Winners determined at 2025 USBC Senior Championships
August 08, 2025
NOTE: A link to a photo gallery will be added to this story at a later date.
FULL STANDINGS
FORT WORTH, Texas – After three days of competition at Cityview Lanes, 12 winners emerged Friday from the 2025 edition of the United States Bowling Congress Senior Championships.
Nearly 400 athletes age 50 and older traveled from across the United States and Canada to participate in the 2025 event after earning spots through either a state or province senior tournament.
Competition was held across two divisions – Open and Women’s – in six age-based classifications – 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74 and 75 and older.
Qualifying consisted of six games over Wednesday and Thursday to determine Friday’s finalists. The top six scores in each division, including handicap, advanced to the championship round.
Pinfall dropped for all finalists, but they received bonus pins based on their qualifying positions. The top qualifier in each division received 50 bonus pins, while the second seed was given 40 bonus pins. The bonus pins continued to decrease by 10 for each qualifying position.
The 2025 champions were determined based on total pinfall for Friday’s three games, including handicap and bonus pins.
WOMEN’S DIVISION:
50-54:
Lisa Blagojevic of Brighton, Ontario, Canada, earned bragging rights in her division and for her drive back home with her performance Friday, recording the win with a 740 total.
Blagojevic, advancing as the sixth seed, rolled games of 181, 200 and 227 for a scratch total of 608, and she received 132 pins of handicap. She started her final game with five strikes to make her move away from the field.
“Coming into today, I didn’t have any bonus points, so I just wanted to bowl and have fun,” said Blagojevic, who made her second appearance at the USBC Senior Championships. “I just got up every shot and kept telling myself to hit my mark, strong legs and see what happens. It’s kind of surreal, and I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Her husband – Andrew Blagojevic – also qualified for the 2025 Senior Championships and advanced to Friday’s final round for the Open Division’s 50-54 classification, finishing fourth.
“We both made it this year and decided to make a trip out of it,” Blagojevic said. “It’s been a lot of fun. It was nice to have a week away together and just bowl and meet a ton of people. And, I got bragging rights now, so it’s even better.”
Kendry Tackett of Clinton, Tennessee, placed second with 692, edging Lauren Poole of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, by two pins (690).
55-59:
Janet Brown of Agency Village, South Dakota, made the most of her third appearance at the Senior Championships, recording the top score in her division with a total of 734.
Qualifying as the sixth seed, Brown used steady games of 189, 179 and 186 for a 554 scratch score and added 180 pins of handicap.
“I’ve been here three times, and I finally got it,” Brown said. “I had never made it to the finals. It really means a lot to me. I had some really tough girls to beat, and they were all very good.”
While Brown will enjoy the victory, she’s excited to share it with her youth bowlers from Buffalo Lanes.
“I run a youth league, so this will mean a lot to my kids, too,” Brown said. “I know it’s going to push them harder to bowl.”
Lydia Sullivan of Sanderson, Florida, finished as the runner-up with a score of 728, while Tammy Kutsch of Brule, Nebraska, placed third with 686.
60-64:
Kimberley Haney of Aberdeen, Maryland, also made the most of her third tournament appearance, posting a 677 total to claim the top spot.
Haney finished qualifying in third to receive 30 bonus pins, and she improved each game at Cityview Lanes, rolling scratch scores of 158, 194 and 208 for a 560 series. She added 87 pins of handicap to her final tally.
“The first game today was rough, but I sprung back,” Haney said. “My four strikes at the end of the third game really helped, too. The third time’s a charm.”
She now holds two national wins. Haney also claimed a win in Ruby Doubles at the 2021 USBC Women’s Championships in Reno, Nevada.
“It means a great deal to me,” Haney said. “I love going to the Women’s Championships and love coming to this tournament because you get to meet so many people. It’s really fun, and I’ve always enjoyed it.”
Jackie Selders of Middleton, Idaho, was second with 643, while Valarie Schlem of Piedmont, South Dakota, was third with 626.
65-69:
Although several of the divisions in 2025 were decided by less than 10 pins for the top spot, Pam Thompson of Rugby, North Dakota, recorded her victory by the slimmest margin – one pin.
Thompson had games of 141, 154 and 135 for a 430 scratch total as the third seed (30 bonus pins) and received 234 pins of handicap to finish with 694.
Sharon Powers of Lakewood, Colorado, earned the sixth seed Thursday by one pin, but she just missed out on the top score, finishing with a score of 693. Powers – a two-time winner at the Women’s Championships – finished with the highest scratch total of any competitor on Friday (690).
Third place went to Jane Lessenger of Cheyenne, Wyoming, who finished with 672.
70-74:
Jing LeBaquin of Cerritos, California, posted the top score in her division, finishing with an overall score of 733.
After earning the top seed and 50 bonus pins, LeBaquin rolled scratch games of 190, 171 and 154 for a 515 total. She added 168 pins in handicap to her winning score.
Arlene Garcia of Manhattan, Kansas, finished as the runner-up with 715, and Wanda Kremer of Rugby, North Dakota, took third with 646.
75 and older:
Viola Forrest of DeWitt, Arkansas, won her second title at the Senior Championships, finishing with a total score of 799.
The 93-year-old captured her first win during the 2020 event in Henderson, Nevada.
She qualified as the top seed in 2025 to earn 50 bonus pins and posted games of 136, 145 and 129 for a scratch series of 410. Forrest also received 339 pins of handicap.
Forrest faced an injury which caused her to miss the 2022 Senior Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, but she was excited to be back on the lanes and surrounded by her fellow competitors as she made her way to the top spot.
“I was scheduled to go to Louisville in 2022, but I fell and broke my hip and wrist,” Forrest said. “This is a comeback for me. I love being around people, so this is what it’s all about.
“It’s a thrill, really. I lost about 30 pins on my average after I fell. I didn’t bowl for a whole year, and I haven’t gotten it back up yet. I may not do it, but I don’t care as long as I can still roll the ball. It’s going to be a good trip home. My daughter brought me, a good friend came with me and we met some super people and had a lot of fun.”
Lillian Singleton of Birmingham, Alabama, was second with 734, and Shirley Bentley of Barbourville, Kentucky, placed third with 675.
OPEN DIVISION:
50-54:
James Ross of Cottondale, Alabama, settled in well over the course of his first trip to the Senior Championships this week, saving his strongest performance for Friday’s final round to claim the top spot with a total of 739.
Starting with 20 bonus pins as the fourth seed, Ross rolled games of 223, 249 and 202 for a scratch score of 674. He added 45 pins of handicap to secure the title.
“It was a little overwhelming with all the people here, but once I was able to settle down and started talking to everyone, I was able to get a little comfortable, get in rhythm and find my shot,” Ross said. “I just kept bowling and hoping for the best, and that’s what happened.
“My biggest takeaway from this is to not be afraid to enter any tournament, since you never know what can happen. I had my doubts coming in, but if you show up and do your best, good things can happen.”
John Sayaloune of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, recorded the runner-up finish with 726, while Ian Noel Herda of Alberta, Canada, was third with 714.
55-59:
A big finish in Game 3 helped Steve Johnson of Rosholt, South Dakota, secure the win with a 742 total at Cityview Lanes.
Johnson started with 30 bonus pins after claiming the third seed in qualifying, but he started Friday’s block with 166. He picked up the pace in Game 2 with 195, before firing 255 to close his set with a scratch series of 616. He added 96 pins of handicap.
Todd Reichenbeger of Barre, Vermont, finished second with 735. Ronaldo Maniego of Manitoba, Canada, placed third with 674.
“I was just happy to make the cut, first of all,” Johnson said. “I knew the competition was really strong and was thrilled to climb up to third. I had a rough start to the first game but found my way to the top at the end. I had to punch out with six strikes in the end to win by only seven pins.”
60-64:
Kevin Becera of Mililani, Hawaii, made the most out of his first trip to bowl in the contiguous United States, claiming the top spot in his division by nearly 100 pins with a 776 total.
Becera earned 40 bonus pins based on his performance in qualifying and put together steady games of 205, 213 and 222 on Friday for a scratch set of 640. He added 96 pins for handicap.
“It means a lot,” Becera said. “The opportunity to represent Hawaii and travel all this way and win the championship was an awesome experience. I want to thank my family for all their support. It’s my first time being off the island and actually bowling a tournament in the states. It’s pretty awesome.”
He had some support in preparing for his time at Cityview Lanes, too.
“There was a lot of practice, and my son helped me with all the technical stuff,” Becera said. “I also want to thank Roy Yamanuha for being my driller and giving me the opportunity to bowl.”
The runner-up was Randy Fischer of Grangeville, Idaho, with 683, while Dave Kist of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, claimed third with 678.
65-69:
Susan Polis of Homer, Alaska, posted a five-pin victory Friday, finishing with a 673 total.
She qualified in third to claim 30 bonus pins and had games of 167, 178 and 145 for a scratch total of 490 at Cityview Lanes. Polis added 153 pins for handicap.
Polis edged Danny Bray of Coalfield, Tennessee, who finished as the runner-up with 668. Kirt Gundry of Lansing, Michigan, was third with 653.
70-74:
Bob Ellis of Vidalia, Georgia, recorded the win in his debut at the Senior Championships, cruising to a top score of 728.
He had set the pace early in qualifying but faced some issues with his footing in the final two games Thursday. Ellis maintained his spot as the top qualifier to earn 50 bonus pins, however.
After a 160 start Friday, he found the right look in Game 2 to start to pull away from the field with 210 and closed with 167 for a scratch score of 537. He received 141 pins for handicap.
“It’s great,” Ellis said. “It’s my first time bowling a national tournament like this – I had been to a national bass tournament representing the state of Georgia in 2005. I had butterflies and nerves and everything, but it’s been great. It was great to represent the state and our league, and the good Lord blessed me on this whole thing.”
David Long of Durham, North Carolina, placed second with 682, and Patrick Chan of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, came in third with 653.
75 and older:
Jeff Ramp of Salem, Oregon, registered the largest total score Friday, finishing with 809 to record the win.
Ramp – who also finished as the top qualifier for 50 bonus pins – started strong with 241 and closed with 150 and 122 for a scratch series of 513. He received 246 pins of handicap.
Larry Hayes of Boone, North Carolina, was second with 735, and Sidney Rhodes Sr. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, placed third with 656.
The 2026 Senior Championships is slated for Aug. 4-7 at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
FULL STANDINGS
FORT WORTH, Texas – After three days of competition at Cityview Lanes, 12 winners emerged Friday from the 2025 edition of the United States Bowling Congress Senior Championships.
Nearly 400 athletes age 50 and older traveled from across the United States and Canada to participate in the 2025 event after earning spots through either a state or province senior tournament.
Competition was held across two divisions – Open and Women’s – in six age-based classifications – 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74 and 75 and older.
Qualifying consisted of six games over Wednesday and Thursday to determine Friday’s finalists. The top six scores in each division, including handicap, advanced to the championship round.
Pinfall dropped for all finalists, but they received bonus pins based on their qualifying positions. The top qualifier in each division received 50 bonus pins, while the second seed was given 40 bonus pins. The bonus pins continued to decrease by 10 for each qualifying position.
The 2025 champions were determined based on total pinfall for Friday’s three games, including handicap and bonus pins.
WOMEN’S DIVISION:
50-54:
Lisa Blagojevic of Brighton, Ontario, Canada, earned bragging rights in her division and for her drive back home with her performance Friday, recording the win with a 740 total.
Blagojevic, advancing as the sixth seed, rolled games of 181, 200 and 227 for a scratch total of 608, and she received 132 pins of handicap. She started her final game with five strikes to make her move away from the field.
“Coming into today, I didn’t have any bonus points, so I just wanted to bowl and have fun,” said Blagojevic, who made her second appearance at the USBC Senior Championships. “I just got up every shot and kept telling myself to hit my mark, strong legs and see what happens. It’s kind of surreal, and I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Her husband – Andrew Blagojevic – also qualified for the 2025 Senior Championships and advanced to Friday’s final round for the Open Division’s 50-54 classification, finishing fourth.
“We both made it this year and decided to make a trip out of it,” Blagojevic said. “It’s been a lot of fun. It was nice to have a week away together and just bowl and meet a ton of people. And, I got bragging rights now, so it’s even better.”
Kendry Tackett of Clinton, Tennessee, placed second with 692, edging Lauren Poole of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, by two pins (690).
55-59:
Janet Brown of Agency Village, South Dakota, made the most of her third appearance at the Senior Championships, recording the top score in her division with a total of 734.
Qualifying as the sixth seed, Brown used steady games of 189, 179 and 186 for a 554 scratch score and added 180 pins of handicap.
“I’ve been here three times, and I finally got it,” Brown said. “I had never made it to the finals. It really means a lot to me. I had some really tough girls to beat, and they were all very good.”
While Brown will enjoy the victory, she’s excited to share it with her youth bowlers from Buffalo Lanes.
“I run a youth league, so this will mean a lot to my kids, too,” Brown said. “I know it’s going to push them harder to bowl.”
Lydia Sullivan of Sanderson, Florida, finished as the runner-up with a score of 728, while Tammy Kutsch of Brule, Nebraska, placed third with 686.
60-64:
Kimberley Haney of Aberdeen, Maryland, also made the most of her third tournament appearance, posting a 677 total to claim the top spot.
Haney finished qualifying in third to receive 30 bonus pins, and she improved each game at Cityview Lanes, rolling scratch scores of 158, 194 and 208 for a 560 series. She added 87 pins of handicap to her final tally.
“The first game today was rough, but I sprung back,” Haney said. “My four strikes at the end of the third game really helped, too. The third time’s a charm.”
She now holds two national wins. Haney also claimed a win in Ruby Doubles at the 2021 USBC Women’s Championships in Reno, Nevada.
“It means a great deal to me,” Haney said. “I love going to the Women’s Championships and love coming to this tournament because you get to meet so many people. It’s really fun, and I’ve always enjoyed it.”
Jackie Selders of Middleton, Idaho, was second with 643, while Valarie Schlem of Piedmont, South Dakota, was third with 626.
65-69:
Although several of the divisions in 2025 were decided by less than 10 pins for the top spot, Pam Thompson of Rugby, North Dakota, recorded her victory by the slimmest margin – one pin.
Thompson had games of 141, 154 and 135 for a 430 scratch total as the third seed (30 bonus pins) and received 234 pins of handicap to finish with 694.
Sharon Powers of Lakewood, Colorado, earned the sixth seed Thursday by one pin, but she just missed out on the top score, finishing with a score of 693. Powers – a two-time winner at the Women’s Championships – finished with the highest scratch total of any competitor on Friday (690).
Third place went to Jane Lessenger of Cheyenne, Wyoming, who finished with 672.
70-74:
Jing LeBaquin of Cerritos, California, posted the top score in her division, finishing with an overall score of 733.
After earning the top seed and 50 bonus pins, LeBaquin rolled scratch games of 190, 171 and 154 for a 515 total. She added 168 pins in handicap to her winning score.
Arlene Garcia of Manhattan, Kansas, finished as the runner-up with 715, and Wanda Kremer of Rugby, North Dakota, took third with 646.
75 and older:
Viola Forrest of DeWitt, Arkansas, won her second title at the Senior Championships, finishing with a total score of 799.
The 93-year-old captured her first win during the 2020 event in Henderson, Nevada.
She qualified as the top seed in 2025 to earn 50 bonus pins and posted games of 136, 145 and 129 for a scratch series of 410. Forrest also received 339 pins of handicap.
Forrest faced an injury which caused her to miss the 2022 Senior Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, but she was excited to be back on the lanes and surrounded by her fellow competitors as she made her way to the top spot.
“I was scheduled to go to Louisville in 2022, but I fell and broke my hip and wrist,” Forrest said. “This is a comeback for me. I love being around people, so this is what it’s all about.
“It’s a thrill, really. I lost about 30 pins on my average after I fell. I didn’t bowl for a whole year, and I haven’t gotten it back up yet. I may not do it, but I don’t care as long as I can still roll the ball. It’s going to be a good trip home. My daughter brought me, a good friend came with me and we met some super people and had a lot of fun.”
Lillian Singleton of Birmingham, Alabama, was second with 734, and Shirley Bentley of Barbourville, Kentucky, placed third with 675.
OPEN DIVISION:
50-54:
James Ross of Cottondale, Alabama, settled in well over the course of his first trip to the Senior Championships this week, saving his strongest performance for Friday’s final round to claim the top spot with a total of 739.
Starting with 20 bonus pins as the fourth seed, Ross rolled games of 223, 249 and 202 for a scratch score of 674. He added 45 pins of handicap to secure the title.
“It was a little overwhelming with all the people here, but once I was able to settle down and started talking to everyone, I was able to get a little comfortable, get in rhythm and find my shot,” Ross said. “I just kept bowling and hoping for the best, and that’s what happened.
“My biggest takeaway from this is to not be afraid to enter any tournament, since you never know what can happen. I had my doubts coming in, but if you show up and do your best, good things can happen.”
John Sayaloune of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, recorded the runner-up finish with 726, while Ian Noel Herda of Alberta, Canada, was third with 714.
55-59:
A big finish in Game 3 helped Steve Johnson of Rosholt, South Dakota, secure the win with a 742 total at Cityview Lanes.
Johnson started with 30 bonus pins after claiming the third seed in qualifying, but he started Friday’s block with 166. He picked up the pace in Game 2 with 195, before firing 255 to close his set with a scratch series of 616. He added 96 pins of handicap.
Todd Reichenbeger of Barre, Vermont, finished second with 735. Ronaldo Maniego of Manitoba, Canada, placed third with 674.
“I was just happy to make the cut, first of all,” Johnson said. “I knew the competition was really strong and was thrilled to climb up to third. I had a rough start to the first game but found my way to the top at the end. I had to punch out with six strikes in the end to win by only seven pins.”
60-64:
Kevin Becera of Mililani, Hawaii, made the most out of his first trip to bowl in the contiguous United States, claiming the top spot in his division by nearly 100 pins with a 776 total.
Becera earned 40 bonus pins based on his performance in qualifying and put together steady games of 205, 213 and 222 on Friday for a scratch set of 640. He added 96 pins for handicap.
“It means a lot,” Becera said. “The opportunity to represent Hawaii and travel all this way and win the championship was an awesome experience. I want to thank my family for all their support. It’s my first time being off the island and actually bowling a tournament in the states. It’s pretty awesome.”
He had some support in preparing for his time at Cityview Lanes, too.
“There was a lot of practice, and my son helped me with all the technical stuff,” Becera said. “I also want to thank Roy Yamanuha for being my driller and giving me the opportunity to bowl.”
The runner-up was Randy Fischer of Grangeville, Idaho, with 683, while Dave Kist of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, claimed third with 678.
65-69:
Susan Polis of Homer, Alaska, posted a five-pin victory Friday, finishing with a 673 total.
She qualified in third to claim 30 bonus pins and had games of 167, 178 and 145 for a scratch total of 490 at Cityview Lanes. Polis added 153 pins for handicap.
Polis edged Danny Bray of Coalfield, Tennessee, who finished as the runner-up with 668. Kirt Gundry of Lansing, Michigan, was third with 653.
70-74:
Bob Ellis of Vidalia, Georgia, recorded the win in his debut at the Senior Championships, cruising to a top score of 728.
He had set the pace early in qualifying but faced some issues with his footing in the final two games Thursday. Ellis maintained his spot as the top qualifier to earn 50 bonus pins, however.
After a 160 start Friday, he found the right look in Game 2 to start to pull away from the field with 210 and closed with 167 for a scratch score of 537. He received 141 pins for handicap.
“It’s great,” Ellis said. “It’s my first time bowling a national tournament like this – I had been to a national bass tournament representing the state of Georgia in 2005. I had butterflies and nerves and everything, but it’s been great. It was great to represent the state and our league, and the good Lord blessed me on this whole thing.”
David Long of Durham, North Carolina, placed second with 682, and Patrick Chan of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, came in third with 653.
75 and older:
Jeff Ramp of Salem, Oregon, registered the largest total score Friday, finishing with 809 to record the win.
Ramp – who also finished as the top qualifier for 50 bonus pins – started strong with 241 and closed with 150 and 122 for a scratch series of 513. He received 246 pins of handicap.
Larry Hayes of Boone, North Carolina, was second with 735, and Sidney Rhodes Sr. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, placed third with 656.
The 2026 Senior Championships is slated for Aug. 4-7 at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin.