Hupé leads singles, doubles at 2025 Bowlers Journal Championships
May 31, 2025
BATON ROUGE, La. – Mitch Hupé of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, rolled his way to the top of the leaderboard in Open Singles and Open Doubles this week at the 2025 Bowlers Journal Championships.
Hupé, a Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion and member of Team Canada, bowled three 279 games to individually get to 837, and he paired with Duncan DeVries of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, during the set to take over the top spot in doubles with 1,584. DeVries had games of 256, 233 and 258 to get to 747.
Duncan DeVries and Mitch Hupé
In addition to taking the lead with DeVries, Hupé also bowled doubles with Doug Wagner Jr. of West Fargo, North Dakota, and moved into second place with 1,577. Wagner rolled scores of 239, 222 and 279 for a 740 series.
Three-time Eagle winner Dan Higgins Jr. of Lewis Center, Ohio, had taken the lead for Open Singles in April with 813. Higgins and Newt McClellan of Columbus, Ohio, were pacing Open Doubles with 1,557.
Hupé was just looking to get some extra games in with his friends and teammates at All Star Lanes before heading across town to participate at the 2025 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Participating at the Bowlers Journal is a yearly staple for Hupé and his group.
“We bowl the Bowlers Journal to get out feet under us and try to get a feel of what’s going on with the pattern, but also the environment we are in,” said Hupé, who helped BowersBowlingTour.com win the Regular Team title at the 2016 USBC Open Championships. “The goal has never been to focus on winning the event; however, it is always nice to perform well and make a few bucks if we can.”
DeVries felt fortunate to be able to bowl well alongside his friend and be in position to win.
“Adding a win like this to my résumé would be awesome, especially if I am able to do it with my friend,” DeVries said. “Anytime you can snag a win with your friends is pretty special.”
Hupé is a past winner at the Bowlers Journal Championships, claiming Open Singles at the 2018 event in Syracuse, New York, with a 793 series. He and his teammates hope to hang on to a win this year and have memories to share.
“Winning singles in 2018 at the Bowlers Journal was awesome, but if I am going to win an event, I would much rather share a win with my friends and teammates in a tournament like this,” said Hupé, a two-time gold medalist for Canada at the International Bowling Federation World Championships.
The 837 also helped Hupé take over second in the Dual Entry prize fund at the Bowlers Journal Championships, which is reserved for players who enter both singles and doubles during the same set. PBA50 Tour champion Jon Rakoski of Estero, Florida, leads Senior Singles and the Dual Entry prize fund with 842.
This year at the Open Championships, Hupé posted sets of 724 in doubles, 719 in singles and 606 in team for an all-events total of 2,049.
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
Hupé, a Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion and member of Team Canada, bowled three 279 games to individually get to 837, and he paired with Duncan DeVries of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, during the set to take over the top spot in doubles with 1,584. DeVries had games of 256, 233 and 258 to get to 747.
Duncan DeVries and Mitch Hupé
In addition to taking the lead with DeVries, Hupé also bowled doubles with Doug Wagner Jr. of West Fargo, North Dakota, and moved into second place with 1,577. Wagner rolled scores of 239, 222 and 279 for a 740 series.
Three-time Eagle winner Dan Higgins Jr. of Lewis Center, Ohio, had taken the lead for Open Singles in April with 813. Higgins and Newt McClellan of Columbus, Ohio, were pacing Open Doubles with 1,557.
Hupé was just looking to get some extra games in with his friends and teammates at All Star Lanes before heading across town to participate at the 2025 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Participating at the Bowlers Journal is a yearly staple for Hupé and his group.
“We bowl the Bowlers Journal to get out feet under us and try to get a feel of what’s going on with the pattern, but also the environment we are in,” said Hupé, who helped BowersBowlingTour.com win the Regular Team title at the 2016 USBC Open Championships. “The goal has never been to focus on winning the event; however, it is always nice to perform well and make a few bucks if we can.”
DeVries felt fortunate to be able to bowl well alongside his friend and be in position to win.
“Adding a win like this to my résumé would be awesome, especially if I am able to do it with my friend,” DeVries said. “Anytime you can snag a win with your friends is pretty special.”
Hupé is a past winner at the Bowlers Journal Championships, claiming Open Singles at the 2018 event in Syracuse, New York, with a 793 series. He and his teammates hope to hang on to a win this year and have memories to share.
“Winning singles in 2018 at the Bowlers Journal was awesome, but if I am going to win an event, I would much rather share a win with my friends and teammates in a tournament like this,” said Hupé, a two-time gold medalist for Canada at the International Bowling Federation World Championships.
The 837 also helped Hupé take over second in the Dual Entry prize fund at the Bowlers Journal Championships, which is reserved for players who enter both singles and doubles during the same set. PBA50 Tour champion Jon Rakoski of Estero, Florida, leads Senior Singles and the Dual Entry prize fund with 842.
This year at the Open Championships, Hupé posted sets of 724 in doubles, 719 in singles and 606 in team for an all-events total of 2,049.
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.