Spoiler Alert: Only scroll down if you want to know the champions of this event prior to the CBS Sports Network telecasts on Aug. 1, 9, 22 and 29.

INDIANAPOLIS – After nearly two weeks of competition, the 2023 Junior Gold Championships officially ended Saturday when six champions were crowned following the stepladder finals in the 18-and-under, 15-and-under and 12-and-under divisions at Royal Pin Western.

This year’s champions included Aidan Furukawa of Sunbury, Ohio (U18), Ernesto Reynoso of Folsom, California (U15), and Ryan Campbell of Clinton, South Carolina (U12), in the boys divisions. The champions on the girls side were Gianna Brandolino of Channahon, Illinois (U18), Larielle Tharps of Orlando, Florida (U15), and Alexandra McCowan of Anaheim, California (U12).

More than 3,250 United States Bowling Congress Youth members competed at Junior Gold 2023, traveling across six bowling centers in the Indianapolis area in hopes of winning a sizable portion of the approximately $450,000 scholarship fund, making a run at a national title and claiming a spot on Junior Team USA.

BowlTV.com provided livestream coverage of every round of the 2023 event leading up to the stepladder finals in each division. 

The finals in each division were taped for broadcast on CBS Sports Network with telecasts adhering to the following schedule: U12 (Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Eastern); U15 (Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. Eastern); U18 (Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. Eastern); and U20 (Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. Eastern).

U18 Boys
Aidan Furukawa of Sunbury, Ohio, took home the U18 boys title by defeating Andrew Robitaille of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 197-181, during the final match of the 2023 Junior Gold Championships.

Any good bowler will tell you that making spares is crucial to being successful on the lanes, and that fact was on full display during this championship bout.

Aidan didn’t record a double and only struck four times in total, but he also made each and every spare conversion he was forced to contend with.

Andrew, meanwhile, was saddled with four splits in the first seven frames, and despite some very solid spare attempts, each split led to an open frame.

Those opens outweighed any and all benefits created by his six strikes and allowed Aidan to wrap up the victory before the 10th frame was completed.

Aidan didn’t come to Junior Gold 2023 with victory on his mind, so the gravity of what he had just accomplished hadn’t yet sunk in during the moments immediately following the match.

“My only goal coming into this year was to try to make the first cut, so the fact that I won and am now on Junior Team USA is a lot to take in,” Aidan said. “This feels amazing, but it’s going to take a while to really comprehend how it feels.”

Another thing that took a moment to comprehend was how nerve-racking it was to bowl on TV for a national title.

Aidan appeared to be handling that pressure just fine as he was smiling and playing to the crowd from the moment he walked onto the set.

However, according to Aidan, the relaxed, lighthearted appearance on the outside masked what he was truly feeling inside.

“I looked calm, but deep down I was terrified,” Aidan said. “I just did my best not to let that show on the outside.”

He definitely accomplished that, but his more impressive accomplishments were taking home the U18 title and earning his first berth on Junior Team USA.

Again, those goals weren’t necessarily on his list at the start of this year’s tournament, but he is certainly glad that he’ll be able to add both to his resume from this point forward.

“I’ve never accomplished anything like this before, so getting this win and earning my way onto Junior Team USA definitely ranks first among anything I’ve ever done,” Aidan said. “I didn’t expect to get here, but being here feels amazing.”

Andrew earned the opportunity to play spoiler by using a late five-bagger to erase an early deficit and rally past No. 2 seed Daniel Robertson, 226-214, in the semifinals.

Andrew’s momentum slowed during the championship match, however, which allowed Aidan to walk away as champion while Andrew settled for third place.

U18 Girls
Gianna Brandolino of Joliet, Illinois, delighted her sizable cheering section by coming away with the U18 girls crown by virtue of a 228-202 defeat of Karina Capron of Fremont, Nebraska.

Karina certainly didn’t go down without a fight, throwing a clutch four-bagger in frames six through nine to force Gianna to get a strike and six pins in the 10th frame to win.

The top seed proved that she was up to the challenge, however, getting the all-important strike and then counting nine on her next ball to officially lock up her first Junior Gold title.

Despite her young age, Gianna has already accomplished plenty on the lanes; nevertheless, becoming a Junior Gold champion immediately jumped to the top of her personal list of achievements.

“Winning today, by far, ranks first among all the wins I’ve had so far,” Brandolino said. “Me and my team won the USA Bowling Championships last year, and that was No. 1 at the time, but winning this has a different feeling. Knowing that I accomplished this by myself is just great.”

Gianna was certainly great during the title match, staying clean and using an opening double and a turkey in the sixth, seventh and eighth frames to keep the advantage firmly on her side.

That advantage was bolstered by the fact that Karina left a pair of early splits that led to open frames.

Still, Karina wasn’t about to give up, and when she came up with that late four-bagger, suddenly, Gianna had something to think about.

A lesser player may have stumbled as the pressure mounted, but not Gianna. Perhaps that’s because her mom often seems to be willing to fact that pressure for the both of them.

“I’d like to say that I’m the one who’s the most nervous in those big moments, but it’s probably my mom,” Gianna said. “She’s always pacing up and down. She just wants the best for me. I want the best for myself too, so I just have to push the nerves aside and go out and do what I do.”

What she did on Saturday night was capture her first Junior Gold title, and that’s a memory she won’t soon forget.

“It’s an honor to know that my name is going to be on the same banner as players like Landin Jordan and Stefanie Johnson,” Gianna said. “Also, it’s crazy to think that next year I’m going to come and see my name and picture listed among the champions.”

Karina was hoping to add her name to that exclusive list on Saturday night, but that goal will have to wait at least one more year.

Still, she performed admirably all night long.

She earned her place in the title match by doubling in the 10th frame to beat No. 3 seed Kaitlyn Stull of Raleigh, North Carolina, 231-226, during a thrilling U18 girls semifinal.

Then, she fought hard and gave Gianna all she could handle before eventually running out of frames and being forced to settle for third-place honors.

The U18 division featured 588 girls and 1,313 boys at the 2023 Junior Gold Championships. 

Junior Gold 2023 kicked off July 10 with U20 competition. Carter Street of Dublin, Ohio, and Jenna Stretch of Auburn Township, Ohio, won titles in their respective divisions.

Junior Team USA 2024
Six boys and six girls from the U18 division also earned spots on Junior Team USA for 2024 based on their performances this week at the Junior Gold Championships.

The boys team will feature Furukawa, Robitaille, Braden Mallasch of Waupaca, Wisconsin; Christian Liquori of Merritt Island, Florida; Garrett Andrus of Austin, Texas; and Josh Hammons of Topeka, Kansas.

Brandolino, Capron, and Stull will be joined on the girls team in 2024 by Victoria Varano of Stony Point, New York; Erin Klemencic of Powder Springs, Georgia; and Katelyn Abigania of San Diego.

U15 Boys
In just his third appearance, Ernesto Reynoso of Folsom, California, reached the Junior Gold winner’s circle for the first time by defeating top seed Matteo Quintero of Smyrna, Tennessee, 237-198.

Although Matteo, who won the 2021 U12 boys title, was the player with previous Junior Gold stepladder finals experience, Ernesto looked like the seasoned veteran on this day, delivering a clutch six-bagger in frames four through nine to keep Matteo at arm’s length.

As expected, Matteo fought from start to finish; however, when his attempted conversion of the 2-4-5-7 left the 5 pin standing, resulting in an open frame in the seventh, Ernesto’s lead was just too big to overcome.

That allowed Ernesto to secure the victory and become the newest U15 boys national champion.

The victory capped off a long and challenging week for Ernesto, but the outcome made it all worthwhile.

“This week was a long grind, so I knew I needed to stay patient and make my spares,” Ernesto said. “That approach allowed me to qualify second, get through the advancers rounds and make the show. 

“Once I reached the stepladder, I knew that I needed to stay patient, not let the nerves get the best of me and make my best shots. I did that, and that’s what allowed me to be standing here holding this trophy.”

In addition to the trophy, this week’s stellar effort allowed Ernesto to earn a spot on the 2024 Junior Team USA Developmental Team, and that meant just as much to him as the Junior Gold title.

“The trophy and the Team USA jacket are about equally special to me,” Ernesto said. “I was happy with whatever happened on TV because I had already earned the jacket. To be on Junior Team USA and get the win makes this even better. Honestly, once I’d realized I’d won, I was like ‘wow, there’s no way I just did that.’”

But he did, and he made the lanes look fairly easy in the process.

Before shooting 237 against Matteo in the title match, Ernesto rattled off a seven-bagger in frames four through 10 to defeat No. 2 seed Landon Dreibelbis of Ashland, Ohio, 246-200, in the semifinals.

Landon recorded eight strikes during that battle, but a pair of splits led to open frames in the third and sixth frames, which was all the room Ernesto needed to jump ahead and never look back.

For his efforts, Landon exited Junior Gold 2023 with a solid third-place finish.

U15 Girls
In what was undoubtedly the match of the day, Larielle Tharps of Orlando, Florida, captured the U15 girls title by topping Macy Jones of Shobonier, Illinois, (10-7) in a one-ball roll-off after the two players finished 10 frames tied at 226.

Larielle opted to begin the roll-off on the right lane, which was where she struck on her fill ball just moments earlier to force the extra session.

Wasting no time, Larielle calmly stepped up and delivered another flush strike, which Macy needed to match in order to extend the roll-off and keep her national championship dreams alive.

Macy’s shot appeared to be on target as it raced down the lane, but it wound up hooking high through the head pin, leaving the 4-7-10 split and ending the match in Larielle’s favor.

The win was especially gratifying for Larielle because she had come so close twice before, grabbing a runner-up finish in the U12 girls division in 2021 and finishing in the top five in U15 action last year in Grand Rapids.

“This feels wonderful because it makes it clear that all the time and practice I put in this past year has paid off,” Larielle said. 

Early on, it looked like Larielle was going to enjoy a smooth and easy path to the title as she used an opening four-bagger to jump out to a 42 pin lead over Macy just four frames into the match.

Larielle’s pace would slow from there, however, with her striking just twice over the course of the next five frames.

Macy, meanwhile, recovered from an open in the fourth frame by notching a four-bagger of her own in frames five through eight to cut Larielle’s lead down to just 10 pins heading into the 10th frame.

Feeling the momentum shifting in her favor, Macy delivered three must-have strikes in the tenth to put even more weight upon Larielle’s shoulders.

Nevertheless, as Larielle stepped up for her own 10th frame, her destiny rested solely in her own hands.

If she struck on her first ball, she would win. If she didn’t, she’d have to convert the spare and strike on the fill ball to tie.

Larielle’s first shot in the tenth hit the pocket, but it left a flat 10 pin, meaning the right-hander would have to make the spare and strike to push the match to a roll-off.

Showing the moxie of a player more than twice her age, Larielle did just that, covering the 10 pin with ease and then delivering a no-doubt strike to force the roll-off she’d go on to win.

Although she appeared perfectly calm throughout those heart-stopping frames, afterward, Larielle admitted to feeling a lot more pressure than she was letting on.

“Going into the 10th frame, my nerves were at an all-time high,” Larielle said. “I didn’t know what was going to happen, so I just tried to breath and trust my ball. Thankfully, I was able to spare and strike.

“I took the opportunity to go first in the roll-off to apply the pressure so that I wouldn’t have all of it on myself. I was hesitant on that last shot on whether it would hold or not, but thankfully it did.”

It certainly did, and that allowed Larielle to finally break through and collect the Junior Gold victory that had so narrowly escaped her twice before.

“When I realized I’d won, my first thought was ‘wow, I can’t believe I did this,’” Larielle said. “This is just so awesome and amazing; it’s all that I’ve ever wished for, and I’m so glad that it finally happened.”

Macy earned the right to battle Larielle for the title by defeating No. 2 seed Anna Antony of Farmington, Connecticut, 212-161, in the semifinals.

Anna bowled amazing all week long enroute to the second seed; unfortunately, she got off to a slow start on the TV pair, opening the first three frames to allow Macy to quickly jump out to a 64 pin lead.

As expected, Anna kept battling until the very end, but she was simply unable to erase the damage and was forced to settle for a third-place finish.

The U15 division at the 2023 Junior Gold Championships included 326 girls and 700 boys.

U12 Boys
The U12 boys title went to Ryan Campbell of Clinton, South Carolina, who struck on seven of his first eight shots enroute to a 230-144 victory over Kristofer Wagner of Deland, Florida.

With the victory, Ryan was able to fully erase the disappointment of last year’s runner-up finish and officially add his name to the very decorated list of Junior Gold champions.

When asked how it felt to join such a legendary group, Ryan wasn’t sure how to respond.

“I’m speechless. I never thought I was going to be on that list of great bowlers, but now I am,” Ryan said. “Winning takes a lot of weight off my back because now I can actually tell people that I won Junior Gold.”

And Ryan didn’t just win; he won impressively.

The two-hander started the title match with three strikes in a row before coming in light and leaving the 2 pin in the fourth. 

Undaunted, Ryan converted the spare easily and then ripped off a four-bagger in frames five through eight to put the match away before either player stepped up for their final frames.

“It was around the seventh frame when it hit me that I was going to win,” Ryan said. “I was on a roll, and Kristofer had a few splits in a row at that same time. When I knew I had won, it was a feeling that I’ve never had before in my life. I’ve never been so nervous and so happy.”

Part of Ryan’s happiness was due to the realization that he’d bested a very strong opponent to get to the winner’s circle.

Kristofer made that quite clear during his 256-168 semifinal victory over No. 3 seed Miles Gordon of Columbus, Ohio.

Kristofer started that match with six strikes in a row before his seventh shot crept high, leaving the 6-9-10 and ending his bid for perfection.

Nevertheless, Kristofer converted the spare and struck on three of his final four shots to breeze to victory.

Unfortunately, Kristofer was unable to maintain the momentum during the title match.

After starting spare, strike, spare, spare, Kristofer split during four of the next five frames, allowing Ryan to establish an unsurmountable lead and take home this year’s U12 boys national title.

It’s a victory that Ryan will carry with him as he takes the next steps in his bowling career.

“I never thought this was going to happen, but it feels incredible,” Ryan said. “Now, I’m just going to keep working hard and continue striving.”

U12 Girls
Alexandra McCowan of Anaheim, California, led this year’s U12 girls division from wire to wire, so it was fitting that she capped her impressive week of bowling off by defeating Jayne Juhasz of Ormond Beach, Florida, 188-160, to take home the 2023 U12 girls national title.

Both bowlers were solid throughout the title match, but as had been the case all week long, in the end, Alexandra’s striking power was just too strong.

Alexandra notched clutch doubles in the third and fourth and sixth and seventh frames to establish a 33 pin lead over Jayne with just three frames to go.

Jayne delivered a flush strike in the eighth, but when her first shot in the ninth came in light and left a 4-5 split, it was clear that Alexandra would be taking home this year’s title.

Nevertheless, Alexandra maintained the same cool, business-like expression and body language that she’d displayed all week long.

When asked later how she managed to stay so relaxed and under control, Alexandra made it clear that that’s just how she is.

“That’s just kind of the way I appear all the time,” Alexandra said. “Also, I had a pretty good head start, so I wasn’t nervous at all.”

That shows just how poised Alexandra is because most bowlers would’ve been a bit uneasy after watching Jayne’s performance in the semifinals.

Jayne was in complete control of her nerves and the lane conditions during that battle with No. 3 seed Isabella Jones of Edinburgh, Indiana, locking in on the 1-3 pocket and staying clean enroute to a comfortable 200-155 victory.

Jayne attempted to employ a similar strategy during the title match, but a pair of splits and a missed single pin was just too much to overcome, allowing Alexandra to take home the title.

It was one that she didn’t necessarily see coming; nevertheless, she’s very happy to have attained it.

“I competed last year, and I didn’t do very well,” Alexandra said. “So, I wasn’t really expecting to do that well this year, but after making the advancers round, match play and now this, I’m really excited.”

The U12 division featured 102 girls and 226 boys at the 2023 Junior Gold Championships.

Junior Team USA Developmental Team 2024
The U15 division also served as a qualifier for automatic spots on the 2024 Junior Team USA Developmental Team. In the boys and girls divisions, the top two qualifiers after 26 games of qualifying, the event champion, and the event runner-up earned places on the team.

Based on those criteria, the automatic qualifiers for the 2024 Junior Team USA Developmental Team are as follows:

Boys Division
Braden McDonough, Coppell, Texas (first after 26 games of qualifying)
Ernesto Reynoso, Folsom, California (second after 26 games of qualifying and event champion)
*Dylan Harnden, Shelby Township, Michigan (third after 26 games of qualifying)
Matteo Quintero, Smyrna, Tennessee (event runner-up)

*Since event champion Ernesto Reynoso also finished second after 26 games of qualifying, Harnden makes the team as the third-place finisher after qualifying.

Girls Division
Bella Castillo, Odessa, Texas (first after 26 games of qualifying)
Malayna Calo, Riverview, Florida (second after 26 games of qualifying)
Larielle Tharps, Orlando, Florida (event champion)
Macy Jones, Shobonier, Illinois (event runner-up)