‘We just did it twice, we can do it again.’”
The final game had its challenges, but the group stayed composed and relied on their experience together to finish the job.
“The third game was a little bit of a struggle early, but we just kept telling each other that we’ve got this,” Gibson said. “Trust your game, trust your equipment and we’ll get there.”
The chemistry within the team has been building for years as the group has competed together consistently at the USBC Open Championships.
“We’ve been together about five years now,” Gibson said. “That consistency really helps you learn each other’s games and where everyone likes to play, and you build that trust.”
While the team comes from different areas – including California and Nevada – the annual trip to nationals is when everything comes together.
“This is really the one time each year the five of us are all together,” Gibson said. “Some of us bowl league together, but this is our big event. There’s always a little feeling-out period, but we know each other’s games pretty well by now.”
Preparation leading into the event also played a role in the team’s success.
“There’s always a group chat going leading up to this,” Gibson said. “We’re talking about what we’re seeing, what to expect and just getting ready for the week.”
Individually, Gibson also found success by making quicker adjustments compared to previous years.
“I think I was less stubborn this year,” Gibson said. “In the past, I tried to play it more like a house shot, but you can’t do that out here. I trusted the lane transition more, and I think that really helped.”
Despite taking the early lead, Gibson and his teammates understand the long road ahead with months of competition still to come.
“We know it’s early and there’s a lot of bowling left,” Gibson said. “You can’t count your chickens before they hatch yet. But no matter what happens, I’m just really proud of what we did today. This was by far one of the best team performances we’ve had.”
Standard Team includes five-player groups with combined entering averages of 801-905.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.