Defending champ helps team into lead at OC
May 06, 2010
RENO, Nev. - Last year, Bo Goergen of Midland, Mich., rolled the highest series in 107 years of USBC Open Championships history and took home the 2009 Regular Singles title, but something was missing.
The 49-year-old right-hander finally accomplished a lifelong goal by winning an eagle, the coveted trophy given to tournament champions, but he knows the accomplishment would be five times more satisfying if he could share it with his teammates.
Now, Goergen may have that chance after helping Northern Lanes Pro Shop of Sanford, Mich., into the top spot in Team All-Events with a 10,284 total at the National Bowling Stadium on Thursday night. It was the eighth-highest total in tournament history and topped Linds Lakers 1 of Minneapolis, which previously held the lead with 10,187.
"Winning singles last year was an amazing feat and part of a whirlwind ride for me, but there was some teasing from my teammates about not giving them a chance to share in it," said Goergen, who rolled games of 299, 299 and 264 to claim the 2009 Regular Singles title with a record 862 series. "We tried our best in team last night and got close, and we came in really confident today. The smiles on their faces right now, with the possibility of winning Team All-Events, is priceless. We know there's still two months to wait, and our score could get beaten as early as tomorrow, but for right now, just the possibility feels incredible."
Dan MacLelland of Saginaw, Mich., a two-time collegiate national champion and two-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player, led the way for Northern Lanes Pro Shop with a 2,166 all-events total, which is fifth overall. He was followed by Dale Hofmeister (2,085), Goergen (2,031), JR Raymond (2,026) and former Team USA member Derwin Pitre (1,976). Matt McNiel of Chanhassen, Minn., leads Regular All-Events with 2,326.
"I can't even explain the feeling right now, but this is right up there with my two national championships," said MacLelland, who led his Saginaw Valley State University team to national titles in 2006 and 2007. "The atmosphere of team bowling is amazing and so hard to explain. You have to work together and help each other, while still trying to go out and make good shots."
MacLelland and his teammates watched the group on the lanes before them Thursday, and he decided to drill up a new ball before doubles and singles. The idea paid off as he shot 774 in doubles and 750 in singles. The 25-year-old right-hander added 642 in team and helped Northern Lanes Pro Shop to a 3,355 total and fourth place overall Wednesday night. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads Regular Team with 3,408.
"We put in a lot of work before we came out here, we came up with a game plan and we executed," said MacLelland, who has maintained a 228.4 average in his five Open Championships appearances. "We didn't really talk about Team All-Events until midway through doubles, and even then, I wasn't really nervous. I just wanted to keep throwing good shots."
The secondary story of the night is that Goergen, who has participated in 32 consecutive tournaments, will not become the first bowler to win back-to-back singles titles. He rolled games of 212, 180 and 217 for a 609 singles set this year, but definitely is OK with the way things turned out.
"I'm going to be watching BOWL.com and making a few phone calls just to see what's going on in Reno," said Goergen, who finished third in Regular All-Events last year in Las Vegas with a 2,190 total. "I want this more for my teammates than for me. A second eagle would be fantastic, but to have them get one on their resumes would be really special to me."
Last May, Goergen officially became a member of the Facebook community, and within hours of his record-setting performance at Cashman Center, he had congratulatory messages and friend requests from all over the world. He has become one of the most recognizable faces in the bowling community, and his 2009 performance still can be found on You Tube. This year's lead-taking effort was shown live on BOWL.com and now is archived on www.ustream.tv/usbc.
"Our bowling community is now global, and it's really neat because people from all over the world have requested my friendship on Facebook," said Goergen, who has nearly 900 friends on Facebook. "The idea that people from across the globe are following the Open Championships is incredible. The really special part is that no matter where we're from or what language we speak, the one thing we have in common is bowling."
Earlier on Thursday, Matt Tomsu of Papillion, Neb., moved into fourth place in Regular All-Events with a 2,173 total.
His 778 series in team Wednesday night helped The Bowling Store 1 of Omaha, Neb., into sixth place in Regular Team with a 3,343 total, and his nine-game effort helped the group into eighth place in Team All-Events with 9,814.
Tomsu was joined by Tony Manna Jr. (2,084), Bryan Roth (1,896), Jay Watts (1,880) and Dave Axon (1,781).
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.
The 49-year-old right-hander finally accomplished a lifelong goal by winning an eagle, the coveted trophy given to tournament champions, but he knows the accomplishment would be five times more satisfying if he could share it with his teammates.
Now, Goergen may have that chance after helping Northern Lanes Pro Shop of Sanford, Mich., into the top spot in Team All-Events with a 10,284 total at the National Bowling Stadium on Thursday night. It was the eighth-highest total in tournament history and topped Linds Lakers 1 of Minneapolis, which previously held the lead with 10,187.
"Winning singles last year was an amazing feat and part of a whirlwind ride for me, but there was some teasing from my teammates about not giving them a chance to share in it," said Goergen, who rolled games of 299, 299 and 264 to claim the 2009 Regular Singles title with a record 862 series. "We tried our best in team last night and got close, and we came in really confident today. The smiles on their faces right now, with the possibility of winning Team All-Events, is priceless. We know there's still two months to wait, and our score could get beaten as early as tomorrow, but for right now, just the possibility feels incredible."
Dan MacLelland of Saginaw, Mich., a two-time collegiate national champion and two-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player, led the way for Northern Lanes Pro Shop with a 2,166 all-events total, which is fifth overall. He was followed by Dale Hofmeister (2,085), Goergen (2,031), JR Raymond (2,026) and former Team USA member Derwin Pitre (1,976). Matt McNiel of Chanhassen, Minn., leads Regular All-Events with 2,326.
"I can't even explain the feeling right now, but this is right up there with my two national championships," said MacLelland, who led his Saginaw Valley State University team to national titles in 2006 and 2007. "The atmosphere of team bowling is amazing and so hard to explain. You have to work together and help each other, while still trying to go out and make good shots."
MacLelland and his teammates watched the group on the lanes before them Thursday, and he decided to drill up a new ball before doubles and singles. The idea paid off as he shot 774 in doubles and 750 in singles. The 25-year-old right-hander added 642 in team and helped Northern Lanes Pro Shop to a 3,355 total and fourth place overall Wednesday night. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads Regular Team with 3,408.
"We put in a lot of work before we came out here, we came up with a game plan and we executed," said MacLelland, who has maintained a 228.4 average in his five Open Championships appearances. "We didn't really talk about Team All-Events until midway through doubles, and even then, I wasn't really nervous. I just wanted to keep throwing good shots."
The secondary story of the night is that Goergen, who has participated in 32 consecutive tournaments, will not become the first bowler to win back-to-back singles titles. He rolled games of 212, 180 and 217 for a 609 singles set this year, but definitely is OK with the way things turned out.
"I'm going to be watching BOWL.com and making a few phone calls just to see what's going on in Reno," said Goergen, who finished third in Regular All-Events last year in Las Vegas with a 2,190 total. "I want this more for my teammates than for me. A second eagle would be fantastic, but to have them get one on their resumes would be really special to me."
Last May, Goergen officially became a member of the Facebook community, and within hours of his record-setting performance at Cashman Center, he had congratulatory messages and friend requests from all over the world. He has become one of the most recognizable faces in the bowling community, and his 2009 performance still can be found on You Tube. This year's lead-taking effort was shown live on BOWL.com and now is archived on www.ustream.tv/usbc.
"Our bowling community is now global, and it's really neat because people from all over the world have requested my friendship on Facebook," said Goergen, who has nearly 900 friends on Facebook. "The idea that people from across the globe are following the Open Championships is incredible. The really special part is that no matter where we're from or what language we speak, the one thing we have in common is bowling."
Earlier on Thursday, Matt Tomsu of Papillion, Neb., moved into fourth place in Regular All-Events with a 2,173 total.
His 778 series in team Wednesday night helped The Bowling Store 1 of Omaha, Neb., into sixth place in Regular Team with a 3,343 total, and his nine-game effort helped the group into eighth place in Team All-Events with 9,814.
Tomsu was joined by Tony Manna Jr. (2,084), Bryan Roth (1,896), Jay Watts (1,880) and Dave Axon (1,781).
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.