Mento Produce makes run, but unsuccessful in title defense at 2021 USBC Open Championships
July 05, 2021
By Sam Neves
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - After two years, the members of Mento Produce of Syracuse, New York, returned to the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships to defend the Team All-Events title they won at the South Point Bowling Plaza in 2019.
In addition to their winning Team All-Events total of 9,983, Mento Produce added multiple top-20 finishes, including a 13th-place effort in the team event that sparked the exciting run up the Team All-Events standings.
Derek Magno, who went on to finish fifth in Regular All-Events, rolled a 300 game during the team portion of their visit. He also finished fifth in Regular Doubles with Joe Conti Jr.
With the 2020 USBC Open Championships being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the anticipation for the title defense grew far beyond what they had expected.
"While we've been extremely excited to get back out there, we were unsure of any travel regulations that may be in place, so we decided to put off our return until later in the tournament than we normally bowl," said TJ Mento, the team's captain.
Magno, Conti, Anthony Pepe, Steve Meyer and Mento were recognized on the lanes Saturday at the Bowling Plaza and presented with their championship watches and the Earl Anthony Trophy, prior to their title defense getting underway.
"I feel like I can speak for all of us and say that no matter what, you're going to be nervous the first shot of the Open Championships," Mento said. "But, when you add in the ceremony, it really got the adrenaline going early. Unfortunately, our first game of the team event did not end up how we wanted."
Mento Produce finished the team event at the Bowling Plaza with games of 994, 1,039 and 1,181 for a 3,214 total, which is tied for 34th place and is 10 pins higher than their 2019 team total. Before the 1st Frame 1 of Battleboro, North Carolina, leads Regular Team this year with 3,400.
The strong finish Saturday gave Mento Produce good momentum and confidence heading into doubles and singles Sunday at the South Point Bowling Center, a change of location necessitated by COVID-19 protocols they did not have to encounter in 2019.
When they won, all 45 games (nine games for each team member) were bowled in the South Point Bowling Plaza. For the first time in tournament history, the event is being contested across two venues.
"We were actually looking forward to the venue change for doubles and singles, as we all have past success in the Bowling Center," said Pepe, a Regular Team and Team All-Events champion in 2017, also at South Point. "We knew that even with the slower start in the team, if our previous success in the Center would translate to this year, we had shot at repeating."
The last time a team won the coveted Team All-Events title in back-to-back years was in 1997 and 1998, when Lodge Lanes of Belleville, Michigan, accomplished the feat.
Unfortunately for Mento Produce, the team was not able to match the effort. Despite a fair run at it, they fell short of the lead by 156 pins.
"With all of the videos we've seen on social media this year, we weren't necessarily sure what to expect," Pepe said. "Now that we're done, I think we can all agree they're definitely harder than the videos made them look."
Meyer led the team this year with a 2,037 all-events total and was followed by Pepe (2,021), Mento (1,996), Conti (1,890) and Magno (1,858), and their 9,802 total landed them in seventh place in the 2021 Team All-Events standings. BowlU of Kenmore, New York leads Team All-Events with 9,958.
"We have absolutely nothing to hang our heads about, as potentially two top-10 finishes in two years with these guys is incredible," Meyer said. "We just can't wait to get back out here next year, stronger and better than ever."
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - After two years, the members of Mento Produce of Syracuse, New York, returned to the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships to defend the Team All-Events title they won at the South Point Bowling Plaza in 2019.
In addition to their winning Team All-Events total of 9,983, Mento Produce added multiple top-20 finishes, including a 13th-place effort in the team event that sparked the exciting run up the Team All-Events standings.
Derek Magno, who went on to finish fifth in Regular All-Events, rolled a 300 game during the team portion of their visit. He also finished fifth in Regular Doubles with Joe Conti Jr.
With the 2020 USBC Open Championships being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the anticipation for the title defense grew far beyond what they had expected.
"While we've been extremely excited to get back out there, we were unsure of any travel regulations that may be in place, so we decided to put off our return until later in the tournament than we normally bowl," said TJ Mento, the team's captain.
Magno, Conti, Anthony Pepe, Steve Meyer and Mento were recognized on the lanes Saturday at the Bowling Plaza and presented with their championship watches and the Earl Anthony Trophy, prior to their title defense getting underway.
"I feel like I can speak for all of us and say that no matter what, you're going to be nervous the first shot of the Open Championships," Mento said. "But, when you add in the ceremony, it really got the adrenaline going early. Unfortunately, our first game of the team event did not end up how we wanted."
Mento Produce finished the team event at the Bowling Plaza with games of 994, 1,039 and 1,181 for a 3,214 total, which is tied for 34th place and is 10 pins higher than their 2019 team total. Before the 1st Frame 1 of Battleboro, North Carolina, leads Regular Team this year with 3,400.
The strong finish Saturday gave Mento Produce good momentum and confidence heading into doubles and singles Sunday at the South Point Bowling Center, a change of location necessitated by COVID-19 protocols they did not have to encounter in 2019.
When they won, all 45 games (nine games for each team member) were bowled in the South Point Bowling Plaza. For the first time in tournament history, the event is being contested across two venues.
"We were actually looking forward to the venue change for doubles and singles, as we all have past success in the Bowling Center," said Pepe, a Regular Team and Team All-Events champion in 2017, also at South Point. "We knew that even with the slower start in the team, if our previous success in the Center would translate to this year, we had shot at repeating."
The last time a team won the coveted Team All-Events title in back-to-back years was in 1997 and 1998, when Lodge Lanes of Belleville, Michigan, accomplished the feat.
Unfortunately for Mento Produce, the team was not able to match the effort. Despite a fair run at it, they fell short of the lead by 156 pins.
"With all of the videos we've seen on social media this year, we weren't necessarily sure what to expect," Pepe said. "Now that we're done, I think we can all agree they're definitely harder than the videos made them look."
Meyer led the team this year with a 2,037 all-events total and was followed by Pepe (2,021), Mento (1,996), Conti (1,890) and Magno (1,858), and their 9,802 total landed them in seventh place in the 2021 Team All-Events standings. BowlU of Kenmore, New York leads Team All-Events with 9,958.
"We have absolutely nothing to hang our heads about, as potentially two top-10 finishes in two years with these guys is incredible," Meyer said. "We just can't wait to get back out here next year, stronger and better than ever."
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.