RENO, Nev. - Janz's H.I. of Beaver Dam, Wis., always seems to be in the mix at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, but the team has been unable to break through for a win on the championship lanes.

The group once again put itself in position for that career-defining success, and did so in convincing fashion, taking the lead in four of five events at the National Bowling Stadium on Thursday and Friday.

Tim Damerow of Waupun, Wis., led the way with a career-best 2,228 all-events total to secure the Regular All-Events lead and lift Janz's H.I. into the top spot in Team All-Events with a 10,363 total, the fourth-highest in tournament history. Damerow also teamed with Beaver Dam's Joe Janz to take the Regular Doubles lead with 1,378.

Damerow and Janz had to fight off their teammates, Tim Janz and Andy Bunkoske, also from Beaver Dam, in the doubles race as both pairs snuck past previous leaders, Brandyn and Jimmy Cox of Petersburg, Va., who held the top spot with 1,360. Janz and Bunkoske are second with 1,370.

Former Professional Bowlers Association standout Curtis Odom of Coldwater, Mich., previously held the Regular All-Events lead with 2,076, while Towne & Country Lanes 1 of Hartland, Wis., topped Team All-Events with 9,756.

"I don't think it has sunk in yet," said Damerow, who made his seventh USBC Open Championships appearance and used the same ball on the way to sets of 778 in team, 746 in singles and 704 in doubles. "It's amazing. I'm as happy as can be. It really is a dream come true."

After taking the lead in Regular Team with a 3,499 total Thursday, the group returned to the NBS on Friday and averaged more than 228 on a completely different lane condition, flirting with the Team All-Events record of 10,425, set by Pollard's Bowl of Versailles, Ind., at the 1996 tournament in Salt Lake City.

Bunkoske added a 2,075 all-events effort for Janz's H.I. and was followed by Joe Janz (2,030), Tim Janz (2,026) and Randy Hupf (2,004).

"It feels pretty good," said Joe Janz, the veteran of the group with 20 tournament appearances. "I never thought we could do that, but we've been practicing pretty hard, had a game plan and drilled the right equipment for our plan."

For the second consecutive year, competitors at the Open Championships must navigate two different oil patterns - one for team (43 feet) and another for doubles and singles (40 feet). Both patterns are Sport Bowling-certified and provide a true test of versatility over the two days.

The Team All-Events total is determined by combining the all-events totals of all five team members.

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Presenting sponsors for the 2014 USBC Open Championships include Circus Circus Reno, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno.