2023 Junior Gold Notebook - Round 5
July 22, 2023
FULL STANDINGS
INDIANAPOLIS – Friday was a busy day at the 2023 Junior Gold Championships as advancers rounds and match play resulted in three boys and three girls finalists being determined in the 12-and-under division and helped cut the U18 and U15 fields down to just 12 bowlers each for both boys and girls.
Here is a division-by-division look at Friday’s action and an overview of where things stand heading into Saturday’s final day of competition:
McCowan, Juhasz and Jones advance to U12 girls stepladder finals
From left to right: Top seed Alexandra McCowan, No. 2 seed Jayne Juhasz and No. 3 seed Isabella Jones
U12 GIRLS BRACKET
U12 GIRLS ADVANCERS ROUND
Alexandra McCowan of Anaheim, California; Jayne Juhasz of Ormond Beach, Florida; and Isabella Jones of Edinburgh, Indiana, all kept their national title hopes alive by qualifying for the U12 girls stepladder finals, which will be contested at Royal Pin Western on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Eastern.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Eastern.
Juhasz will enter the stepladder as the No. 2 seed and take on No. 3 Jones in the semifinals. The winner will advance to the title match to face top seeded McCowan.
Defeating McCowan will be no easy task regardless of whether it’s Juhasz or Jones who earns the right to try.
That’s because McCowan has been dominant throughout this year’s U12 girls competition, leading after all four rounds of qualifying and Friday morning’s advancers round before going 3-0 during her set of two-game, total-pinfall matches to earn the top seed for Saturday’s stepladder.
McCowan began her run to the title match by taking down No. 8 seed Lydia Gordon of Columbus, Ohio, by a score of 340-302.
Next, McCowan dispatched No. 4 Alivia Portillo of Bellevue, Michigan, 348-336. That victory was particularly important as it guaranteed McCowan a place in Saturday morning’s stepladder finals.
The only question left at that point was whether McCowan would be making that appearance as the No. 1 seed or No. 2.
Not content to suddenly accept the backseat after riding up front all tournament long, McCowan battled her way to a hard-fought victory over Juhasz (374-361) to officially secure the top spot.
Earning the No. 1 seed for the stepladder wasn’t on McCowan’s goal sheet to start the week.
After all, this year marked just her second Junior Gold national finals appearance.
Nevertheless, she’s pleased with the accomplishment, and she hopes that it helps propel her to the winner’s circle on Saturday.
“It felt good to win the top seed because the match was really close and came down to the last frame,” McCowan said. “It would be cool to win tomorrow because I haven’t really won a big tournament before. As long as I’m confident and stay focused, I should be fine.”
Juhasz earned her place in Friday afternoon’s top-seed battle by defeating No. 7 seed Karissa Kamada of Mililani, Hawaii (327-271), in the opening round of match play and then toppling No. 6 Sofia Trujillo of Cocoa, Florida (360-261), during Round 2.
Despite falling to McCowan one round later during the battle for the No. 1 spot, Juhasz still finds herself in the stepladder finals and in contention for the 2023 U12 girls national title.
When asked what it would take to win that title, Juhasz responded like a seasoned veteran.
“Winning would be amazing and a huge success for me, but I just need to do my best, stay confident and take it one frame at a time,” Juhasz said.
Juhasz is wise not to look too far ahead. After all, if she hopes to earn a rematch with McCowan, first, she’ll have to get past Jones.
Jones proved her grit on Friday by rebounding from an opening-round loss to Portillo (340-311) to survive three consecutive must-win matches and earn the No. 3 seed for the stepladder.
Jones’ first win was a 337-305 decision over Gordon. Next, Jones enacted some revenge in the form of a 285-261 victory that sent Portillo home and pushed Jones through to the elimination bracket final.
There, Jones rode a strong start to an eventual 344-242 win over Trujillo that punched her ticket to the stepladder finals.
Qualifying for the Junior Gold TV finals is a noteworthy accomplishment for any bowler, but Jones’ ability to get there is even more impressive since this is her first time competing at Junior Gold.
“My goal was just to make the first cut and maybe win a match or two if I got to match play,” Jones said. “I’m really just shocked that I’ve gotten this far. It would be a dream come true to win a tournament like this, but I just need to block everything out and not think about anything.”
2022 runner-up Campbell earns U12 boys top seed; Wagner and Gordon aim to play spoiler
From left to right: Top seed Ryan Campbell, No. 2 Kristofer Wagner and No. 3 Miles Gordon.
U12 BOYS BRACKET
U12 BOYS ADVANCERS ROUND
Last year, Ryan Campbell of Clinton, South Carolina, had a Junior Gold experience that most competitors can only dream of.
He qualified fifth, earned the No. 2 seed for the stepladder finals and found himself in the winner-take-all championship match with a chance to win.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go Campbell’s way, so he was forced to put on a brave face and try to mask his own disappointment as Isaiah Durflinger of Beavercreek, Ohio, hoisted the championship trophy and celebrated winning the U12 boys national championship.
Many athletes never get the chance to avenge such a disappointing near miss.
Campbell is different, however, and he put himself in position to do just that by going 3-0 during match play on Friday to earn the No. 1 seed for Saturday morning’s U12 boys stepladder finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Eastern.
Joining Campbell will be No. 2 seed Kristofer Wagner of Deland, Florida, and No. 3 seed Miles Gordon of Columbus, Ohio.
Wagner and Gordon will square off in Match 1 with the winner moving on to face Campbell for the title.
After qualifying fifth for match play, Campbell began his run to the top spot by defeating No. 4 seed Noah Wood of Mount Morris, Michigan, 387-321 in Round 1.
Campbell’s second-round opponent was No. 1 seed Tatum Lee of Minot, North Dakota, whose name was at or near the top of the U12 boys standings throughout the four rounds of qualifying and Friday morning’s advancers round.
Nevertheless, none of that intimidated Campbell, who stayed dialed in and battled his way to a 383-335 victory that secured his spot in the TV finals while sending Lee to the elimination bracket.
Having already seen firsthand how valuable the No. 1 seed for the stepladder can be, Campbell was not about to let that advantage go to Round 3 opponent Wagner.
That’s why Campbell saved his best for last.
After jumping out to a small lead over Wagner at the end of Game 1, Campbell left no doubt during Game 2, striking 11 times for a score of 279, which allowed him to breeze to the match victory (482-372) and collect the all-important No. 1 seed.
Now, Campbell hopes to draw upon the experience gained during last year’s TV finals appearance to help him get over the hump and into the winner’s circle this year.
“Since I’ve already had this experience, I don’t feel as nervous this time as I did last time, which should give me a better chance to stay focused and do what I have to do,” Campbell said.
“My first goal was to make the advancers round, and I did that. Next, I wanted to make match play, and I did that. From there, I wanted to make the show, and I did that. Now, the goal is to win.”
That’s hardly just Campbell’s goal, however; Wagner and Gordon are trying to do the very same thing.
Wagner earned his spot in the stepladder by going 2-1 on Friday, topping No. 6 seed Eason Taylor of Chicago (316-302), and No. 7 Brennan Brandel of Saginaw, Michigan (344-315), before falling to Campbell in the bid for the top seed.
One might have expected Wagner to express disappointment at having missed out on the No. 1 seed. That wasn’t the case, however; instead, he was still trying to come to grips with having made it to the show in the first place.
“I was pretty fortunate during my first match; I probably shouldn’t have won,” Wagner said. “So, by the time I got to the third match, I didn’t feel any pressure because I already knew I made it. From there, whatever happened, happened. It’s just so cool to know that I’m going to be on TV. There’s really no words for it.”
Gordon is also looking forward to the show, especially since he fell just one victory short of advancing to the U12 stepladder finals last year in Grand Rapids.
Nevertheless, that didn’t mean that Gordon’s path to the finals was smooth and easy; in fact, he had to endure a tougher road than either Campbell or Wagner.
That’s because Gordon began match play with a 379-324 loss to Brandel.
At that point, Gordon’s back was against the wall as one more loss would end any hopes he had of competing for this year’s U12 boys title.
Rather than thinking that far ahead, however, Gordon just stayed focused on the task at hand, which was winning his next match.
He did just that, eliminating Taylor by a final score of 417-319.
Next, he was able to turn the tables on Brandel, taking down the No. 7 seed, 379-353, to advance to the elimination bracket finals.
There, he would have to contend with Lee, who moved himself into the bout by dispatching Wood (418-351).
It was somehow fitting that the final spot in the stepladder would go to either the No. 1 (Lee) or No. 2 (Gordon) seed for match play, and the battle between the duo certainly lived up to the hype.
Nevertheless, in the end, only one could win, and it was Gordon by a final score of 372-369.
Gordon entered this year’s tournament with the simple goal of trying to do better than he did last year. Now that he’s accomplished that, he hopes to make the most of his opportunities on the show.
“To win, I’ll have to win three games, so I just have to take it game by game and try to make the best shots that I can,” Gordon said. “My friend Isaiah (Durflinger) won last year, so it would be neat if I could win and bring the title back home to Ohio again.”
Brandolino, Abigania, Capron and Klemencic remain undefeated in U18 girls bracket
U18 GIRLS BRACKET
U18 GIRLS FINAL ADVANCERS ROUND
U18 GIRLS ADVANCERS ROUND
With two rounds of match play completed, four bowlers remain undefeated in U18 girls action. Those bowlers are Gianna Brandolino of Joliet, Illinois; Katelyn Abigania of San Diego; Karina Capron of Fremont, Nebraska; and defending champion Erin Klemencic of Powder Springs, Georgia.
Each of those four is just one win away from guaranteeing herself a spot in the U18 girls finals.
Round 3 gets underway Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. Eastern at Strike Force Lanes with Brandolino taking on Abigania and Capron battling Klemencic.
The two winners will then square off at 8:30 a.m. Eastern to determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds for the stepladder finals, which will be held Saturday evening at 6 p.m. Eastern at Royal Pin Western.
The other two bowlers will be placed into the semifinal round of the elimination bracket, where they will await opponents from the cast of eight bowlers already with one loss.
Those bowlers include Haley Lindley of Greenwood, South Carolina; Brooke Salzman of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota; Kaitlyn Stull of Raleigh, North Carolina; Ashtyn Woods of Santa Rosa, California; Abigail Starkey of Schaumburg, Illinois; Amanda Granata of Florham Park, New Jersey; Lauren Hunter of Smithton, Illinois; and Avery Domaguin of San Diego.
The second round of elimination-bracket action gets underway at 7:30 a.m. Eastern with rounds continuing at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Eastern. The bowler who wins the elimination bracket final will earn the No. 3 seed for the U18 girls finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Robertson, Andrus, Davis and Furukawa yet to lose in U18 boys match play
U18 BOYS BRACKET
U18 BOYS FINAL ADVANCERS ROUND
U18 BOYS ADVANCERS ROUND
As U18 boys competition enters its final day, four bowlers sit just one win away from securing spots in the stepladder finals. The four players in that enviable position are Daniel Robertson of Jackson, New Jersey; Garrett Andrus of Austin, Texas; Harrison Davis of Fall City, Washington; and Aidan Furukawa of Sunbury, Ohio.
Match play Round 3 for U18 boys begins Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. Eastern at Royal Pin Western.
Winner’s-bracket action will feature Robertson against Andrus and Davis versus Furukawa.
The two winners will face one another at 8:30 a.m. Eastern with the No. 1 seed for the stepladder finals on the line. The U18 boys finals will take place Saturday evening at Royal Pin Western immediately following the U18 girls stepladder.
The two bowlers who are defeated during Round 3 winner’s-bracket action will automatically move into the semifinal round of the elimination bracket, where they will await one of the eight bowlers already in the elimination bracket.
Bowlers currently with one loss in U18 boys match-play competition include Braden Mallasch of Waupaca, Wisconsin; Traeten Henrichsmeyer of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Josh Hammons of Topeka, Kansas; Elias O’Hollaren of San Diego; Trevor Anifer of Lemont, Illinois; Christian Liquori of Merritt Island, Florida; Evan White of Missouri Valley, Iowa; and Andrew Robitaille of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Round 2 of elimination-bracket play starts at 7:30 a.m. Eastern with rounds continuing at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Eastern. One bowler will advance out of the elimination bracket and be seeded third for the U18 boys finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Jones, Tharps, Hull and Antony still unbeaten in U15 girls match play
U15 GIRLS BRACKET
U15 GIRLS FINAL ADVANCERS ROUND
U15 GIRLS ADVANCERS ROUND
With four rounds of match play still to come in U15 girls action, four bowlers still find themselves among the ranks of the undefeated. Those four bowlers are Macy Jones of Shobonier, Illinois; Larielle Tharps of Orlando, Florida; Nevaeh Hull of Meridian, Idaho; and Anna Antony of Farmington, Connecticut.
Round 3 of match play is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Saturday morning at Royal Pin Western.
Jones will take on Tharps in one winner’s bracket match while the other will feature Hull against Antony.
The two winners will square off during Round 4 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern to determine the top seed for the stepladder finals, which will be contested at Royal Pin Western Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Eastern.
The two bowlers who fall in Round 3 of the winner’s bracket will be moved to the semifinal round of the elimination bracket. There, they will await one of eight bowlers already battling their way through the elimination bracket.
The eight U15 girls bowlers currently in the elimination bracket are as follows: Clara Campbell of McKinney, Texas; Tori Franklin of Frisco, Texas; Carly Wireman of Yorktown, Virginia; Elena Weinstok of Costa Rica; Arden Han-Wei of Bellevue, Washington; Malayna Calo of Riverview, Florida; Amelia Droste of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; and Carly Rhodes of Largo, Florida.
Second-round matches in the elimination bracket are scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. Eastern. Additional rounds will follow at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Eastern until one bowler survives and advances out of the elimination bracket. That bowler will be named the No. 3 seed for the U15 girls finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. Eastern.
McDonough, Quintero, Reynoso and Dreibelbis still vying for U15 boys No. 1 seed
U15 BOYS BRACKET
U15 BOYS FINAL ADVANCERS ROUND
U15 BOYS ADVANCERS ROUND
Four bowlers enter Saturday in hot pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the U15 boys stepladder finals. The four individuals still chasing that coveted spot are Braden McDonough of Coppell, Texas; Matteo Quintero of Smyrna, Tennessee; Ernesto Reynoso of Folsom, California; and Landon Dreibelbis of Ashland, Ohio.
The quartet will get back on the lanes and resume battle during Round 3 match-play action at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Saturday morning at Championship Lanes.
Matchups in the winner’s bracket are as follows: McDonough will face Quintero, and Reynoso will battle Dreibelbis.
Coming away with a Round 3 victory is of particular importance because the two bowlers who win are guaranteed spots in the stepladder finals, which will take place Saturday afternoon at Royal Pin Western immediately following the U15 girls finals.
Meanwhile, the two bowlers who come up short during winner’s bracket Round 3 will be relegated to the elimination bracket. Each will find himself placed into the semifinal round where he will await one of eight bowlers currently attempting to make it out of the elimination bracket.
These bowlers are still alive in the U15 boys elimination bracket as play resumes Saturday morning: Sean Jenkins of Richmond, Virginia; Brandon Rother of San Diego; Ryan Burgess of Houston; Adam Wakelee of Farmington, New York; Max Oeken of Ashland, Ohio; Emmanuel Guevara of Largo, Florida; Anthony Swanson of Des Plaines, Illinois; and Dylan Harnden of Shelby Township, Michigan.
Round 2 of the elimination bracket will begin at 7:30 a.m. Eastern, and additional rounds will follow at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Eastern. At the conclusion of elimination-bracket play, one bowler will remain and be awarded the No. 3 seed for the U15 boys stepladder finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. Eastern.
INDIANAPOLIS – Friday was a busy day at the 2023 Junior Gold Championships as advancers rounds and match play resulted in three boys and three girls finalists being determined in the 12-and-under division and helped cut the U18 and U15 fields down to just 12 bowlers each for both boys and girls.
Here is a division-by-division look at Friday’s action and an overview of where things stand heading into Saturday’s final day of competition:
McCowan, Juhasz and Jones advance to U12 girls stepladder finals
From left to right: Top seed Alexandra McCowan, No. 2 seed Jayne Juhasz and No. 3 seed Isabella Jones
U12 GIRLS BRACKET
U12 GIRLS ADVANCERS ROUND
Alexandra McCowan of Anaheim, California; Jayne Juhasz of Ormond Beach, Florida; and Isabella Jones of Edinburgh, Indiana, all kept their national title hopes alive by qualifying for the U12 girls stepladder finals, which will be contested at Royal Pin Western on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Eastern.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Eastern.
Juhasz will enter the stepladder as the No. 2 seed and take on No. 3 Jones in the semifinals. The winner will advance to the title match to face top seeded McCowan.
Defeating McCowan will be no easy task regardless of whether it’s Juhasz or Jones who earns the right to try.
That’s because McCowan has been dominant throughout this year’s U12 girls competition, leading after all four rounds of qualifying and Friday morning’s advancers round before going 3-0 during her set of two-game, total-pinfall matches to earn the top seed for Saturday’s stepladder.
McCowan began her run to the title match by taking down No. 8 seed Lydia Gordon of Columbus, Ohio, by a score of 340-302.
Next, McCowan dispatched No. 4 Alivia Portillo of Bellevue, Michigan, 348-336. That victory was particularly important as it guaranteed McCowan a place in Saturday morning’s stepladder finals.
The only question left at that point was whether McCowan would be making that appearance as the No. 1 seed or No. 2.
Not content to suddenly accept the backseat after riding up front all tournament long, McCowan battled her way to a hard-fought victory over Juhasz (374-361) to officially secure the top spot.
Earning the No. 1 seed for the stepladder wasn’t on McCowan’s goal sheet to start the week.
After all, this year marked just her second Junior Gold national finals appearance.
Nevertheless, she’s pleased with the accomplishment, and she hopes that it helps propel her to the winner’s circle on Saturday.
“It felt good to win the top seed because the match was really close and came down to the last frame,” McCowan said. “It would be cool to win tomorrow because I haven’t really won a big tournament before. As long as I’m confident and stay focused, I should be fine.”
Juhasz earned her place in Friday afternoon’s top-seed battle by defeating No. 7 seed Karissa Kamada of Mililani, Hawaii (327-271), in the opening round of match play and then toppling No. 6 Sofia Trujillo of Cocoa, Florida (360-261), during Round 2.
Despite falling to McCowan one round later during the battle for the No. 1 spot, Juhasz still finds herself in the stepladder finals and in contention for the 2023 U12 girls national title.
When asked what it would take to win that title, Juhasz responded like a seasoned veteran.
“Winning would be amazing and a huge success for me, but I just need to do my best, stay confident and take it one frame at a time,” Juhasz said.
Juhasz is wise not to look too far ahead. After all, if she hopes to earn a rematch with McCowan, first, she’ll have to get past Jones.
Jones proved her grit on Friday by rebounding from an opening-round loss to Portillo (340-311) to survive three consecutive must-win matches and earn the No. 3 seed for the stepladder.
Jones’ first win was a 337-305 decision over Gordon. Next, Jones enacted some revenge in the form of a 285-261 victory that sent Portillo home and pushed Jones through to the elimination bracket final.
There, Jones rode a strong start to an eventual 344-242 win over Trujillo that punched her ticket to the stepladder finals.
Qualifying for the Junior Gold TV finals is a noteworthy accomplishment for any bowler, but Jones’ ability to get there is even more impressive since this is her first time competing at Junior Gold.
“My goal was just to make the first cut and maybe win a match or two if I got to match play,” Jones said. “I’m really just shocked that I’ve gotten this far. It would be a dream come true to win a tournament like this, but I just need to block everything out and not think about anything.”
2022 runner-up Campbell earns U12 boys top seed; Wagner and Gordon aim to play spoiler
From left to right: Top seed Ryan Campbell, No. 2 Kristofer Wagner and No. 3 Miles Gordon.
U12 BOYS BRACKET
U12 BOYS ADVANCERS ROUND
Last year, Ryan Campbell of Clinton, South Carolina, had a Junior Gold experience that most competitors can only dream of.
He qualified fifth, earned the No. 2 seed for the stepladder finals and found himself in the winner-take-all championship match with a chance to win.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go Campbell’s way, so he was forced to put on a brave face and try to mask his own disappointment as Isaiah Durflinger of Beavercreek, Ohio, hoisted the championship trophy and celebrated winning the U12 boys national championship.
Many athletes never get the chance to avenge such a disappointing near miss.
Campbell is different, however, and he put himself in position to do just that by going 3-0 during match play on Friday to earn the No. 1 seed for Saturday morning’s U12 boys stepladder finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Eastern.
Joining Campbell will be No. 2 seed Kristofer Wagner of Deland, Florida, and No. 3 seed Miles Gordon of Columbus, Ohio.
Wagner and Gordon will square off in Match 1 with the winner moving on to face Campbell for the title.
After qualifying fifth for match play, Campbell began his run to the top spot by defeating No. 4 seed Noah Wood of Mount Morris, Michigan, 387-321 in Round 1.
Campbell’s second-round opponent was No. 1 seed Tatum Lee of Minot, North Dakota, whose name was at or near the top of the U12 boys standings throughout the four rounds of qualifying and Friday morning’s advancers round.
Nevertheless, none of that intimidated Campbell, who stayed dialed in and battled his way to a 383-335 victory that secured his spot in the TV finals while sending Lee to the elimination bracket.
Having already seen firsthand how valuable the No. 1 seed for the stepladder can be, Campbell was not about to let that advantage go to Round 3 opponent Wagner.
That’s why Campbell saved his best for last.
After jumping out to a small lead over Wagner at the end of Game 1, Campbell left no doubt during Game 2, striking 11 times for a score of 279, which allowed him to breeze to the match victory (482-372) and collect the all-important No. 1 seed.
Now, Campbell hopes to draw upon the experience gained during last year’s TV finals appearance to help him get over the hump and into the winner’s circle this year.
“Since I’ve already had this experience, I don’t feel as nervous this time as I did last time, which should give me a better chance to stay focused and do what I have to do,” Campbell said.
“My first goal was to make the advancers round, and I did that. Next, I wanted to make match play, and I did that. From there, I wanted to make the show, and I did that. Now, the goal is to win.”
That’s hardly just Campbell’s goal, however; Wagner and Gordon are trying to do the very same thing.
Wagner earned his spot in the stepladder by going 2-1 on Friday, topping No. 6 seed Eason Taylor of Chicago (316-302), and No. 7 Brennan Brandel of Saginaw, Michigan (344-315), before falling to Campbell in the bid for the top seed.
One might have expected Wagner to express disappointment at having missed out on the No. 1 seed. That wasn’t the case, however; instead, he was still trying to come to grips with having made it to the show in the first place.
“I was pretty fortunate during my first match; I probably shouldn’t have won,” Wagner said. “So, by the time I got to the third match, I didn’t feel any pressure because I already knew I made it. From there, whatever happened, happened. It’s just so cool to know that I’m going to be on TV. There’s really no words for it.”
Gordon is also looking forward to the show, especially since he fell just one victory short of advancing to the U12 stepladder finals last year in Grand Rapids.
Nevertheless, that didn’t mean that Gordon’s path to the finals was smooth and easy; in fact, he had to endure a tougher road than either Campbell or Wagner.
That’s because Gordon began match play with a 379-324 loss to Brandel.
At that point, Gordon’s back was against the wall as one more loss would end any hopes he had of competing for this year’s U12 boys title.
Rather than thinking that far ahead, however, Gordon just stayed focused on the task at hand, which was winning his next match.
He did just that, eliminating Taylor by a final score of 417-319.
Next, he was able to turn the tables on Brandel, taking down the No. 7 seed, 379-353, to advance to the elimination bracket finals.
There, he would have to contend with Lee, who moved himself into the bout by dispatching Wood (418-351).
It was somehow fitting that the final spot in the stepladder would go to either the No. 1 (Lee) or No. 2 (Gordon) seed for match play, and the battle between the duo certainly lived up to the hype.
Nevertheless, in the end, only one could win, and it was Gordon by a final score of 372-369.
Gordon entered this year’s tournament with the simple goal of trying to do better than he did last year. Now that he’s accomplished that, he hopes to make the most of his opportunities on the show.
“To win, I’ll have to win three games, so I just have to take it game by game and try to make the best shots that I can,” Gordon said. “My friend Isaiah (Durflinger) won last year, so it would be neat if I could win and bring the title back home to Ohio again.”
Brandolino, Abigania, Capron and Klemencic remain undefeated in U18 girls bracket
U18 GIRLS BRACKET
U18 GIRLS FINAL ADVANCERS ROUND
U18 GIRLS ADVANCERS ROUND
With two rounds of match play completed, four bowlers remain undefeated in U18 girls action. Those bowlers are Gianna Brandolino of Joliet, Illinois; Katelyn Abigania of San Diego; Karina Capron of Fremont, Nebraska; and defending champion Erin Klemencic of Powder Springs, Georgia.
Each of those four is just one win away from guaranteeing herself a spot in the U18 girls finals.
Round 3 gets underway Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. Eastern at Strike Force Lanes with Brandolino taking on Abigania and Capron battling Klemencic.
The two winners will then square off at 8:30 a.m. Eastern to determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds for the stepladder finals, which will be held Saturday evening at 6 p.m. Eastern at Royal Pin Western.
The other two bowlers will be placed into the semifinal round of the elimination bracket, where they will await opponents from the cast of eight bowlers already with one loss.
Those bowlers include Haley Lindley of Greenwood, South Carolina; Brooke Salzman of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota; Kaitlyn Stull of Raleigh, North Carolina; Ashtyn Woods of Santa Rosa, California; Abigail Starkey of Schaumburg, Illinois; Amanda Granata of Florham Park, New Jersey; Lauren Hunter of Smithton, Illinois; and Avery Domaguin of San Diego.
The second round of elimination-bracket action gets underway at 7:30 a.m. Eastern with rounds continuing at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Eastern. The bowler who wins the elimination bracket final will earn the No. 3 seed for the U18 girls finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Robertson, Andrus, Davis and Furukawa yet to lose in U18 boys match play
U18 BOYS BRACKET
U18 BOYS FINAL ADVANCERS ROUND
U18 BOYS ADVANCERS ROUND
As U18 boys competition enters its final day, four bowlers sit just one win away from securing spots in the stepladder finals. The four players in that enviable position are Daniel Robertson of Jackson, New Jersey; Garrett Andrus of Austin, Texas; Harrison Davis of Fall City, Washington; and Aidan Furukawa of Sunbury, Ohio.
Match play Round 3 for U18 boys begins Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. Eastern at Royal Pin Western.
Winner’s-bracket action will feature Robertson against Andrus and Davis versus Furukawa.
The two winners will face one another at 8:30 a.m. Eastern with the No. 1 seed for the stepladder finals on the line. The U18 boys finals will take place Saturday evening at Royal Pin Western immediately following the U18 girls stepladder.
The two bowlers who are defeated during Round 3 winner’s-bracket action will automatically move into the semifinal round of the elimination bracket, where they will await one of the eight bowlers already in the elimination bracket.
Bowlers currently with one loss in U18 boys match-play competition include Braden Mallasch of Waupaca, Wisconsin; Traeten Henrichsmeyer of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Josh Hammons of Topeka, Kansas; Elias O’Hollaren of San Diego; Trevor Anifer of Lemont, Illinois; Christian Liquori of Merritt Island, Florida; Evan White of Missouri Valley, Iowa; and Andrew Robitaille of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Round 2 of elimination-bracket play starts at 7:30 a.m. Eastern with rounds continuing at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Eastern. One bowler will advance out of the elimination bracket and be seeded third for the U18 boys finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Jones, Tharps, Hull and Antony still unbeaten in U15 girls match play
U15 GIRLS BRACKET
U15 GIRLS FINAL ADVANCERS ROUND
U15 GIRLS ADVANCERS ROUND
With four rounds of match play still to come in U15 girls action, four bowlers still find themselves among the ranks of the undefeated. Those four bowlers are Macy Jones of Shobonier, Illinois; Larielle Tharps of Orlando, Florida; Nevaeh Hull of Meridian, Idaho; and Anna Antony of Farmington, Connecticut.
Round 3 of match play is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Saturday morning at Royal Pin Western.
Jones will take on Tharps in one winner’s bracket match while the other will feature Hull against Antony.
The two winners will square off during Round 4 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern to determine the top seed for the stepladder finals, which will be contested at Royal Pin Western Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Eastern.
The two bowlers who fall in Round 3 of the winner’s bracket will be moved to the semifinal round of the elimination bracket. There, they will await one of eight bowlers already battling their way through the elimination bracket.
The eight U15 girls bowlers currently in the elimination bracket are as follows: Clara Campbell of McKinney, Texas; Tori Franklin of Frisco, Texas; Carly Wireman of Yorktown, Virginia; Elena Weinstok of Costa Rica; Arden Han-Wei of Bellevue, Washington; Malayna Calo of Riverview, Florida; Amelia Droste of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; and Carly Rhodes of Largo, Florida.
Second-round matches in the elimination bracket are scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. Eastern. Additional rounds will follow at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Eastern until one bowler survives and advances out of the elimination bracket. That bowler will be named the No. 3 seed for the U15 girls finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. Eastern.
McDonough, Quintero, Reynoso and Dreibelbis still vying for U15 boys No. 1 seed
U15 BOYS BRACKET
U15 BOYS FINAL ADVANCERS ROUND
U15 BOYS ADVANCERS ROUND
Four bowlers enter Saturday in hot pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the U15 boys stepladder finals. The four individuals still chasing that coveted spot are Braden McDonough of Coppell, Texas; Matteo Quintero of Smyrna, Tennessee; Ernesto Reynoso of Folsom, California; and Landon Dreibelbis of Ashland, Ohio.
The quartet will get back on the lanes and resume battle during Round 3 match-play action at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Saturday morning at Championship Lanes.
Matchups in the winner’s bracket are as follows: McDonough will face Quintero, and Reynoso will battle Dreibelbis.
Coming away with a Round 3 victory is of particular importance because the two bowlers who win are guaranteed spots in the stepladder finals, which will take place Saturday afternoon at Royal Pin Western immediately following the U15 girls finals.
Meanwhile, the two bowlers who come up short during winner’s bracket Round 3 will be relegated to the elimination bracket. Each will find himself placed into the semifinal round where he will await one of eight bowlers currently attempting to make it out of the elimination bracket.
These bowlers are still alive in the U15 boys elimination bracket as play resumes Saturday morning: Sean Jenkins of Richmond, Virginia; Brandon Rother of San Diego; Ryan Burgess of Houston; Adam Wakelee of Farmington, New York; Max Oeken of Ashland, Ohio; Emmanuel Guevara of Largo, Florida; Anthony Swanson of Des Plaines, Illinois; and Dylan Harnden of Shelby Township, Michigan.
Round 2 of the elimination bracket will begin at 7:30 a.m. Eastern, and additional rounds will follow at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Eastern. At the conclusion of elimination-bracket play, one bowler will remain and be awarded the No. 3 seed for the U15 boys stepladder finals.
The stepladder finals will be taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network and will air on Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. Eastern.