Scores heating up at 2017 USBC Women's Championships
June 15, 2017
By Ryne Navarro and Scott Simon
USBC Communications
BATON ROUGE, La. - In an exciting 24 hours on the lanes at the Raising Cane's River Center, three longstanding leads were bested at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.
Alice Burris of Pana, Illinois, was the first to reach the top of the standings, edging her way into the Sapphire All-Events lead Wednesday. Later that evening, Triangle Rollers of Durham, North Carolina, broke through to take over the top spot in Emerald Team.
On Thursday, Mary Quintana of Price, Utah, and Lorraine Berryhill of Helper, Utah, paired up for the first time at the USBC Women's Championships and were able to take the lead in Amethyst Doubles.
For Burris, the Sapphire All-Events lead came down to her fill ball. She needed at least eight pins to tie the 1,616 total posted by Tara Long of Kenton, Ohio, on April 25-26. Leaving no doubt, Burris delivered a strike to get to 1,618.
The strike capped off a 189 game and 580 series, which was enough also to move her into third place in Sapphire Singles. She added sets of 548 in team and 490 in doubles to get to her leading all-events tally. Memorial Pritchett of LaGrange, Georgia, leads Sapphire Singles with 644.
"Being close, or even taking the lead, was far from on my mind," Burris said. "There was really no pressure for me. My last set, the ball was just going in the right places. This is a fantastic feeling."
Sapphire Singles and All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 145-159.
Led by team captain Cynthia Brown's 555 series, Triangle Rollers became just the second Emerald team of the 2017 Women's Championships to have its name at the top of the leaderboard. The team posted a 1,992 total.
The Rose Buds of Danville, Kentucky, previously held the lead with 1,961, rolled April 23 on the opening squad of the 2017 event at the River Center.
Triangle Rollers had games of 716, 639 and 637, and Brown was joined in the effort by Teresa Johnson (525), Cynthia McMillin (516) and Tina Rambo (396).
"Well, I didn't think we had a shot at the lead, but I knew we were all bowling really well," said Brown, who made her 15th tournament appearance. "Usually, one of us will bowl well and someone else won't bowl so well, but all four of us had it going."
The Triangle Rollers nearly didn't make the trip to Red Stick in 2017. Brown, who assumed the duties of team captain, had to scramble two months ago to put together the team that now leads the Emerald Division.
"One of our member's husband got sick and passed away, so she was not able to come this year, and then someone else dropped out, so we had to pick up a couple of new bowlers," Brown said. "We're all excited to be in the lead, but I think Tina is the most excited since this is her first tournament."
Emerald Team includes four-player teams with combined entering averages of 575-649.
A friendly competition between Berryhill and Quintana helped them into the lead in Amethyst Doubles with a 1,009 total. Lois Davis and Florence Baker of Glendale, Arizona, previously held the lead with 971, bowled on May 11.
Berryhill got the edge in the head-to-head match with a 512 series, with Quintana adding 497.
"I was trying to keep up with her, since I would be down by 10 or 15," said Berryhill, who made her seventh Women's Championships appearance. "I knew I needed to do something because I couldn't let her down."
The two teamed up after Quintana's usual doubles partner was unable to attend this year.
"My former doubles partner got sick and couldn't bowl," said Quintana, who made her fifth tournament appearance. "Lorraine and I thought we'd bowl well together."
Amethyst Doubles features pairs with combined entering averages of 260-289.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
BATON ROUGE, La. - In an exciting 24 hours on the lanes at the Raising Cane's River Center, three longstanding leads were bested at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.
Alice Burris of Pana, Illinois, was the first to reach the top of the standings, edging her way into the Sapphire All-Events lead Wednesday. Later that evening, Triangle Rollers of Durham, North Carolina, broke through to take over the top spot in Emerald Team.
On Thursday, Mary Quintana of Price, Utah, and Lorraine Berryhill of Helper, Utah, paired up for the first time at the USBC Women's Championships and were able to take the lead in Amethyst Doubles.
For Burris, the Sapphire All-Events lead came down to her fill ball. She needed at least eight pins to tie the 1,616 total posted by Tara Long of Kenton, Ohio, on April 25-26. Leaving no doubt, Burris delivered a strike to get to 1,618.
The strike capped off a 189 game and 580 series, which was enough also to move her into third place in Sapphire Singles. She added sets of 548 in team and 490 in doubles to get to her leading all-events tally. Memorial Pritchett of LaGrange, Georgia, leads Sapphire Singles with 644.
"Being close, or even taking the lead, was far from on my mind," Burris said. "There was really no pressure for me. My last set, the ball was just going in the right places. This is a fantastic feeling."
Sapphire Singles and All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 145-159.
Led by team captain Cynthia Brown's 555 series, Triangle Rollers became just the second Emerald team of the 2017 Women's Championships to have its name at the top of the leaderboard. The team posted a 1,992 total.The Rose Buds of Danville, Kentucky, previously held the lead with 1,961, rolled April 23 on the opening squad of the 2017 event at the River Center.
Triangle Rollers had games of 716, 639 and 637, and Brown was joined in the effort by Teresa Johnson (525), Cynthia McMillin (516) and Tina Rambo (396).
"Well, I didn't think we had a shot at the lead, but I knew we were all bowling really well," said Brown, who made her 15th tournament appearance. "Usually, one of us will bowl well and someone else won't bowl so well, but all four of us had it going."
The Triangle Rollers nearly didn't make the trip to Red Stick in 2017. Brown, who assumed the duties of team captain, had to scramble two months ago to put together the team that now leads the Emerald Division.
"One of our member's husband got sick and passed away, so she was not able to come this year, and then someone else dropped out, so we had to pick up a couple of new bowlers," Brown said. "We're all excited to be in the lead, but I think Tina is the most excited since this is her first tournament."
Emerald Team includes four-player teams with combined entering averages of 575-649.
A friendly competition between Berryhill and Quintana helped them into the lead in Amethyst Doubles with a 1,009 total. Lois Davis and Florence Baker of Glendale, Arizona, previously held the lead with 971, bowled on May 11.
Berryhill got the edge in the head-to-head match with a 512 series, with Quintana adding 497.
"I was trying to keep up with her, since I would be down by 10 or 15," said Berryhill, who made her seventh Women's Championships appearance. "I knew I needed to do something because I couldn't let her down."
The two teamed up after Quintana's usual doubles partner was unable to attend this year.
"My former doubles partner got sick and couldn't bowl," said Quintana, who made her fifth tournament appearance. "Lorraine and I thought we'd bowl well together."
Amethyst Doubles features pairs with combined entering averages of 260-289.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women's Championships page.