Nebraska team cruises into lead at USBC Women's Championships
June 07, 2010
EL PASO, Texas - Auto Way Bowl of Minden, Neb., rolled into the top spot in Sapphire Team at the 2010 USBC Women's Championships on Saturday.
The group finished with a 2,464 series, which included scratch games of 746, 805 and 748 and an additional 55 pins of handicap per game. The effort moved Auto Way Bowl past Baton Rouge Gals of Denham Springs, La., which grabbed the top spot two days earlier with 2,450. Chick-A-Boom of Bloomfield, N.M., had maintained the lead for previous 44 days after shooting 2,424 on April 20.
"We call this our traveling team, since this is the group that bowls together in our travel league," said team captain Nancy Klahn, who made her 10th Women's Championships appearance. "We took first place in that league, so it's kind of been a successful year already. But we didn't expect this at all."
Klahn paced the team with a 518 series and was followed by Janet Kile (511), Lynn Whitten (439), Sherri Merrill (419) and Glenda Jacobsen (412).
Although the teammates knew they had performed well on the tournament lanes at the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, they didn't realize they accomplished something special until their sixth member, Donna Dyke, informed them they were leading. Dyke bowled on the same squad as a substitute on a different team, but bowled doubles and singles with the rest of her teammates.
"Donna's team told her that we were in first place, and at first, we thought she meant for the squad," said Klahn, who bowls regularly at Auto Way Bowl. "We didn't realize she meant for our division. When we saw the leaderboard, it was just an amazing feeling. We started taking pictures and let everyone back home know."
Klahn stressed the importance of family and friends, who help make their yearly trip to the Women's Championships possible.
"For most of us, this is just a great opportunity to travel and have a good time," Klahn said. "We have to thank our families for giving us that experience. They don't mind that we go out for a few days to bowl, and they support us all the way. The same goes for our bowling alley, Auto Way Bowl."
The only thing left for Auto Way Bowl is to see if it can etch its name in the record books as the first Sapphire Division team champion. The 2010 event marks a new era for the tournament, which now features three divisions, instead of five, and a format that uses 100 percent handicap.
"That would be totally awesome," Klahn said. "It would be something we never expected to do. We always hope to place, but first place? We dream of things like this but never think it will actually happen."
Klahn finished her 2010 event with an all-events total of 1,525. She was followed by Jacobsen (1,474), Kile (1,467), Merrill (1,364) and Whitten (1,348). Robin Farrish of El Paso leads Sapphire All-Events with 1,638. All scores include handicap.
The Sapphire Division is made up of teams with combined averages of 749 and below, with handicap based on 100 percent of 750.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Women's Championships are Nationwide Insurance; Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; US Steltronic, official scoring system; Brunswick; Storm Bowling Products Inc.; and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The group finished with a 2,464 series, which included scratch games of 746, 805 and 748 and an additional 55 pins of handicap per game. The effort moved Auto Way Bowl past Baton Rouge Gals of Denham Springs, La., which grabbed the top spot two days earlier with 2,450. Chick-A-Boom of Bloomfield, N.M., had maintained the lead for previous 44 days after shooting 2,424 on April 20.
"We call this our traveling team, since this is the group that bowls together in our travel league," said team captain Nancy Klahn, who made her 10th Women's Championships appearance. "We took first place in that league, so it's kind of been a successful year already. But we didn't expect this at all."
Klahn paced the team with a 518 series and was followed by Janet Kile (511), Lynn Whitten (439), Sherri Merrill (419) and Glenda Jacobsen (412).
Although the teammates knew they had performed well on the tournament lanes at the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, they didn't realize they accomplished something special until their sixth member, Donna Dyke, informed them they were leading. Dyke bowled on the same squad as a substitute on a different team, but bowled doubles and singles with the rest of her teammates.
"Donna's team told her that we were in first place, and at first, we thought she meant for the squad," said Klahn, who bowls regularly at Auto Way Bowl. "We didn't realize she meant for our division. When we saw the leaderboard, it was just an amazing feeling. We started taking pictures and let everyone back home know."
Klahn stressed the importance of family and friends, who help make their yearly trip to the Women's Championships possible.
"For most of us, this is just a great opportunity to travel and have a good time," Klahn said. "We have to thank our families for giving us that experience. They don't mind that we go out for a few days to bowl, and they support us all the way. The same goes for our bowling alley, Auto Way Bowl."
The only thing left for Auto Way Bowl is to see if it can etch its name in the record books as the first Sapphire Division team champion. The 2010 event marks a new era for the tournament, which now features three divisions, instead of five, and a format that uses 100 percent handicap.
"That would be totally awesome," Klahn said. "It would be something we never expected to do. We always hope to place, but first place? We dream of things like this but never think it will actually happen."
Klahn finished her 2010 event with an all-events total of 1,525. She was followed by Jacobsen (1,474), Kile (1,467), Merrill (1,364) and Whitten (1,348). Robin Farrish of El Paso leads Sapphire All-Events with 1,638. All scores include handicap.
The Sapphire Division is made up of teams with combined averages of 749 and below, with handicap based on 100 percent of 750.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Women's Championships are Nationwide Insurance; Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; US Steltronic, official scoring system; Brunswick; Storm Bowling Products Inc.; and the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau.