Manassas Journal Messenger | National amateur champions are crowned
By TED GRUSZKOWSKI
Erik Vermilyea, Maplewood, Minn., and Stefanie Nation, Miami, Fla., were crowned national youth amateur champions July 18 in the sixth annual USA Junior Gold Bowling National Championships at AMF Strike N Spare Lanes in St. Louis, Mo.
Vermilyea, 19, averaged 206.7 for 46 tournament games (a 9,596 grand total score including bonus pins) to earn the national male individual championship, win a $5,000 scholarship and secure his first berth on Junior Team USA. Vermilyea finished 168 pins ahead of second-place finisher Justin Stewart, Gandville, Mich., who compiled a 9,428 grand total score (including bonus pins). Stewart received a $4,000 scholarship.
Nation, 19, averaged 197.4 for 46 tournament games (a 9,162 grand total score including bonus pins) to earn her first national individual title, win a $3,500 scholarship and secured her second berth on Junior Team USA. Nation, who bowled on 2000 Junior Team USA, outdistanced defending female national champion Olivia Sandham, Wichita, Kan., who finished second with a 9,103 grand total score (including bonus pins). Sandham received a $2,000 scholarship.
Athletes in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions rolled 18 qualifying games July 14-16 at AMF Strike N Spare Lanes, Brunswick Four Seasons Bowl and Brunswick Lakeside Lanes. Following qualfying, 106 males and 40 females advanced to the 12-game semifinals July 17 at AMF Strike N Spare Lanes. The top 16 males and females then advanced to the 16-game match play round on July 18.
Other finalists in the Boys’ Division (with their grand total score): Adam Dugan, Austin Texas, 9384, 3rd place; Aaron Murray, Afton, Tenn., 9345, 4th place; David O’Sullivan, Yonkers, N.Y., 9316, 5th place; Jeff Mersch, Tampa, Fla., 9214, 6th place; P.J. Haggerty, Weimer, Calif., 9190, 7th place; Cory Simmons, Wichita, Kan., 9154, 8th place; Steve Lemke, Kenosha, Wis., 9150, 9th place; with Clay Herrbach, Naperville, Ill., and Kyle Van Veckhoven, Anchorage, Alaska, tied for 10th place with a total score of 9101.
Other finalists in the Girls’ Division (with their grand total score): Anita Manns, Austin, Texas, 9077, 3rd place; Amanda Beck, Oakdale, N.Y., 9020, 4th place; Lindsey Coulles, Centerville, Ohio, 9007, 5th place; Erin Landford, Oberlin, Ohio, 8973, 6th place; Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 8945, 7th place; Melissa Brownie, Chester, Va., 8922, 8th place; Jennifer Wright, Columbia, S.C., 8919, 9th place; Amanda Burgoyne, Newport, Minn., 8917, 10th place; and Jennifer Petrick, Canton, Ohio, 8893, 11th place.
Vermilyea, Stewart, Nation and Sandham join 12 other tournament finalists on Junior Team USA 2004, the national amateur youth bowling squad. Other boys’ team members are: Dugan, Murray, O’Sullivan, and Mersch. Other girls’ team members are: Manns, Beck, Coulles and Landford. The top six finishers in each division who are U.S. citizens earn berths on 2004 Junior Team USA.
The National Selection Committee selected two boys, Haggerty and Herrbach, and two girls, Burgoyne and Petrick, to Junior Team USA 2004 as at-large members.
Junior Team USA will represent the United States in international competition in 2004. This team is designed to be a part of a feeder system for the U.S. national amateur team, Team USA.
The USA Junior Gold Bowling National Championships featured more than 1,000 of the best youth bowlers from across North America and military zones from around the world competing for more than $75,000 in scholarships.
YOUTH BOWLERS WIN PEPSI TITLES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
After two days of competition at the 2003 Pepsi Youth Bowling Championships at AMF Strike N Spare Lanes in St. Louis, Mo., July 22-23, four divisional champions emerged from a field of 202 entrants.
Ryan Abrams, Bath, N.Y.; Cari Deacon, Bremen, Ind.; Kody Rathai, Gillette, Wyo.; and Tangie Payne, Commerce, Ga., all earned titles in their respective divisions.
The final day of competiton featured the top 64 athletes (the top 16 boys and top 16 girls from each division) advancing to a single-game, double-elimination match play round. The top four finishers in each division were presented a scholarship and received a Storm Core Power LRG bowling ball.
? Boys’ Division I, Abrams triumphed over Jimmy Burnett, Callis, Idaho, 270-184 (with handicap), to claim the title and top scholarship of $2,000. Burnett received a $1,500 scholarship for being the runner-up.
Other scholarship winners: Anthony Foy, Salisbury, Md., 3rd place, $1,000 scholarship; and Josh Kemp, Orem, Utah, 4th place, $500 scholarship.
? Girls’ Division I, Deacon moved through double-elimination match play without a loss and prevailed over Nancy Smith, Simpsonville, S.C., 197-159, to win her title and $2,000 scholarship. Smith collected the $1,500 2nd place scholarship.
Other scholarship winners: Jennifer Powers, Lakewood, Calif., 3rd place, $1,000 scholarship; and Jasmin Havelka, Dickinson, N.D., 4th place, $500 scholarship.
? Boys’ Divison II, Rathai was victorious over Andrew Hammack, Bradford, Pa., 223-187, and won his divisional title with its first place $2,000 scholarship. Hammack netted a $1,500 scholarship for his 2nd place finish.
Other scholarship winners: Justin Fox, Palatine, Ill., 3rd place, $1,000 scholarship; and Tony Green, Onamia, Minn., 4th place, $500 scholarship.
? Girls Division II, Payne defeated Aimee Yandle, Lafayette, La., 200-169, to win her division title and its top scholarship of $2,000. Yandle garnered the $1,500 scholarship for 2nd place.
Other scholarship winners: Echo Palmer, Gillette, Wyo., 3rd place, $1,000 scholarship; and Jesse Green, Gaylordsville, Conn., 4th place, $500 scholarship.
Athletes from all 50 United States, U.S. military zones worldwide, Puerto Rico and each of the Canadian provinces, competed for $20,000 in sacholarships. The Pepsi Youth Bowling Championships is conducted by the Young American Bowling Alliance and is sponsored by Pepsi and presented by Storm Bowling Products, Inc.
TEAM USA PLAYERS FOR FIQCHAMPIONSHIPS SELECTED
Team USA players selected for the 2003 Federation Internationale des Quilleurs World Champion-ships have been announced.
Defending U.S. Men’s National Amateur Champion Bill Hoffman, Columbus, Ohio, leads the contingent of players who will compete in the 2003 FIQ World Championships, Sept. 9-20, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Hoffman, who is competing in the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and scheduled for the AMF World Cup Sept. 27-Oct. 4, was among 12 players selected following Team USA 2003’s second training camp in Akron, Ohio.
Joining Hoffman on the men’s World Championship roster will be: 2001 U.S. Amateur Champion Andrew Cain, Tempe, Ariz.; Dino Castillo, Dallas, Texas; David Haynes, Las Vegas, Nev.; Tim Mack, Garfield, N.J.; and Scott Pohl, Eagan, Minn. Pohl also is scheduled to compete in the Pan Am Games.
The women’s team will feature 1999 U.S. Amateur Champion Diandra Hyman, Dyer, Ind.; 1996 U.S. Amateur Champion Lucy Sandelin, Tampa, Fla.; Lisa Duenow, Mound, Minn.; Ranae Janssen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Stacy Werth, Rocklin, Calif.; and Anita Manns, Austin, Texas. Werth also is scheduled to compete in the Pan Am Games.
Two-time defending U.S. Amateur Champion Shannon Pluhowsky, who will compete in the Pan Am Games and AMF World Cup, declined an invitatioin to the World Championships. All members of Team USA 2003 have been invited to attend the FIQ event.