PABCON: USA sweeps team, all-events

HENDERSON, Nev. - The Team USA men and women swept the gold medals in team and all-events Friday at the 2012 Pan American Bowling Confederation Adult Championships.

The U.S. women broke the PABCON Championships record for six-game team total with 6,713 as they rolled to the gold medal by 256 pins over Mexico at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center. The Team USA men shot 6,687 and finished 194 pins ahead of Mexico.

Team USA women PABCONThe United States was led in the women's event by all-events gold medalist Liz Johnson with 1,473 and she was joined by Stefanie Nation (1,337), Josie Earnest (1,284), Diandra Asbaty (1,217), Shannon Pluhowsky (709) and Leanne Hulsenberg (693).

"We accomplished our goals, which was to go for the team gold and the trios gold," said Johnson, who won the all-events with a 24-game total of 5,427 (226.1 average). "We all worked together really well. There were some moves we had to make during team and everyone worked very well with each other."

Mexico took the women's silver medal with 6,457, while Colombia earned the bronze with 6,176. In all-events, Nation finished with the silver with 5,316, while Colombia's Rocio Restrepo took the bronze with 5,287.



Team USA men PABCONOn the men's side, Team USA was led by Tommy Jones with 1,376 and was followed by all-events gold medalist Bill O'Neill (1,354), Steve Smith (1,311), Marshall Kent (1,269), Patrick Allen (692) and John Janawicz (685).

"We had an unexpected lead coming into the day and we all worked really, really well together all day," said O'Neill, who won all-events with 5,556 (231.5 average). "It's a lot harder than it used to be to win because the talent level is so much better. To have so many teams competing for medals is pretty cool to see."

Mexico rallied in the final two games to take the silver medal with 6,493, while the Dominican Republic won its first men's medal since 1989 by finishing third with 6,484. In all-events, Jones claimed the silver with 5,543, while Puerto Rico's Francisco Colon took the bronze with 5,504.

The top 24 men and top 24 women in the all-events standings after 24 games advanced to Saturday's Masters competition. All 12 Team USA players advanced.

The remaining players will bowl six games Saturday morning before the field is cut to the top eight in each division for round robin match play. After 37 total games, including match play bonus pins, the top four men and top four women will advance to the semifinals.



For more information on the 2012 PABCON Adult Championships, visit BOWL.com/PABCON2012. BOWL.com's BowlTV is providing free live streaming of the entire tournament.

2012 PABCON ADULT CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center, Henderson, Nev.
Friday's results

MEN'S TEAM


GOLD - United States, 6,687
SILVER - Mexico, 6,493
BRONZE - Dominican Republic, 6,484

MEN'S ALL-EVENTS

GOLD - Bill O'Neill, United States, 5,556
SILVER - Tommy Jones, United States, 5,543
BRONZE - Francisco Colon, Puerto Rico, 5,504

WOMEN'S TEAM

GOLD - United States, 6,713
SILVER - Mexico, 6,457
BRONZE - Colombia, 6,176

WOMEN'S ALL-EVENTS

GOLD - Liz Johnson, United States, 5,427
SILVER - Stefanie Nation, United States, 5,316
BRONZE - Rocio Restrepo, Colombia, 5,287