Massachusetts team catapults into Team All-Events lead at USBC Open Championships
April 11, 2011
RENO, Nev. - After falling just short of the Regular Team lead at the USBC Open Championships, Cambridge 1 of Feeding Hills, Mass., stepped things up for doubles and singles and marched into the top spot in Team All-Events on Sunday.
With help from Team USA member Shannon O'Keefe and her husband, Bryan, a Team USA assistant coach, the group combined for a 10,023 total. Previous Team All-Events leader, DAPP Embroidery of Grand Prairie, Texas, set the bar high early with a 9,911 effort on March 6.
Cambridge 1 began its quest with a 3,410 team performance as three teams on the same squad battled for the lead. That is the second-highest team score rolled in the tournament's seven trips to the National Bowling Stadium, behind current leader, Brian Brazeau Pro Shop of Ocala, Fla., which shot 3,439 on Saturday night.
Even though they came up short in team, the teammates still were focused on the big picture and had Team All-Events on their minds. Bowling fans also got to be part of the action Sunday as more than 9,000 viewers tuned in to see them bowl doubles and singles live on BOWL.com.
"Last night was unbelievable," said Shannon O'Keefe, who made her third Open Championships appearance. "We did a great job of breaking the lanes down as a team, and as the games went on, it felt like we were bowling league, which is always fun. It got better and better as we went along. This is incredible. Our team squad was really strong, and we were happy to pull off 3,400. We knew we didn't take the lead last night, so our goal was to come out and get Team All-Events."
With the great start as a catalyst for success, the teammates hit the lanes for doubles and immediately had to turn to years of experience for quick adjustments when the lanes didn't play like they expected.
"The doubles pair was actually a little different than what we were expecting," said Bryan O'Keefe, who made his 18th Open Championships appearance. "There was a little bit more oil down lane already, and they started off a lot tighter than what we thought they would. They were almost an arrow or so tighter than where we finished last night. When we made the switch, the singles pair was a little tighter as well, but still very playable."
Team All-Events takes a complete team effort, since it includes the combined all-events totals of all five team members.
Bill Webb led the way for Cambridge 1 with a 2,097 all-events total and was followed by Bryan O'Keefe (2,033), Chris Viale (1,975), Ron Nelson Jr. (1,972) and Shannon O'Keefe (1,952).
While Bryan O'Keefe has accomplished a lot on the lanes, including a national title with the University of Nebraska in 1996, winning an eagle at the Open Championships still is his top goal. He got close in 2009 when he and Nelson took the Regular Doubles lead before eventually finishing third.
"It would be unbelievable to win an eagle," said O'Keefe, who is the facility manager at the International Training and Research Center on the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas. "We've been fortunate enough to take the lead in Team All-Events a few times. As an individual, I have taken the lead a couple times, and I have taken the lead along with my doubles partner. To be completely honest, I don't think that number is going to hold up, but stranger things have happened."
Brian Brazeau Pro Shop also made a run in Team All-Events on Sunday, but a disappointing singles event left the group in fourth place with 9,749.
The team was led by 2008 Regular Doubles champion Dennis Rakauskas with 2,030. He was followed by Jace Peterson (1,989), Rich Abboud (1,936), three-time Open Championships titlist John Socha (1,915) and Professional Bowlers Association Senior Tour champion Brian Brazeau (1,879).
With help from Team USA member Shannon O'Keefe and her husband, Bryan, a Team USA assistant coach, the group combined for a 10,023 total. Previous Team All-Events leader, DAPP Embroidery of Grand Prairie, Texas, set the bar high early with a 9,911 effort on March 6.
Cambridge 1 began its quest with a 3,410 team performance as three teams on the same squad battled for the lead. That is the second-highest team score rolled in the tournament's seven trips to the National Bowling Stadium, behind current leader, Brian Brazeau Pro Shop of Ocala, Fla., which shot 3,439 on Saturday night.
Even though they came up short in team, the teammates still were focused on the big picture and had Team All-Events on their minds. Bowling fans also got to be part of the action Sunday as more than 9,000 viewers tuned in to see them bowl doubles and singles live on BOWL.com.
"Last night was unbelievable," said Shannon O'Keefe, who made her third Open Championships appearance. "We did a great job of breaking the lanes down as a team, and as the games went on, it felt like we were bowling league, which is always fun. It got better and better as we went along. This is incredible. Our team squad was really strong, and we were happy to pull off 3,400. We knew we didn't take the lead last night, so our goal was to come out and get Team All-Events."
With the great start as a catalyst for success, the teammates hit the lanes for doubles and immediately had to turn to years of experience for quick adjustments when the lanes didn't play like they expected.
"The doubles pair was actually a little different than what we were expecting," said Bryan O'Keefe, who made his 18th Open Championships appearance. "There was a little bit more oil down lane already, and they started off a lot tighter than what we thought they would. They were almost an arrow or so tighter than where we finished last night. When we made the switch, the singles pair was a little tighter as well, but still very playable."
Team All-Events takes a complete team effort, since it includes the combined all-events totals of all five team members.
Bill Webb led the way for Cambridge 1 with a 2,097 all-events total and was followed by Bryan O'Keefe (2,033), Chris Viale (1,975), Ron Nelson Jr. (1,972) and Shannon O'Keefe (1,952).
While Bryan O'Keefe has accomplished a lot on the lanes, including a national title with the University of Nebraska in 1996, winning an eagle at the Open Championships still is his top goal. He got close in 2009 when he and Nelson took the Regular Doubles lead before eventually finishing third.
"It would be unbelievable to win an eagle," said O'Keefe, who is the facility manager at the International Training and Research Center on the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas. "We've been fortunate enough to take the lead in Team All-Events a few times. As an individual, I have taken the lead a couple times, and I have taken the lead along with my doubles partner. To be completely honest, I don't think that number is going to hold up, but stranger things have happened."
Brian Brazeau Pro Shop also made a run in Team All-Events on Sunday, but a disappointing singles event left the group in fourth place with 9,749.
The team was led by 2008 Regular Doubles champion Dennis Rakauskas with 2,030. He was followed by Jace Peterson (1,989), Rich Abboud (1,936), three-time Open Championships titlist John Socha (1,915) and Professional Bowlers Association Senior Tour champion Brian Brazeau (1,879).