Classified Doubles gets new leaders at 2021 USBC Open Championships

By Matt Cannizzaro and Sam Neves
USBC Communications

LAS VEGAS -
After a quiet few weeks at the South Point Bowling Center, Classified Doubles finally took its turn in the spotlight at the 2021 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships with lead changes taking place on back-to-back squads Friday.

At the end of the day, it was Johnny Anderson and Blaine Pierce of Richfield, Utah, settling in at the top of the standings with a 1,125 total.

Anderson, a 35-year-old right-hander who participated in the USBC Open Championships for the seventh time, got out to a hot start, and it was enough to lift the tandem. He had games of 204, 230 and 169 for a 603 series, the second-highest set of his tournament career.

Pierce, a 57-year-old right-hander with three tournament appearances, added games of 166, 199 and 157 for a 522 series.

The new leaders both bowl league at Richfield's Jorgensen's Bowling Center.

"I had figured we needed around 1,180," Pierce said. "But now, we get to watch the scores and hope it holds up. There's still a lot of bowling left."

DavidKelloLane2021OCForWeb350x197Earlier on Friday, the husband-and-wife duo of David and Kelli Lane of Sparta, Michigan, broke a long-standing tie atop the Classified Doubles standings when they combined for a 1,109 total.

The 2021 Open Championships marked their sixth consecutive appearance together on the tournament lanes, but it was their first time being paired for doubles.

David, a 45-year-old right-hander, set the pace with scores of 166, 202 and 189 for a 557 series, followed closely by Kelli, a 41-year-old right-hander who had games of 190, 211 and 151 for 552.

This year's event marked nine consecutive years of participation for David, beginning in Baton Rouge in 2012. Kelli bowled for the first time in El Paso, Texas, in 2015. Both bowl league at Sparta Lanes.

Prior to Friday's score surge, the leading score in Classified Doubles was 1,100, first rolled by Glenda Andrews and Erik Hamilton of Chicago on May 9 and then matched by Kent Traphagen of Laughlin, Nevada, and Tom Boronkas of Bullhead, Nevada, on May 13.

The Open Championships features three average-based divisions. Classified Doubles is for duos with combined entering averages of 310 and below.

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