USBC Communications
DETROIT – Qualifying now is complete at the 2024 Junior Gold Championships in Detroit and the advancer rounds started Friday morning, as the nation’s top youth bowlers continue their hunt for a national championship.
The event started with 3,114 total players over the six divisions — three each for boys and girls.
U12 advancers will bowl another 4-game block before the top eight head into match play based on 20-game totals, while U15 and U18 advancers will bowl a 5-game block.
A second cut is made after 21 games for U15 and U18 for a 5-game final advancers round before the top 16 advance to match play based on 26-game totals.
The players are competing for $500,000 in scholarship funding and spots for 2025 on Junior Team USA and Junior Team USA’s Developmental Team.
U18 BOYS
Leading the U18 Boys division was Keaton Ostrowski of Rochester, N.Y., finishing qualifying with an overall total of 3,673, averaging over 229 for 16 games. Nicolas Trentler of Phoenix, Md., qualified second at 3,607 and Riley Speer of Beech Grove, Ind., was third with 3,586. Chance Mclane of Chesapeake Beach, Md., and Dylan Jablonski of Canton, Mich.n, round out the top five with 3,564 and 3,494, respectively.
Derrick Lewandowski of Muscatine, Iowa, and Evan Magsino of Cerritos, California, tied for the final spot into the Advancers Round with 3,091, meaning 192 competitors will continue their journey for a national championship Friday.
Among Ohioans remaining in the competition are North Royalton’s Dominic Catanese (seventh, 3,481); Sunbury’s Aidan Furukawa (32nd, 3,339); Kettering’s Isaiah Shannon (54th, 3,271); Massillon’s Cameron Kilgore (59th, 3,257); Kettering’s Brenden Staton (68th, 3,243); Ashland’s Landon Dreibelbis (104th, 3,191) after a big comeback following Day 1 struggles; Parma’s Brendan Tahsler (106th, 3,188); Dayton’s Carson Shroyer (124th, 3,167); Ashland’s Max Oaken (169th, 3,111); and Franklin’s Curtis Sneezy (176th, 3,104). Conotton Valley’s Bobby Brennan, of Colliers, W.Va., also made the cut (37th, 3,330).
Strongsville’s Jacob Moravcik (193, 3,089) and Uniontown’s Zachary Abbott (195th, 3,086) missed the cut by two and five pins respectively after 16 qualifying games over four days.
U18 GIRLS
Kaitlyn Stull of Raleigh, N.C., held steady in Thursday’s block and goes into the next round as the U18 Girls leader with an overall total of 3,542. Melia Mitskavich of Du Bois, Pa., is second with 3,393 and Karina Capron of Fremont, Neb., is third at 3,389. Erin Klemencic of Powder Springs, Ga., and Sydney Bohn of Jackson, N.J., wrap up the top five with 3,373 and 3,305, respectively.
Kendalyn Wilson of Leslie, Michigan, took the final spot into the Advancers Round in 78th and an overall total of 2,946.
Ohioans making the cut include Sandusky’s Olivia Lizzi (38th, 3,059), Wooster’s Emma Yoder (49th, 3,014) and Gahanna’s Lacey Holden (74th, 2,951).
Painesville’s Jillian Justinger shot just 697 over her final four games and fell to 82nd (2,928), missing the cut by 18 pins.
STANDINGS
U15 BOYS
Columbus’ Gordon brothers continued their onslaught on the U15 boys division.
Brothers Elliott and Miles Gordon ended qualifying in first and second with overall totals of 3,801 and 3,656, respectively. Miles had an outstanding final block, shooting games of 269, 235, 259 and 279 for a four-game total of 1,042 to jump to second.
That came after Elliott exploded during the third round when he fired games of 278, 258, 228 and 280 for a block total of 1,044.
Overall, the brothers stand second and third, respectively, in the entire field.
Mel Sim of Queens Village, N.Y. (3,619), Ryan Campbell of Clinton, S.C. (3,586) and Jackson Alexander Veitch of Edinburg, Va. (3,568), close out the top five.
Miamisburg’s Andrew Parker was the final competitor to advance with an overall total of 3,148 as 88 U15 Boys will continue their quest for the title.
Ohioans making the cut along with the Gordons include Beavercreek’s Isaiah Durflinger (25th, 3,384); Parma’s Zachary Mayne (26th, 3,379); Cuyahoga Falls’ Jonathan Rauch (41st, 3,300); Coldwater’s Andrew Myers (53rd, 3,256); Painesville’s Eddie Krofcheck (67th, 3,201); Cleveland’s Teague Green (75th, 3,186); and Parker.
Akron’s Wade Allen finished 104th (3,101), missing the cut by 47 pins.
STANDINGS
U15 GIRLS
Bella Castillo of Odessa, Texas, was the U15 Girls qualifying leader with an overall total of 3,326, good for over a 207 average for the week.
Lindsay Greim of Poway, Calif., is second with 3,312 while Larielle Tharps of Orlando, Fla., settled into third at 3,249. Troy’s Baylie Massingill and Savannah Portillo of Bellevue, Mich., round out the top five with 3,233 and 3,149, respectively.
Tharps, last year’s U15 Girls champion, had a great final block to jump into the top five with a 949 block total after heading into the final round of qualifying outside the top 10.
“I knew I needed something good because I was 100 under and I came in here and bowled good, I’m happy where I’m at,” said Tharps, who is a part of the Junior Team USA Development Team and finished up their camp in June
“I took what I learned at camp, like getting around the ball so that when transition comes, I have a better line and that helped me today.”
U15 Girls saw 43 competitors advance and the final person in for the Advancers Round is Michelle Wilson of Des Moines, Iowa, with an overall total of 2,797.
The only other Ohioan to make the cut was Hinckley’s Gracie Dunne (25th, 2,895).
STANDINGS
U12 BOYS
Nehemiah Keefer of Bellwood, Ill., leads the U12 Boys division with 3,240 overall and was the only one in the division to average over 200, using a final four-game block of 885 to take the lead.
Vincent Cintron of Jacksonville, Fla., is second with 3,192 and Eli Franco of Fishers, Ind., sits in third at 3,157. Thomas Ault of Brooklyn Park, Minn., and Noah Ausderau of Virginia Beach, Va., round out the top five with 3,149 and 3,036, respectively.
Cameron Plyler of Meadville, Pa., was the last bowler in to advance to the next round with an overall total of 2,739 with only 30 U12 Boys remaining in the running for the title.
Ohioans making the cut include Columbus’ Aaron Cabiness (14th, 2,857) and Columbus’ Asa Wilson-Perry (16th, 2,852)
STANDINGS
U12 GIRLS
Alyssa Randisi out of Brooklyn, N.Y., started the week leading qualifying from Round 1 and never relinquished the spot, ending at 3,077 overall, over 200 pins ahead of second place Olivia Titus of St. Charles, Mo., who had a total of 2,890.
Bryonna Camp of Brick, N.J. (2,870), Lea Besevic of Machesney Park, Ill. (2,857) and Isabella Jones of Edinburgh, Ind. (2,803) close out the rest of the top five.
The cut number belonged to Araceli Hunt of Tucson, Ariz., ending qualifying as the 17th and final person into the Final Advancers Round with an overall total of 2,587.
East Canton’s Emmalee Ford, one of only two Ohioans in the division, finished 78th (2,176).
STANDINGS
QUALIFYING SEES SIX PERFECT GAMES THROWN
Six 300s were thrown in qualifying this week by the following bowlers:
* Mithrandir Loutan, Rosedale, N.Y., Round 1 (U15)
* Adam Dubois, Holt, Mich., Round 2 (U15)
* Mateo Ruiz of Boynton Beach, Fla., Round 2 (U15)
* Dylan Jablonski, Canton, Mich., Round 3 (U18)
* Christian Ortega, Casa Grande, Ariz., Round 3 (U15)
* Kristofer Wagner, Deland, Fla., Round 3 (U15)
All U15 and U18 advancers began bowling at 7:30 p.m., with the U15 Boys at Thunderbowl Lanes, U15 Girls at Skore Lanes, U18 Boys at Super Bowl and U18 Girls at Oak Lanes. The U12 division will start at 8:30 p.m. at Merri-Bowl Lanes for both boys and girls.
BowlTV will continue providing live stream coverage leading up the stepladder finals.