RENO, Nev. - The members of Durk Wholesale Lumber Co. of Hayden, Idaho, identified preparation as one of the keys to success at the USBC Open Championships, and their hard work paid dividends at the National Bowling Stadium on Saturday night.

Two months of practicing together helped the group to games of 1,055, 985 and 1,164 and into the Regular Team lead with a 3,204 total. Two other teams on the same squad were fighting for the top spot and settled into second and third place overall. Sport Bowl Pro Shop of Middleton, Wis., previously held the lead with 3,006.

Cole Lawson (733) and Tom Davenport (700) led the charge for Durk Wholesale Lumber Co., and they were joined Michael Durk (641), Jack Smetana (614) and John Smetana (516).

"This feels awesome," said Durk, who is the team captain and made his 10th Open Championships appearance. "This is a goal that our whole group has been working towards for a couple of years. We have been working really hard over a period of time, and it's a great feeling to be in the lead right now."

Durk Wholesale Lumber Co., and its companion team, Coeur d' Alene Crush, have been practicing together on a Sport oil pattern at Sunset Lanes, and together, they focused on breaking the lanes down as a group.

Coeur d' Alene Crush also scored well Saturday night, posting a 3,004 team total, which currently is fifth in the Regular Team standings. The group was led by Ron Jacobson with 656, and he was followed by Jimmie Boyce (646), Tim Fristoe (581), John Prescott (569) and Jody Jennison (552).

The two teams also attributed some of their success to USBC Silver coach Mike Jasnau at Lane 81, the training lane inside the pro shop area at the Stadium. They have worked with him several times over the course of their Open Championships careers, and six of the 10 group members have been working with him since 1998.

"We decided to practice as a group with our companion team after reading some things from other teams that have had success at the Open Championships," said Durk, who is a Coeur d' Alene city champion. "I also would like to thank Mike Jasnau, who has been very influential in our group's success."

The teams have a distinct passion for the sport of bowling and especially love the camaraderie aspect of team bowling. No matter what's happening in their lives, they always find time to bowl league together. The Open Championships gives them a chance to bowl together as a team on bowling's biggest stage.

"I have bowled two 300s and won city and state tournaments," Durk said. "But nothing will ever compare to what just happened. For the rest of our lives, we will be able to talk about this because we did it as a group. This just made a lot of dreams come true."

The Regular Singles lead also exchanged hands a number of times Saturday, and when bowling finally concluded for the day, it was William Vincent Jr. of Louisville, Ky., at the top of the standings with 792.

The 46-year-old right-hander, who bowls regularly at AMF Derby Lanes in Louisville, rolled games of 279, 223 and 290, which also briefly helped him into the Regular All-Events lead with 2,037. He now is second overall behind Joey Kick of Middleton, Wis., who shot 2,063 Sunday morning.

"I just tried to keep my mind in the game," said Vincent, who made his 24th consecutive Open Championships appearance and added 648 in doubles and 597 in team. "I let it wander one frame, and I missed a spare in the second game. I just tried to stay calm and bowl the best I could."

Despite a recent back injury, Kick was a model of consistency this weekend and cruised into the Regular All-Events lead with 731 in singles, 667 in team and 665 in doubles.

The 38-year-old left-hander was tentative on the lanes because of his injury, but it worked to his advantage.

"I didn't know what to expect," said Kick, a manager at Schwoegler's Entertainment Center in Madison, Wis., who made his 14th tournament appearance. "I came in and stuck to the basics, which helped me stay smooth and roll the ball a little more. I also stayed out of trouble and picked up my spares."

Presenting sponsors for the 2011 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nev. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Humana, official registration sponsor, 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.