Former JTUSA members take doubles lead at OC
April 05, 2010
RENO, Nev. - Erik Vermilyea of Mansfield, Texas, and Jeffrey Mersch of Orlando, Fla., are former Junior Team USA teammates and have bowled doubles together at the USBC Open Championships for five of the last six years.
Their familiarity with each other's games has helped them to continued success on the tournament lanes, including a 25th-place doubles finish in 2007. This year, everything came together for them again as they turned in their best effort yet and took the Regular Doubles lead with a 1,507 total at the National Bowling Stadium on Sunday.
Vermilyea, a 26-year-old right-hander, led the way with games of 237, 244 and 277 for a 758 series, while the left-handed Mersch, 26, added 259, 279 and 211 for 749 and the sixth-highest doubles total in tournament history and second-highest in six visits to the Stadium. Tom Milton of St. Petersburg, Fla., and David Taylor of Seminole, Fla. previously held the lead with 1,498.
"During the middle of the first game, it just felt like we had a chance to do something," said Vermilyea, a member of Junior Team USA in 2004 and 2005 and Team USA in 2005 who made his sixth Open Championships appearance. "Jeff just kept striking, and I was trying to keep up with him. To know that our score has a legitimate chance of winning is an awesome feeling, and even if it doesn't hold up, we still got up and threw five out of six strikes to take the lead, and that's something you can't describe."
Mersch, a former collegiate standout at the University of Central Florida and two-time Junior Team USA member (2002 and 2004), began to struggle at the beginning of the third doubles game. His teammates suggested switching to a different ball, and he didn't hesitate.
"I had no doubt in my mind when they told me to change balls," said Mersch, who bowls regularly at Boardwalk Bowl and also made his sixth Open Championships appearance. "I have total trust in these guys and knew they wouldn't say it if they didn't think it was the right choice."
Vermilyea, Mersch and their Junior Team USA Support teammates (Steve Novak, Matthew Tuckfield and PBA national champion Anthony LaCaze) all are products of the USBC Collegiate program, and much of their success at the Open Championships can be attributed to what they learned while bowling in college.
"I think college bowling really helped us out because we are so close," said Vermilyea, who works for USBC as a Sport Bowling Technical Specialist. "Everyone was giving high-fives and rooting each other on, not only in the team event, but in doubles and singles as well. The team atmosphere and team play are things that help us out, and we are used to it. Even though it was Jeff and I bowling doubles, everyone had a part in it."
Mersch and Vermilyea also enjoyed individual success at the 2010 Open Championships. Mersch added 718 in singles and 645 in team for career-best 2,112 all-events total, which moved him into third place in Regular All-Events. Vermilyea shot 694 in team and 652 in singles for 2,104 and is fifth overall. Terrence Syring of Bay City, Mich., leads with 2,155.
The duo also helped Junior Team USA Support into second place in Team All-Events with 9,893. Novak contributed 1,923 and was followed by LaCaze (1,904) and Tuckfield (1,850). Red Carpet Lanes of Greenfield, Wis., leads with 10,131.
Vermilyea's onslaught of the pins this weekend did not end at the National Bowling Stadium. He also bowled well in doubles at the nearby Storm Bowlers Journal Championships, presented by USBC, where he teamed up with LaCaze for a 1,972 total, the highest doubles total since the event went to a four-game format in 2006.
LaCaze led the way with a 1,020 set, while Vermilyea added 952. Travis Hersrud of Glyndon, Minn., and Randy Peterson of Carrington, N.D., previously held the lead with 1,814. Vermilyea and Rob Gotchall of Lincoln, Neb., are third with 1,813.
Mersch tops Classic Singles and the Dual Entry standings at the Bowlers Journal with 970, while Vermilyea is third and second, respectively, with 952.
Gotchall also made some noise at the Open Championships, tossing the fifth perfect game of this year's event.
The 32-year-old right-hander closed out his 15th tournament appearance with games of 215, 214 and 300 for a 729 singles series. His perfect game earned him an additional spot in the record books as the 20th person to roll two 300s at the Open Championships. His first came at the 2002 event in Billings, Mont., where a record 64 perfect games were bowled.
"Anytime you shoot a 300 at this event, it's special," said Gotchall, who added 697 in doubles and 670 in team for a 2,096 all-events total, which is sixth overall. "This is going to mean a lot more, though, since there have been so few this year."
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. 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.
Their familiarity with each other's games has helped them to continued success on the tournament lanes, including a 25th-place doubles finish in 2007. This year, everything came together for them again as they turned in their best effort yet and took the Regular Doubles lead with a 1,507 total at the National Bowling Stadium on Sunday.
Vermilyea, a 26-year-old right-hander, led the way with games of 237, 244 and 277 for a 758 series, while the left-handed Mersch, 26, added 259, 279 and 211 for 749 and the sixth-highest doubles total in tournament history and second-highest in six visits to the Stadium. Tom Milton of St. Petersburg, Fla., and David Taylor of Seminole, Fla. previously held the lead with 1,498.
"During the middle of the first game, it just felt like we had a chance to do something," said Vermilyea, a member of Junior Team USA in 2004 and 2005 and Team USA in 2005 who made his sixth Open Championships appearance. "Jeff just kept striking, and I was trying to keep up with him. To know that our score has a legitimate chance of winning is an awesome feeling, and even if it doesn't hold up, we still got up and threw five out of six strikes to take the lead, and that's something you can't describe."
Mersch, a former collegiate standout at the University of Central Florida and two-time Junior Team USA member (2002 and 2004), began to struggle at the beginning of the third doubles game. His teammates suggested switching to a different ball, and he didn't hesitate.
"I had no doubt in my mind when they told me to change balls," said Mersch, who bowls regularly at Boardwalk Bowl and also made his sixth Open Championships appearance. "I have total trust in these guys and knew they wouldn't say it if they didn't think it was the right choice."
Vermilyea, Mersch and their Junior Team USA Support teammates (Steve Novak, Matthew Tuckfield and PBA national champion Anthony LaCaze) all are products of the USBC Collegiate program, and much of their success at the Open Championships can be attributed to what they learned while bowling in college.
"I think college bowling really helped us out because we are so close," said Vermilyea, who works for USBC as a Sport Bowling Technical Specialist. "Everyone was giving high-fives and rooting each other on, not only in the team event, but in doubles and singles as well. The team atmosphere and team play are things that help us out, and we are used to it. Even though it was Jeff and I bowling doubles, everyone had a part in it."
Mersch and Vermilyea also enjoyed individual success at the 2010 Open Championships. Mersch added 718 in singles and 645 in team for career-best 2,112 all-events total, which moved him into third place in Regular All-Events. Vermilyea shot 694 in team and 652 in singles for 2,104 and is fifth overall. Terrence Syring of Bay City, Mich., leads with 2,155.
The duo also helped Junior Team USA Support into second place in Team All-Events with 9,893. Novak contributed 1,923 and was followed by LaCaze (1,904) and Tuckfield (1,850). Red Carpet Lanes of Greenfield, Wis., leads with 10,131.
Vermilyea's onslaught of the pins this weekend did not end at the National Bowling Stadium. He also bowled well in doubles at the nearby Storm Bowlers Journal Championships, presented by USBC, where he teamed up with LaCaze for a 1,972 total, the highest doubles total since the event went to a four-game format in 2006.
LaCaze led the way with a 1,020 set, while Vermilyea added 952. Travis Hersrud of Glyndon, Minn., and Randy Peterson of Carrington, N.D., previously held the lead with 1,814. Vermilyea and Rob Gotchall of Lincoln, Neb., are third with 1,813.
Mersch tops Classic Singles and the Dual Entry standings at the Bowlers Journal with 970, while Vermilyea is third and second, respectively, with 952.
Gotchall also made some noise at the Open Championships, tossing the fifth perfect game of this year's event.
The 32-year-old right-hander closed out his 15th tournament appearance with games of 215, 214 and 300 for a 729 singles series. His perfect game earned him an additional spot in the record books as the 20th person to roll two 300s at the Open Championships. His first came at the 2002 event in Billings, Mont., where a record 64 perfect games were bowled.
"Anytime you shoot a 300 at this event, it's special," said Gotchall, who added 697 in doubles and 670 in team for a 2,096 all-events total, which is sixth overall. "This is going to mean a lot more, though, since there have been so few this year."
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. 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.