California squad claims Classified lead at 2026 USBC Open Championships
March 19, 2026
Pictured above (from left): Alex Caputo, Joshua Seyler, Bob Waters, Richard Maldonado, Chris Solar
RENO, Nev. – The group known as Sean Hefter Team 2 out of Lake Forest, California, moved into the lead in Classified Team on Wednesday evening with a 2,527 total at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Featuring Alex Caputo, Joshua Seyler, Bob Waters, Richard Maldonado and Chris Solar, the group rolled games of 866, 897 and 764 to jump to the top of the leaderboard. Seyler led the way with a 534 series and was followed by Solar (516), Caputo (505), Maldonado (493) and Waters (479).
The group’s energy began to wane late in the set, and the scrolling scoreboard at the National Bowling Stadium served as a reminder that they had a real chance to take the lead.
“At the end of the second game, we saw a big shift where everyone started falling apart,” Solar said. “We just tried to rebuild, come together and remind ourselves this was still within reach. One of the biggest factors was just the time. We were all tired.”
That mid-game regroup put the team back on track, and it was up to Solar to clinch the deal. He had left six straight nine counts heading into the final frame and needed 15 pins to claim the outright lead for the group.
The members of The Bowl Shebang of Windsor, Colorado, had taken the lead Monday with 2,521.
“In the 10th, it was more or less just don’t miss right and go out of bounds, making sure to leave a spare,” Solar said.
The right-handed Solar finally got the pins to fall his way with a strike before converting the 1-2-4-7 for the lead.
The moment capped a roller-coaster finish for a team that had never been in that position before.
“Nowhere near it. Not even close,” Solar said of any prior experience contending for the top spot.
Despite the late struggles, the group leaned on familiarity and chemistry built over the past several years. Though coming from different areas, the team has competed together for roughly three years and travels to the Open Championships alongside several other teams from different regions.
“We’ve been bowling together as this group for about three years,” Solar said. “We bring about five teams out here together, and Sean Hefter organizes everything and gets all the teams together. He’s a great organizer and a good guy.”
The team knows things can change quickly, but they will enjoy being atop the standings for at least one day.
Classified Team includes groups with combined entering averages of 800 and below.
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 group known as Sean Hefter Team 2 out of Lake Forest, California, moved into the lead in Classified Team on Wednesday evening with a 2,527 total at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Featuring Alex Caputo, Joshua Seyler, Bob Waters, Richard Maldonado and Chris Solar, the group rolled games of 866, 897 and 764 to jump to the top of the leaderboard. Seyler led the way with a 534 series and was followed by Solar (516), Caputo (505), Maldonado (493) and Waters (479).
The group’s energy began to wane late in the set, and the scrolling scoreboard at the National Bowling Stadium served as a reminder that they had a real chance to take the lead.
“At the end of the second game, we saw a big shift where everyone started falling apart,” Solar said. “We just tried to rebuild, come together and remind ourselves this was still within reach. One of the biggest factors was just the time. We were all tired.”
That mid-game regroup put the team back on track, and it was up to Solar to clinch the deal. He had left six straight nine counts heading into the final frame and needed 15 pins to claim the outright lead for the group.
The members of The Bowl Shebang of Windsor, Colorado, had taken the lead Monday with 2,521.
“In the 10th, it was more or less just don’t miss right and go out of bounds, making sure to leave a spare,” Solar said.
The right-handed Solar finally got the pins to fall his way with a strike before converting the 1-2-4-7 for the lead.
The moment capped a roller-coaster finish for a team that had never been in that position before.
“Nowhere near it. Not even close,” Solar said of any prior experience contending for the top spot.
Despite the late struggles, the group leaned on familiarity and chemistry built over the past several years. Though coming from different areas, the team has competed together for roughly three years and travels to the Open Championships alongside several other teams from different regions.
“We’ve been bowling together as this group for about three years,” Solar said. “We bring about five teams out here together, and Sean Hefter organizes everything and gets all the teams together. He’s a great organizer and a good guy.”
The team knows things can change quickly, but they will enjoy being atop the standings for at least one day.
Classified Team includes groups with combined entering averages of 800 and below.
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.