From wire reports
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Parma Padua High School sophomore Zachary Mayne has returned to the top of the leaderboard in the U15 boys division with four qualifying games remaining in the 205 Junior Golf Championships.
Mayne, a two-handed left-hander, jumped to the lead during Day 3, shooting games of 186, 267, 231 and 241 for a 925 block total and is at 2,727 overall. He also left after Round 1 when he had a 300 during his four games.
Dalton Wheeler of Harrisburg, Ill., and Lucas Drisdel of Chicago are second and third overall with 2,660 and 2,650, respectively.
Kristofer Wagner of Deland, Fla. (2,608), and Tyler Anderson of Odenton, Md. (2,578), round out the top five, with Wagner rising to fourth after a 908 block.
The top 92 players after 16 qualifying games will move on to the Advancers Round on Friday in the division, with the cut spot at 2,269. Ohioans still in the cut along with Mayne include: Columbus’ Christopher Hoyte (22nd, 2,454), Sunbury’s Mason Woodward (23rd, 2,453), Beavercreek’s Isaiah Durflinger (25th, 2,448) and Coldwater’s Braylon Brown (58th, 2,358),
Only one round of qualifying remains for the over 3,100 youth bowlers hoping to make a run into their respective cuts.
Here are the remainder of the division standings:
U18 BOYS
Dawson Unrath of Bismarck, N.D., and Kaeden White of Lees Summit, Mo., are tied for the overall lead with 2,767 with Ryan Graham of Troutman, N.C., not far behind at 2,753 after a 980 block total that included a 300 game.
Nicolas Trentler of Phoenix, Md. (2,745), and Maxwell Benware of Keeseville, Ky. (2,711), round out the top five.
A total of 192 players out of the 1,340 in this division will reach the Advancers Round, with 2,389 being the current cut spot.
Ohioans still in the cut include: Ashland’s Max Oeken (15th, 2,637); Reynoldsburg’s Quinn Dean (25th, 2,596); Kettering’s Brenden Staton (37th, 2,554); Columbus’ Elliott Gordon (43rd, 2,542); Lake High School graduate Zachary Abbott, who moved into the cut for the first time (51st, 2,532, after a 955 series Wednesday); Cleveland’s Zachary Smeal (71st, 2,504); Cleveland’s Nathan Smeal (109th, 2,457); Amherst’s Brady Smith (112th, 2,454); Painesville’s Eddie Krofcheck (155th, 2,419); Coldwater’s Andrew Myers (158th, 2,418); Dayton’s Joseph Hoelscher (167th, 2,408); Marion’s Nolan Ludwig (177, 2,399); and Amherst’s Garrett Smith (188th, 2,390).
U18 GIRLS
Ashlin Teves of Machesney Park, Ill., recovered from a slow start and ended her block on fire with 290 and 226 for a block total of 886, sitting at 2,551 overall and in the lead with four games to go.
Bellebontaine’s Kyndallynn Hood had a block total of 896 and is at 2,520 for second heading into Thursday’s final qualifying round, while Junior Team USA members Kaitlyn Stull of Raleigh, N.C. (2,486), and Gianna Brandolino of Joliet, Ill. (2,471), are third and fourth, respectively. Haley Swindle of Newnan, Georgia (2,459), rounds out the top five.
The last spots into the first Advancer Round belong to three girls, all tied for 96th at 2,135. Other Ohioans still inside the cut include Bay Village’s Dorothy Sayles (17th, 2,304); Painesville’s Mackenzie Pilny (34th, 2,240); Whitehall’s Taylor Stace (38th, 2,221); Troy’s Baylie Massingill (47th, 2,196); and Lebanon’s Caitlyn Kober (87th, 2,127).
U15 GIRLS
Anna Antony of Farmington, Conn., maintained her lead for Day 3 with an overall total of 2,356, while Autumn Strode of Munster, Ind., climbed from seventh to second with a block total of 823 and is at 2,313 overall.
Kylie Oppedisano of Trumbull, Conn.(2,259), Jayna Larson of Three Rivers, Mich. (2,251), and Laelah Tiquia of Auburn, Wash. (2,235), hold positions third through fifth, respectively.
The final spot for the first Advancer Round is at 2,039, with 43 girls advancing in the division. The lone Ohioan in the cut is Columbus’s Lydia Gordon (seventh, 2,216);
U12 BOYS
Nehemiah Keefer of Bellwood, Ill., holds the overall lead heading into the final round of qualifying with 2,526 after a third-round block of 905 while Brennan Brandel of Saginaw, Mich., jumped to second (2,402) after shooting 844.
Columbus’ Aaron Cabiness (2,353), the second-round leader, Gleason Garske of Spokane, Wash. (2,347), and Noah Ausderau of Virginia Beach, Va. (2,315), round out the top five.
The final cut spot is at 2,052, with 33 players advancing. Cabiness is the lone Ohioan within the cut.
Brandel has improved each day so far and is in his fourth consecutive year of bowling Junior Gold, with a high finish of fifth in 2023. The Michigan bowler got his start early into the sport and has been hooked since.
“My dad is a really good bowler and he used to bowl a lot of tournaments,” said Brandel. “He is the one who has been coaching me too.”
Brandal used to bowl two-handed with his thumb in the ball before making the change to no thumb prior to the 2024 edition of the event.
“Last year I got 16th, I wasn’t throwing it the best (because of the change),” Brandel said, who has high expectations for his final year in the U12 division. “I hope I can make the top three and give myself a chance to win.”
U12 GIRLS
Stevie Newton of Honolulu, Hawaii, maintained her lead after a 785 qualifying block, putting her at 2,188 overall, with Taylor Morgan of Murfreesboro, Tenn., now in second at 2,069.
Isabella Jones of Edinburgh, Ind. (2,061), Katelyn Belcher of Graham, N.C. (2,040), and Irene Heward of Honolulu, Hawaii (2,038), round out the top five heading into the final round of qualifying.
The final cut spot is at 1,931, with 16 players advancing. No Ohioans are within the cut after three rounds.
MORE PERFECTION
In total, seven 300s have been thrown this week as Graham and Braden Mauro of Birmingham, Ala., added their names to the list from U18, while Eason Taylor of Chicago had one during the final U15 squad of the day.
“It was amazing,” said Graham, marking his third time in his career he’s achieved perfection. “The nerves do get to you just because everyone is watching and it gets so quiet, but you battle through it and show up since all eyes are on you.”
As for Mauro, this was his first sanctioned 300 game and he expressed similar sentiments when it came to the pressure.
“Definitely nerve wracking,” Mauro said. “I don’t even remember much (from the last ball), I just remember looking at the pins and thinking to myself to just strike.”
The strikes will undoubtably continue during the final day of qualifying as those jockeying for the cut line will be focused on trying to continue bowling into the Advancer Rounds.
For complete Junior Gold results, go to: https://bowl.com/youth/youth-tournaments/junior-gold-championships/2025-results