Just another Saturday night at Open Championships
May 08, 2011
Click here to see Bohn and Kreyer put their doubles title on the line
Click here to see K & K Bowling Services 5 take the Team All-Events lead
RENO, Nev. - With the live-stream cameras rolling and thousands of viewers tuned in to see John Kreyer Jr. of Fridley, Minn., and Steve Bohn of Norwood, Minn., try to defend their Regular Doubles title at the USBC Open Championships, the members of K & K Bowling Services 5 of Las Vegas quietly started striking on the lanes nearby and stole the show as they catapulted into the Team All-Events lead Saturday night.
The group bounced back from a mediocre team performance and averaged 233.9 in doubles and 240.7 in singles to take over the top spot with a 10,283 total. Linds Lakers 1 of Minneapolis previously held the lead with 10,076.
Adam Ishman led the way for K & K Bowling Services 5 with a 2,135 all-events total and was followed by Junior Team USA member and first-time Open Championships participant Kyle King (2,123), USBC Second Vice-President Andrew Cain (2,097), Chris Klerk (2,003) and Les Shirwindt (1,925). Ishman and King also moved into third place in Regular Doubles with 1,456.
Klerk, who rolled a 300 game during the team event last year, opened singles with 11 consecutive strikes and had a chance to become the 22nd bowler in tournament history to record multiple 300s on the tournament lanes (and third with two at the National Bowling Stadium), but he knew the team had something much greater on the line.
"It's always an awesome opportunity to have that chance here," said Klerk, a former Junior Team USA member who left a 10 pin on his final shot to finish with 299. "It's the one tournament you always look forward. To be honest, I really wasn't focused on the 299 because I knew we had a crack at Team All-Events at that point. I really was just trying to get every pin that was out there. A 299 is great, but Team All-Events is so much cooler."
Klerk and his teammates didn't quite get off to the start they hoped for as they settled into a tie for 74th place in Regular Team with a 3,163 effort Friday night, but they turned to years of experience and good communication to turn things around.
"We had a very slow start during the first game of team," said Klerk, who bowls league at Brunswick Kyrene Lanes and made his 10th Open Championships appearance. "We made some mistakes in team and gave away some pins. I personally didn't bowl very well and kind of grinded through yesterday, and really the beginning of today, too. But to be honest, we just wanted to put up the biggest number we could today. You really can't look at Team All-Events when you're that far behind."
Before the Team All-Events pursuit got really hot, Kreyer and Bohn turned in a solid, 1,368, doubles performance. Although they won't repeat as champions, the experience for the left-handed tandem was priceless.
"It was a once in a lifetime experience," Kreyer said. "We knew we'd have more eyes on us due to the live streaming. It's unbelievable to have the recognition by everyone. We were treated so well, and we were pretty relaxed coming out today. There were the normal first-shot jitters, but we got right back to business."
The duo was led by Kreyer's 211, 232 and 258 for a 704 total, while Bohn added 196, 233 and 235 for a 664 series. George Rowan and Rod Singer of Columbus, Ohio, lead with 1,494.
Kreyer, who shot 299 on the way to a 742 series in team, added 708 in singles and moved into a tie for 10th place in Regular All-Events with 2,154. He finished fifth last year with 2,184, which included an 816 series on the way to the doubles crown. Matt Weggen of Muscatine, Iowa, leads Regular Singles with 826 and Regular All-Events with 2,268.
Bohn added 628 in team and 588 in singles for 1,880.
Regardless of their finish this year, Kreyer and Bohn are excited about their place in tournament history.
"We're in the books," said Kreyer, who made his 10th Open Championships appearance. "That will never go away. It's an awesome feeling. It will be great to see the word champion or the eagle next to our names when we bowl from now on."
At the other end of the Stadium, on the same squad, 41-year-old right-hander Mike Sealy of Mobile, Ala., rolled a 299 game of his own during doubles. He started things off with games of 207 and 245 and then unleashed 11 consecutive strikes before a 2 pin ended his chance at the 24th perfect game of this year's event.
Sealy's 751 series helped him and Keith Nolan of Semmes, Ala., into ninth place in Regular Doubles with a 1,432 total. Together, they helped Lodge Lanes Too to a 9,848 Team All-Events effort, which is just outside of the top 10.
Later on Saturday night, Branden Baird of Phoenix also made a run at the tournament's 24th 300 game, and he was able to get the job done. He sandwiched the effort between games of 223 and 192 for a 715 series and helped Indoor Plants of Phoenix to a 3,260 team total.
"It's a great feeling of elation," said Baird, who made his 12th Open Championships appearance. "You work hard to just be competitive here at the tournament, and then to shoot 300 on top of that, really puts you on top of the world."
The 37-year-old right-hander was a little nervous during the 10th frame, but made sure to take it one shot at a time and go at his own pace.
"The first nine shots were fine," said Baird, who bowls league at Brunswick Desert Sky. "I get into the 10th, I throw the first one, and I'm thinking I have a chance. Typically, I will psych myself out before the 11th shot, but the 11th shot went down. And, I took a moment. I went all the way back to the bowler's area and got a drink of water. I nudged my teammates and said I needed a breather. Still shaking, still hyperventilating, I just held my breath and took the shot. I raised my hand in jubilation that I got it off my hand and it was good. At that point, I knew it was going to strike."
Baird latest accomplishment falls just shy of reaching the top of his list of bowling accomplishments. He met his wife, Vicki, while bowling collegiately at Arizona State University and they now have three boys together.
"I would have to rank this second," Baird said. "The only reason is due to the fact that I bowled collegiately, I met my wife, who also bowled collegiately, and she gave me three beautiful boys. I thank bowling for helping me meet my wife, and that is my greatest accomplishment through the sport. But, this does rank a close second."
Click here to watch video highlights from the 2011 Open Championships.
Presenting sponsors for the 2011 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno. 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.
Click here to see K & K Bowling Services 5 take the Team All-Events lead
RENO, Nev. - With the live-stream cameras rolling and thousands of viewers tuned in to see John Kreyer Jr. of Fridley, Minn., and Steve Bohn of Norwood, Minn., try to defend their Regular Doubles title at the USBC Open Championships, the members of K & K Bowling Services 5 of Las Vegas quietly started striking on the lanes nearby and stole the show as they catapulted into the Team All-Events lead Saturday night.
The group bounced back from a mediocre team performance and averaged 233.9 in doubles and 240.7 in singles to take over the top spot with a 10,283 total. Linds Lakers 1 of Minneapolis previously held the lead with 10,076.
Adam Ishman led the way for K & K Bowling Services 5 with a 2,135 all-events total and was followed by Junior Team USA member and first-time Open Championships participant Kyle King (2,123), USBC Second Vice-President Andrew Cain (2,097), Chris Klerk (2,003) and Les Shirwindt (1,925). Ishman and King also moved into third place in Regular Doubles with 1,456.
Klerk, who rolled a 300 game during the team event last year, opened singles with 11 consecutive strikes and had a chance to become the 22nd bowler in tournament history to record multiple 300s on the tournament lanes (and third with two at the National Bowling Stadium), but he knew the team had something much greater on the line.
"It's always an awesome opportunity to have that chance here," said Klerk, a former Junior Team USA member who left a 10 pin on his final shot to finish with 299. "It's the one tournament you always look forward. To be honest, I really wasn't focused on the 299 because I knew we had a crack at Team All-Events at that point. I really was just trying to get every pin that was out there. A 299 is great, but Team All-Events is so much cooler."
Klerk and his teammates didn't quite get off to the start they hoped for as they settled into a tie for 74th place in Regular Team with a 3,163 effort Friday night, but they turned to years of experience and good communication to turn things around.
"We had a very slow start during the first game of team," said Klerk, who bowls league at Brunswick Kyrene Lanes and made his 10th Open Championships appearance. "We made some mistakes in team and gave away some pins. I personally didn't bowl very well and kind of grinded through yesterday, and really the beginning of today, too. But to be honest, we just wanted to put up the biggest number we could today. You really can't look at Team All-Events when you're that far behind."
Before the Team All-Events pursuit got really hot, Kreyer and Bohn turned in a solid, 1,368, doubles performance. Although they won't repeat as champions, the experience for the left-handed tandem was priceless.
"It was a once in a lifetime experience," Kreyer said. "We knew we'd have more eyes on us due to the live streaming. It's unbelievable to have the recognition by everyone. We were treated so well, and we were pretty relaxed coming out today. There were the normal first-shot jitters, but we got right back to business."
The duo was led by Kreyer's 211, 232 and 258 for a 704 total, while Bohn added 196, 233 and 235 for a 664 series. George Rowan and Rod Singer of Columbus, Ohio, lead with 1,494.
Kreyer, who shot 299 on the way to a 742 series in team, added 708 in singles and moved into a tie for 10th place in Regular All-Events with 2,154. He finished fifth last year with 2,184, which included an 816 series on the way to the doubles crown. Matt Weggen of Muscatine, Iowa, leads Regular Singles with 826 and Regular All-Events with 2,268.
Bohn added 628 in team and 588 in singles for 1,880.
Regardless of their finish this year, Kreyer and Bohn are excited about their place in tournament history.
"We're in the books," said Kreyer, who made his 10th Open Championships appearance. "That will never go away. It's an awesome feeling. It will be great to see the word champion or the eagle next to our names when we bowl from now on."
At the other end of the Stadium, on the same squad, 41-year-old right-hander Mike Sealy of Mobile, Ala., rolled a 299 game of his own during doubles. He started things off with games of 207 and 245 and then unleashed 11 consecutive strikes before a 2 pin ended his chance at the 24th perfect game of this year's event.
Sealy's 751 series helped him and Keith Nolan of Semmes, Ala., into ninth place in Regular Doubles with a 1,432 total. Together, they helped Lodge Lanes Too to a 9,848 Team All-Events effort, which is just outside of the top 10.
Later on Saturday night, Branden Baird of Phoenix also made a run at the tournament's 24th 300 game, and he was able to get the job done. He sandwiched the effort between games of 223 and 192 for a 715 series and helped Indoor Plants of Phoenix to a 3,260 team total.
"It's a great feeling of elation," said Baird, who made his 12th Open Championships appearance. "You work hard to just be competitive here at the tournament, and then to shoot 300 on top of that, really puts you on top of the world."
The 37-year-old right-hander was a little nervous during the 10th frame, but made sure to take it one shot at a time and go at his own pace.
"The first nine shots were fine," said Baird, who bowls league at Brunswick Desert Sky. "I get into the 10th, I throw the first one, and I'm thinking I have a chance. Typically, I will psych myself out before the 11th shot, but the 11th shot went down. And, I took a moment. I went all the way back to the bowler's area and got a drink of water. I nudged my teammates and said I needed a breather. Still shaking, still hyperventilating, I just held my breath and took the shot. I raised my hand in jubilation that I got it off my hand and it was good. At that point, I knew it was going to strike."
Baird latest accomplishment falls just shy of reaching the top of his list of bowling accomplishments. He met his wife, Vicki, while bowling collegiately at Arizona State University and they now have three boys together.
"I would have to rank this second," Baird said. "The only reason is due to the fact that I bowled collegiately, I met my wife, who also bowled collegiately, and she gave me three beautiful boys. I thank bowling for helping me meet my wife, and that is my greatest accomplishment through the sport. But, this does rank a close second."
Click here to watch video highlights from the 2011 Open Championships.
Presenting sponsors for the 2011 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno. 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.