Missouri group takes control of leaderboard at 2022 USBC Open Championships in Las Vegas
March 18, 2022
LAS VEGAS - Pennsylvania's Michael Markis was a beloved and hard-working member of the bowling community, and his dedication to the sport included organizing a group of teams to compete annually at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Markis, who was 36 years old and an 11-time participant at the event, died unexpectedly in April 2021, not long before the six-team squad was scheduled to take the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza for a pandemic-shortened 2021 USBC Open Championships.
Past USBC Collegiate national champion Shea Bittenbender of St. Charles, Missouri, stepped in as the acting team captain for the year and held things together for the heavy-hearted group. All six teams competed, but none finished in the top 125.
Bittenbender volunteered to continue as the coordinator for the 2022 tournament, also being held at the South Point Bowling Plaza, and the teams made their presence known Thursday as they claimed the top three places in the Regular Team standings.
As the three games concluded, it was Bittenbender who threw the shots that locked up the lead for his team - Strike It Rich Pro Shop 1.
The 36-year-old right-hander delivered three final-frame strikes to cap the 3,241 performance, which included games of 998, 1,108 and 1,135. Bruno's Pizza of Lafayette, Indiana, the 2002 Regular Team champion, previously held the lead this year with 3,186.
Eddie Byrd contributed a 724 series to lead the effort for Strike It Rich Pro Shop 1, and he was followed by Bittenbender (712), Timothy Behrendt (618), Todd Sigeti (608) and Johnny Petraglia Jr. (579).
One pair of lanes to the right, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 3 was able to edge into second place with a 3,211 total. It included games of 1,126, 1,049 and 1,036.
Michael Sumerano set the pace with a 723 set and was joined by Jason Stetina (668), Joseph Walker (664), Stephanie Sheridan (587) and Brian Kasperowski (569).
Strike It Rich Pro Shop 2 was close behind with 3,199, featuring games of 1,067, 1,097 and 1,035. Christian Taylor blazed the way with a 720 series and was followed by Michael Sapolis (692), Aaron O'Brien (635), Jennifer Helferstay (595) and Eric Czmowski (557).
"This is something we've never done here before, and even though we're here early, it's really nice to come together as a group, especially for our late friend and dear companion Mike Markis," said Bittenbender, who made his 14th Open Championships appearance. "He was the ringleader of this group, and I'm happy to take it over for him under the circumstances. I know he's proud of us today."
Another two teams landed in 14th and 23rd place in the Regular Division, and the final team is 38th in the Standard Division.
Markis was the owner of Strike It Rich Pro Shops, and the team names were left unchanged.
He also was honored in late 2021 with the inaugural "Michael Markis Memorial Tournament," which took place at Chacko's Family Bowling Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
It was an opportunity for his friends and fellow competitors to get together to reminisce and compete, a scene probably not too different than most weekends of his life or their time together at the Open Championships, where group members from across the country converge on the host city.
"We have guys from all over the country, but the goal is still the same, even if we don't get to prepare together," said Bittenbender, whose home bowling center is St. Charles Lanes. "We want to go out and compete the best we can, break the lanes down the best we can and pick each other up when we need to. We did that today, and it was great."
Many members of the group did get together Wednesday for the Bowlers Journal Championships, being held at the nearby South Point Bowling Center, but they didn't talk much about their strategy for the team event Thursday.
Instead, they used their warmup time to let the lanes tell them where to play, and they focused on repeating good shots.
The Bowlers Journal Championships, celebrating its 75th year alongside the Open Championships, does feature the same oil pattern competitors are facing in doubles and singles at the Bowling Plaza, so they already have some ideas for their next six games.
Bittenbender and his teammates will be back on the lanes for doubles and singles Friday at 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
Markis, who was 36 years old and an 11-time participant at the event, died unexpectedly in April 2021, not long before the six-team squad was scheduled to take the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza for a pandemic-shortened 2021 USBC Open Championships.
Past USBC Collegiate national champion Shea Bittenbender of St. Charles, Missouri, stepped in as the acting team captain for the year and held things together for the heavy-hearted group. All six teams competed, but none finished in the top 125.
Bittenbender volunteered to continue as the coordinator for the 2022 tournament, also being held at the South Point Bowling Plaza, and the teams made their presence known Thursday as they claimed the top three places in the Regular Team standings.
As the three games concluded, it was Bittenbender who threw the shots that locked up the lead for his team - Strike It Rich Pro Shop 1.
The 36-year-old right-hander delivered three final-frame strikes to cap the 3,241 performance, which included games of 998, 1,108 and 1,135. Bruno's Pizza of Lafayette, Indiana, the 2002 Regular Team champion, previously held the lead this year with 3,186.
Eddie Byrd contributed a 724 series to lead the effort for Strike It Rich Pro Shop 1, and he was followed by Bittenbender (712), Timothy Behrendt (618), Todd Sigeti (608) and Johnny Petraglia Jr. (579).
One pair of lanes to the right, Strike It Rich Pro Shop 3 was able to edge into second place with a 3,211 total. It included games of 1,126, 1,049 and 1,036.Michael Sumerano set the pace with a 723 set and was joined by Jason Stetina (668), Joseph Walker (664), Stephanie Sheridan (587) and Brian Kasperowski (569).
Strike It Rich Pro Shop 2 was close behind with 3,199, featuring games of 1,067, 1,097 and 1,035. Christian Taylor blazed the way with a 720 series and was followed by Michael Sapolis (692), Aaron O'Brien (635), Jennifer Helferstay (595) and Eric Czmowski (557).
"This is something we've never done here before, and even though we're here early, it's really nice to come together as a group, especially for our late friend and dear companion Mike Markis," said Bittenbender, who made his 14th Open Championships appearance. "He was the ringleader of this group, and I'm happy to take it over for him under the circumstances. I know he's proud of us today."
Another two teams landed in 14th and 23rd place in the Regular Division, and the final team is 38th in the Standard Division.
Markis was the owner of Strike It Rich Pro Shops, and the team names were left unchanged.
He also was honored in late 2021 with the inaugural "Michael Markis Memorial Tournament," which took place at Chacko's Family Bowling Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
It was an opportunity for his friends and fellow competitors to get together to reminisce and compete, a scene probably not too different than most weekends of his life or their time together at the Open Championships, where group members from across the country converge on the host city.
"We have guys from all over the country, but the goal is still the same, even if we don't get to prepare together," said Bittenbender, whose home bowling center is St. Charles Lanes. "We want to go out and compete the best we can, break the lanes down the best we can and pick each other up when we need to. We did that today, and it was great."
Many members of the group did get together Wednesday for the Bowlers Journal Championships, being held at the nearby South Point Bowling Center, but they didn't talk much about their strategy for the team event Thursday.
Instead, they used their warmup time to let the lanes tell them where to play, and they focused on repeating good shots.
The Bowlers Journal Championships, celebrating its 75th year alongside the Open Championships, does feature the same oil pattern competitors are facing in doubles and singles at the Bowling Plaza, so they already have some ideas for their next six games.
Bittenbender and his teammates will be back on the lanes for doubles and singles Friday at 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.