By MATT CANNIZZARO
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS — James Zaharis of Apalachin, N.Y., rolled the first perfect game of the 2022 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships on March 25, the 14th day of competition at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
The 73-year-old right-hander not only claimed a special place in the event’s record book with the first 300, he nearly became the oldest competitor in tournament history to accomplish the feat.
That record belongs to Detroit’s Tony Lindemann, a two-time USBC Open Championships titlist (Regular All-Events and Team All-Events in 1951) and USBC Hall of Famer (1979) who was 74 when he tossed one of the 14 perfect games at the 1994 event in Mobile, Alabama.
Through five games of his 2022 tournament campaign, things for Zaharis were shaping up to be anything but remarkable.
He started the day, the doubles and singles portion of the event, with games of 161 and 167, before things finally fell into place. The breakthrough came after much trial and error with different equipment and lines to the pocket.
Zaharis started his visit to South Point with a 467 team series that included games of 139, 172 and 156.
The 300 helped him to a 628 series in doubles, and he added games of 212, 171 and 213 for a 596 singles set and 1,691 all-events total.
Since 2013, all squads at the Open Championships are contested on fresh oil, and competitors face two lane conditions – one for team competition and another for doubles and singles.
MILESTONES
Five bowlers celebrate milestones at South Point Bowling Plaza
Gene Kirkham of Loves Park, Illinois, highlighted a week of celebration at the 2022 USBC Open Championships that included five participation milestones.
Kirkham, 89, was the first of the three bowlers scheduled to reach 60 years of Open Championships participation this year at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
He made his tournament debut in Columbus, Ohio, in 1950 and now is one of 30 bowlers in the event’s history to compete for six decades.
Kirkham received a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip March 28 to commemorate his milestone. He then completed three games of competition, posting a 227 series.
In 60 years on the tournament lanes, he has knocked down 89,913 pins for a career average of 173.2.
Four additional bowlers – Ron Mansfield of Placerville, California (March 26), John Pocekay of Martinez, California (March 26), Larry Willems of Kenosha, Wisconsin (March 26), and Michael Shenesky of Zelienople, Pennsylvania (March 27), officially became members of the tournament’s 50-Year Club.
With their families, friends and fellow competitors looking on, the newest members of the tournament’s 50-Year Club each were presented with a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin to commemorate the milestone.
On the lanes this year, Willems, 79, set the pace for the milestone quartet with a 1,670 all-events total. He had sets of 586 in singles, 577 in team and 507 in doubles. In 50 appearances, he has knocked down 84,489 pins for a career average of 187.7.
Pocekay’s 2022 tournament campaign included sets of 570 in doubles, 554 in team and 527 in singles for a 1,651 total. The 70-year-old’s career pinfall total is 73,986, giving him an average of 172.4.
At the South Point Bowling Plaza this week, Shenesky, 75, had 567 in team, 537 in singles and 507 in doubles for a 1,611 all-events total, bringing his career pinfall to 85,460, a 189.9 average.
Mansfield, 74, only bowled in the team event and added 347 pins to his all-time total, which now sits at 73,986, a 172.4 average.
They are four of 31 bowlers scheduled to celebrate 50 years of participation this year. There also will one bowler making his 65th appearance and one competing for the 70th time.
LEADERBOARD CHANGES
Leaderboards continue to change early in 2022 Open Championships
The 2022 USBC Open Championships is only three weeks into its 129-day run at the South Point Bowling Plaza, and the leaderboards have been ever-changing.
New leaders emerged this week in Standard Team, Regular Doubles and Regular All-Events, while a handful of other close calls gave many excited bowlers the chance to see their names scrolling among the top 10 on the venue’s on-site leaderboard.
The 2022 Open Championships will continue through July 18, welcoming more than 47,000 bowlers on nearly 9,500 five-player teams, to Las Vegas and the Bowling Plaza.
Among the leaders in the Standard Team division is Waikem Auto Group from Paris, Ohio, with 2,876 and sitting sixth overall.
The nearby Bowlers Journal Championships, being held alongside the Open Championships for the 75th time, saw its first 800 series, as Matthew Zitnik of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, rolled games of 267, 278 and 277 for an 822 total. The effort moved him to the top of the Open Singles standings.
Zitnik also was entered in Open Doubles at the same time, bowling with DJ Assaff of North Olmsted, Ohio (703), and they missed tying for the lead by two pins.
A strike on Zitnik’s fill ball would’ve tied them with Matthew Anderson of Las Vegas and Ivan Miyasato of Clovis, California, who lead with 1,527. Brian Hall of Macedon, New York, previously held the lead in Open Singles with 791.
The 2022 Bowlers Journal Championships is being contested at the South Point Bowling Center, a short walk from the South Point Bowling Plaza.
A look ahead
Coming up April 5, we’ll see the next of the reigning 2021 champions, as Michael Hamilton of Davenport, Iowa, returns to South Point.
Hamilton won Standard All-Events last year with a 1,942 total and now will see if he can make a run in the Regular Division. He’ll bowl April 5 at 5 p.m. Eastern and April 6 at 1:30 p.m. EDT.
2022 USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
South Point Bowling Plaza
Las Vegas
(Division leaders with hometown and pinfall)
As of March 29, 2022
REGULAR DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 876 and above)
1, Supreme Deck (Robert Schepis, Michael Maynard, David Carroll, Charles Brown II, Jason Porter), Grand Haven, Mich., 3,372. 2, Holiday Bowl, Boonton, N.J., 3,305. 3, Vick Vick Boom 1, York, Pa., 3,294. 4, BowlTec, Rancho Cordova, Calif., 3,291. 5, #Whackliffe 1, Lakewood, Ohio, 3,257. 6, Whitewater Cheated 1, Appleton, Wis., 3,242. 7, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 1, St. Charles, Mo., 3,241. 8, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 3, St. Charles, Mo., 3,211. 9, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 2, St. Charles, Mo., 3,199. 10, RCE/Bowlers Lounge, St. Michael, Minn., 3,188.
Doubles
(Combined averages of 351 and above)
1, Chris Barnes, Denton, Texas/Billy Rogers, Denison, Texas, 1,479. 2, Andrew Carson, York, Pa./Scott Kinkaid, Elizabethtown, Pa., 1,433. 3, Eric Nelson, Minot, N.D./Daniel Kimmer, Monticello, Minn., 1,399. 4, Timothy Behrendt/Shea Bittenbender, St. Charles, Mo., 1,391. 5, Steve Studer/Justin Studer, Rupert, Idaho, 1,389. 6, David Mitchell, Waterville, Minn./Don Breeden, Urbandale, Iowa, 1,358. 7, David Gerhart, York, Pa./Daniel Vick, Pittsford, N.Y., 1,357. 8, Aaron O’Brien, Dupo, Ill./Michael Sapolis, St. Louis, 1,355. 9, David Carroll, Wyoming, Mich./Charles Brown II, Byron Center Mich., 1,351. 10, Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif./Alvin Lou, El Cajon, Calif., 1,350.
Singles
(Averages of 176 and above)
1, Sam Cantrell, Roseville, Calif., 777. 2, Ryan Schlotfeld, Lincoln, Neb., 772. 3, James Greg Buff, Manchester, Pa., 758. 4, David Carroll, Wyoming, Mich., 757. 5, Matthew Zitnik, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, 756. 6, Arnie Diaz, Missoula, Mont., 754. 7, Chris Barnes, Denton, Texas, 750. 8, Darrell Bucko, Howards Grove, Wis., 737. 9, Aaron Turner, Stoughton, Wis., 735. 10, Dave Shoji, Reno, Nev., 731.
All-Events
(Averages of 176 and above)
1, Chris Barnes, Denton, Texas, 2,197. 2, Sam Cantrell, Roseville, Calif., 2,159. 3, Robert Callan, Vacaville, Calif., 2,139. 4, Dennis Assaff, North Olmstead, Ohio., 2,107. 5, David Carroll, Wyoming, Mich., 2,080. 6, Charles Brown II, Byron Center, Mich., 2,068. 7, Daniel Vick, Pittsford, N.Y., 2,061. 8 (tie), Justin Studer, Rupert, Idaho, and Aaron O’Brien, Dupo, Ill., 2,057. 10, Ryan Barnes, Denton, Texas, 2,039.
Team All-Events
1, Supreme Deck (Robert Schepis, Michael Maynard, David Carroll, Charles Brown II, Jason Porter), Grand Haven, Mich., 9,917. 2, #Whackliffe 1, Lakewood, Ohio, 9,567. 3, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 1, St. Charles, Mo., 9,557. 4, BowlerMaxx 1, Hanover, Pa., 9,550. 5, Holiday Bowl, Boonton, N.J., 9,504. 6, Bowlers and Bodybuilders, Denton, Texas, 9,445. 7, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 2, St. Charles, Mo., 9,431. 8, RCE/Bowlers Lounge, St. Michael, Minn., 9,357. 9, Lynn’s Bowlers Bond, Santa Maria, Calif., 9,356. 10, Vick Vick Boom 1, York, Pa., 9,339.
STANDARD DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 776-875)
1, Whitewater Cheated 3 (Alberto Murillo, Joshua Sanders, Dylon Wilde, Jeffery Smith, Cody Marciniak), Appleton, Wis., 2,934. 2, Minnesota Select Sires 1, Fergus Falls, Minn., 2,927. 3, Luke All Stars, Phoenix, 2,898. 4, Lightning, Cheyenne, Wyo., 2,890. 5, Alyson’s Five, Scottsdale, Ariz., 2,878. 6, Waikem Auto Group, Paris, Ohio, 2,876. 7, Mark Kemper Team 2, Frazee, Minn., 2,853. 8, Ryan’s Pro Shop 4, Vestavia, Ala., 2,841. 9, Illinois Valley Superbowl 4, La Salle, Ill, 2,837. 10, JWI Entertainment 1, Hall, N.Y., 2,825.
Doubles
(Combined Averages of 311-350)
1, Michael Steppert, Weston, Wis./Dan Cherek, Wausau, Wis., 1,312. 2, Sheldon Short, Huber Heights, Ohio/Anthony Dann, Dayton, Ohio, 1,291. 3, Eric Davis, Fall Creek, Wis./Michael Holzhueter, Menomonie, Wis., 1,287. 4, Johnny Baker III, Erda, Utah/John Harris, Tooele, Utah, 1,251. 5, Jermaine Bautista/Danielle Jones, Santa Maria, Calif., 1,235. 6, David Lee, South Bound Brook, N.J./Mitchell Douglas, Somerset, N.J., 1,225. 7, Brock Green, Plymouth, Minn./David Green, St. Michael, Minn., 1,209. 8, Carl Krause, Fergus Falls, Minn./Andrew Kasten, Green Bay, Wis., 1,208. 9, Neal Miskell, Waldorf, Md./William Blaney III, Indian Head, Md., 1,206. 10, David Hinson, Plainfield, N.J./Dwight Berry, Smyrna, Del., 1,203.
Singles
(Averages of 156-175)
1, Daryl Stephens, Gilbert, Ariz., 705. 2, Walter Shaft, Freeland, Mich., 700. 3, Daniel Hudson, Comstock Park, Mich., 691. 4, Bill Robson, Easley, S.C., 684. 5, Robert Alvarado, Corona, Calif., 680. 6, Gregory Witt, Phoenix, 675. 7, Naveen Nair, Southern Pines, N.C., 667. 8 (tie), Curtis Dean-Rivera, Tucson, Ariz., and Douglas Collins, Delphi, Ind., 663. 10, Steve Bowling, Union, Ky., 662.
All-Events
(Averages of 156-175)
1, Gregory Witt, Phoenix, 1,982. 2, David Lee, South Bound Brook, N.J., 1,944. 3, Steve Bowling, Union, Ky., 1,910. 4, Michael Steppert, Weston, Wis., 1,895. 5, Eric Davis, Fall Creek, Wis., 1,856. 6, James Hallam, Streator, Ill., 1,855. 7, Michael Langlie, North Mankato, Minn., 1,850. 8, Jerry Childers, Springville, Ala., 1,845. 9, Dan Cherek, Wausau, Wis., 1,837. 10, Naveen Nair, Southern Pines, N.C., 1,836.
CLASSIFIED DIVISION
Team
(Combined averages of 775 and below)
1, Alamo City PINs (Miguel Villarreal, Frances Villarreal, Ruben Rodriguez, Luis Ramirez, Robert Rosas), Helotes, Texas, 2,788. 2, Witt’s Classified Family Affair, Phoenix, 2,681. 3, Halos, Bloomington, Ill., 2,662. 4, FPA League City, Texas, 2,584. 5, Go Ugly Early, Casa Grande, Ariz., 2,563. 6, Pahrump Nugget Bowl 3, Pahrump, Nev., 2,557. 7, Dancing Chickens, Salado, Texas, 2,556. 8, Paul Vormittag Team 1, 2,546. 9(tie), Town and Country, Wishek, N.D., and Montevideo 4, Montevideo, Minn., 2,531.
Doubles
(Combined averages of 310 and below)
1, Kurtis Weber, Carrollton, Ill./James Weder, Winchester, Ill., 1,113. 2, Shiong Chu, San Gabriel, Calif./Todd Van, Temple City, Calif., 1,107. 3, Theain Lim/David Lim, Las Vegas, 1,100. 4, Larry Flannigan/Nicole Flannigan, Kaneohe, Hawaii, 1,093. 5, Jeremy Wininger/Jacob Wininger, Georgetown, Texas, 1,091. 6, Edward Baiz Jr./David Baiz, Granger, Iowa, 1,082. 7, Cord Smith/Ashlee Rockwell, Boone, Iowa, 1,080. 8, Stanley Aldis, Longwood, Fla./Paul Vormittag, Crystal Lake, Ill., 1,079. 9, Tim Anderson/Tonya Anderson, Fort Morgan, Colo., 1,071. 10, Scott Muzzy, Douglass, Kan./John Ryan, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 1,070.
Singles
(Averages of 155 and below)
1, Ron Hilliard, Lancaster, Calif., 665. 2, Hunter Reber, Cedar City, Utah, 657. 3, Edwin Humbert, Strasburg, Colo., 644. 4, Dean Crick, Waddell, Ariz., 636. 5, Billy Duvall, Bloomington, Ind., 633. 6, David Granados, El Centro, Calif., 632. 7, Chad Clapp, Casa Grande, Ariz., 630. 8, Travis Spier, Sioux Falls, S.D., 629. 9, Carl Schwabe, Waynetown, Ind., 628. 10(tie), Brent Hussung, Elkhart, Ind., and James Ramsey, Ponca City, Okla., 627.
All Events
(Averages of 155 and below)
1, Ronald Hilliard, Lancaster, Calif., 1,824. 2, Carl Schwabe, Waynetown, Ind., 1,730. 3, Zachary Watson, Thornton, Colo., 1,728. 4(tie), Jose Ruiz, Brighton, Colo., and Drew Manor, Winona, Minn., 1,723. 6. Edmund Manning, Pahrump, Nev., 1,718. 7, Brock Green, Plymouth, Minn., 1,707. 8, Billy Duvall, Bloomington, Ind., 1,703. 9, Alan Haugen, St. Paul Park, Minn., 1,695. 10, Kristen Waldron, Tucson, Ariz., 1,688.