Team USA men advance four bowlers into singles Round of 32 at IBF World Cup
January 09, 2025
Team USA's Matt Russo of Ballwin, Missouri
FULL STANDINGS
HONG KONG – The Team USA men successfully advanced all four of their competing athletes into the Men’s Singles Round of 32 at the 2025 International Bowling Federation World Cup on Thursday, matching the feat that was pulled off by their female teammates just one day before.
Matt Russo of Ballwin, Missouri, once again led the way for the American men at Top Bowl (Kai Tak Sports Park, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China), recording games of 219, 217, 188, 195, 240, 234 and 204 en route to a 6-1 Round 2 record and an average of 213.9 for the day.
Those numbers gave Russo a two-day, 13-match record of 12-1 – the best mark in the men’s field – and allowed him to finish qualifying in first place in Men’s Singles Group C1. No other player in that group finished with more than nine match victories.
When asked to identify some of the keys to Thursday’s success, Russo was quick to share the credit.
“The first key was listening to Bryan (Team USA Head Coach Bryan O’Keefe),” Russo said. “We went back and forth with some bowling balls and some different parts of the lane, but trusting him and what he’s seeing along with what I’m feeling ultimately led to a really good block.”
When it comes to authoring good blocks, Russo is currently two for two at the 2025 World Cup, and he’s hoping that trend continues during Friday’s final day of singles competition at this year’s tournament.
“Being that this is my first time at the World Cup and at an IBF tournament like this, I’m really excited to be in the Round of 32,” Russo said. “I’m hoping that we get a good draw so that all four Team USA guys are on different sides of the bracket, but my ball reaction is really good and I’m confident that I can go a long way regardless.”
Even though Russo authored the best Team USA match-play record during Round 2, it was Kristopher Prather of Romeoville, Illinois, whose ball reaction led to the best overall American score on Thursday (1,522).
Prather, the defending World Cup Men’s Singles bronze medalist, was steady from start to finish during his second block, posting scores of 226, 187, 194, 203, 258, 245 and 209 to come in with a 5-1-1 record and a 217.4 average for the day.
That moved the 33-year-old right-hander’s overall average to 208.6 and allowed him to finish qualifying with a record of 10-2-1, which was enough to secure first place in Men’s Singles Group A1.
Despite having won five matches during each of his two qualifying blocks, Prather felt like he was on steadier ground during Thursday’s set than he was during Round 1 two days before.
“Today, in comparison to Day No. 1, even though I won the same number of matches, I felt like I was in control of the lane a lot more today, like I had a little bit better idea,” Prather said. “Going forward, a lot is going to depend on who I bowl. My strategy for each match and what balls I’ll use will probably depend on whether I’m bowling a right-hander or a left-hander, but what will play to my advantage will be if I can make it a shot-repeating contest as opposed to just a striking contest.”
Chris Via of Blacklick, Ohio, did more striking than any of the American men during Round 1, leading the quartet with an opening-round average of 219.3 during his first block on Wednesday.
That pace slowed during Thursday’s final qualifying round as Via averaged just under 200 (198.4) on games of 175, 210, 211, 203, 165, 197 and 228; nevertheless, the 2021 U.S. Open champion still managed to grind out a record of 4-3 on the day, which not only was enough get him into the Round of 32, but also allowed him to finish tied with Peru’s Kenny Kishimoto and Costa Rica’s Mateo Gordienko for first place in Group B2.
Although he came in with a lower score on Thursday than he had the day before, Via saw value in his Round 2 performance and thinks that the knowledge he gained from it may pay dividends in the days to come.
“The lanes definitely were quite a bit different today, but that’s not a bad thing because now I’ve seen a couple different ways that the lanes may start or transition,” Via said. “Having that information moving forward is important because it’s something all of us can use.
“My execution wasn’t quite as good today, but I was able to hone in and make some really good shots when I needed to, which put me through to the next round. All things considered, we’ll take it as a win.”
Coming through when the pressure is at its highest is often the difference between moving on or becoming a spectator, and come through is exactly what Packy Hanrahan of Wichita, Kansas, did during Thursday’s final block to ensure he’d be joining Russo, Prather and Via in the Round of 32.
Hanrahan’s day got off to a rocky start as he came out with scores of 192, 170, 207 and 188, which led to a 2-2 record and quickly moved him outside of advancing position in the Group D2 standings.
But rather than giving in and accepting his fate, that’s when the 29-year-old two-handed lefty summoned his best bowling of the day, responding with games of 246, 237 and 212 to win his final three matches.
Those victories gave Hanrahan a two-day, 13-match mark of 9-4, which was good enough for third place in the group standings and a spot alongside his Team USA teammates in the Men’s Singles Round of 32.
Like Russo, Hanrahan didn’t want to take credit; instead, he attributed Thursday’s late-round turnaround to quality coaching.
“My look was pretty rough early on, but I got a bunch of help from a bunch of smart people behind me with the coaches and some of the players,” Hanrahan said. “Bryan (O’Keefe) suggested moving way left and playing a much straighter angle, almost like Shannon Pluhowsky played them a couple days ago. That worked for the last few games, I got a few more breaks and the lanes just made a lot more sense.
“Now that we’re moving to the bracket and we get a little more practice on our pairs, I’ll probably have the same overall strategy as what I switched to later on today. There probably won’t be anything too different other than maybe trying to help myself out a little more during practice.”
As Hanrahan, Russo, Prather and Via attempt to push Team USA onto the podium on the men’s side, teammates Bryanna Coté of Tucson, Arizona; Jillian Martin of Stow, Ohio; Lauren Russo of Ballwin, Missouri, and Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, will attempt to do the same for the women.
The singles quarterfinals, semifinals and finals for both men and women will be contested on Friday with medal ceremonies to follow; thereafter, the focus will shift to team competition, which will run from Jan. 11-14.
CLICK HERE for more information on Team USA.
FULL STANDINGS
HONG KONG – The Team USA men successfully advanced all four of their competing athletes into the Men’s Singles Round of 32 at the 2025 International Bowling Federation World Cup on Thursday, matching the feat that was pulled off by their female teammates just one day before.
Matt Russo of Ballwin, Missouri, once again led the way for the American men at Top Bowl (Kai Tak Sports Park, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China), recording games of 219, 217, 188, 195, 240, 234 and 204 en route to a 6-1 Round 2 record and an average of 213.9 for the day.
Those numbers gave Russo a two-day, 13-match record of 12-1 – the best mark in the men’s field – and allowed him to finish qualifying in first place in Men’s Singles Group C1. No other player in that group finished with more than nine match victories.
When asked to identify some of the keys to Thursday’s success, Russo was quick to share the credit.
“The first key was listening to Bryan (Team USA Head Coach Bryan O’Keefe),” Russo said. “We went back and forth with some bowling balls and some different parts of the lane, but trusting him and what he’s seeing along with what I’m feeling ultimately led to a really good block.”
When it comes to authoring good blocks, Russo is currently two for two at the 2025 World Cup, and he’s hoping that trend continues during Friday’s final day of singles competition at this year’s tournament.
“Being that this is my first time at the World Cup and at an IBF tournament like this, I’m really excited to be in the Round of 32,” Russo said. “I’m hoping that we get a good draw so that all four Team USA guys are on different sides of the bracket, but my ball reaction is really good and I’m confident that I can go a long way regardless.”
Even though Russo authored the best Team USA match-play record during Round 2, it was Kristopher Prather of Romeoville, Illinois, whose ball reaction led to the best overall American score on Thursday (1,522).
Prather, the defending World Cup Men’s Singles bronze medalist, was steady from start to finish during his second block, posting scores of 226, 187, 194, 203, 258, 245 and 209 to come in with a 5-1-1 record and a 217.4 average for the day.
That moved the 33-year-old right-hander’s overall average to 208.6 and allowed him to finish qualifying with a record of 10-2-1, which was enough to secure first place in Men’s Singles Group A1.
Despite having won five matches during each of his two qualifying blocks, Prather felt like he was on steadier ground during Thursday’s set than he was during Round 1 two days before.
“Today, in comparison to Day No. 1, even though I won the same number of matches, I felt like I was in control of the lane a lot more today, like I had a little bit better idea,” Prather said. “Going forward, a lot is going to depend on who I bowl. My strategy for each match and what balls I’ll use will probably depend on whether I’m bowling a right-hander or a left-hander, but what will play to my advantage will be if I can make it a shot-repeating contest as opposed to just a striking contest.”
Chris Via of Blacklick, Ohio, did more striking than any of the American men during Round 1, leading the quartet with an opening-round average of 219.3 during his first block on Wednesday.
That pace slowed during Thursday’s final qualifying round as Via averaged just under 200 (198.4) on games of 175, 210, 211, 203, 165, 197 and 228; nevertheless, the 2021 U.S. Open champion still managed to grind out a record of 4-3 on the day, which not only was enough get him into the Round of 32, but also allowed him to finish tied with Peru’s Kenny Kishimoto and Costa Rica’s Mateo Gordienko for first place in Group B2.
Although he came in with a lower score on Thursday than he had the day before, Via saw value in his Round 2 performance and thinks that the knowledge he gained from it may pay dividends in the days to come.
“The lanes definitely were quite a bit different today, but that’s not a bad thing because now I’ve seen a couple different ways that the lanes may start or transition,” Via said. “Having that information moving forward is important because it’s something all of us can use.
“My execution wasn’t quite as good today, but I was able to hone in and make some really good shots when I needed to, which put me through to the next round. All things considered, we’ll take it as a win.”
Coming through when the pressure is at its highest is often the difference between moving on or becoming a spectator, and come through is exactly what Packy Hanrahan of Wichita, Kansas, did during Thursday’s final block to ensure he’d be joining Russo, Prather and Via in the Round of 32.
Hanrahan’s day got off to a rocky start as he came out with scores of 192, 170, 207 and 188, which led to a 2-2 record and quickly moved him outside of advancing position in the Group D2 standings.
But rather than giving in and accepting his fate, that’s when the 29-year-old two-handed lefty summoned his best bowling of the day, responding with games of 246, 237 and 212 to win his final three matches.
Those victories gave Hanrahan a two-day, 13-match mark of 9-4, which was good enough for third place in the group standings and a spot alongside his Team USA teammates in the Men’s Singles Round of 32.
Like Russo, Hanrahan didn’t want to take credit; instead, he attributed Thursday’s late-round turnaround to quality coaching.
“My look was pretty rough early on, but I got a bunch of help from a bunch of smart people behind me with the coaches and some of the players,” Hanrahan said. “Bryan (O’Keefe) suggested moving way left and playing a much straighter angle, almost like Shannon Pluhowsky played them a couple days ago. That worked for the last few games, I got a few more breaks and the lanes just made a lot more sense.
“Now that we’re moving to the bracket and we get a little more practice on our pairs, I’ll probably have the same overall strategy as what I switched to later on today. There probably won’t be anything too different other than maybe trying to help myself out a little more during practice.”
As Hanrahan, Russo, Prather and Via attempt to push Team USA onto the podium on the men’s side, teammates Bryanna Coté of Tucson, Arizona; Jillian Martin of Stow, Ohio; Lauren Russo of Ballwin, Missouri, and Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, will attempt to do the same for the women.
The singles quarterfinals, semifinals and finals for both men and women will be contested on Friday with medal ceremonies to follow; thereafter, the focus will shift to team competition, which will run from Jan. 11-14.
CLICK HERE for more information on Team USA.