Wisconsin bowler tops Topaz standings at WC
April 27, 2015
By Wishelle Banks and Aaron Smith
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - For Donna Bong of Brodhead, Wisconsin, her focus on the lanes has been about camaraderie and fun, rather than obsessing over high scores, but that may change after her performance at the 2015 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.
The world's largest participatory sporting event for women brought out the best in the 54-year-old as she moved to the top of the standings in Topaz Singles and Topaz All-Events at the National Bowling Stadium on Monday.
The Topaz Division features bowlers with entering averages of 129 and below.
Bong finished her second USBC Women's Championships appearance with games of 151, 159 and 176 for a 486 series. Sets of 446 in doubles and 409 in team helped her to a 1,341 all-events total.
Carly Gragnani of Kerman, California, previously held the lead in Topaz Singles with 461, while her teammate, Jodi Buchnoff, also from Kerman, paced Topaz All-Events with 1,326.
After a practice session that she deemed horrible, the stars aligned and the pins began falling for Bong.
"It was a very exciting time," said Bong, a shipping clerk. "I was really not prepared to bowl as well as I did. I usually don't do well under pressure, and being here is pressure, as opposed to bowling at home. It just felt right. Things were going the right way."
As Bong was wrapping up her run in singles, her Albany Lanes teammates brought it to her attention that her scores had put her into the lead.
"They were watching, they were cheering and the rest of the people that we bowled with were really cheering me on, too," Bong said. "They were very supportive. Barb (Brugger) saw what the top score was before we started. She said, 'Aw, you got that.' So, she was the one who kept on saying, 'Donna, you almost got it, you almost got it - just go!'"
With her 2015 appearance in the books, Bong's performance has given her the incentive to continue working on her game, with the support from her family and teammates.
"They do try," Bong said. "I guess I'm not really one to take criticism well, because I know what I'm supposed to do. I know how it is supposed to go, and I just have to make it in my mind that that's the way it's going to go. But they do tell me and give me tips all the time."
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.
USBC Communications
RENO, Nev. - For Donna Bong of Brodhead, Wisconsin, her focus on the lanes has been about camaraderie and fun, rather than obsessing over high scores, but that may change after her performance at the 2015 United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.
The world's largest participatory sporting event for women brought out the best in the 54-year-old as she moved to the top of the standings in Topaz Singles and Topaz All-Events at the National Bowling Stadium on Monday.
The Topaz Division features bowlers with entering averages of 129 and below.
Bong finished her second USBC Women's Championships appearance with games of 151, 159 and 176 for a 486 series. Sets of 446 in doubles and 409 in team helped her to a 1,341 all-events total.
Carly Gragnani of Kerman, California, previously held the lead in Topaz Singles with 461, while her teammate, Jodi Buchnoff, also from Kerman, paced Topaz All-Events with 1,326.
After a practice session that she deemed horrible, the stars aligned and the pins began falling for Bong.
"It was a very exciting time," said Bong, a shipping clerk. "I was really not prepared to bowl as well as I did. I usually don't do well under pressure, and being here is pressure, as opposed to bowling at home. It just felt right. Things were going the right way."
As Bong was wrapping up her run in singles, her Albany Lanes teammates brought it to her attention that her scores had put her into the lead.
"They were watching, they were cheering and the rest of the people that we bowled with were really cheering me on, too," Bong said. "They were very supportive. Barb (Brugger) saw what the top score was before we started. She said, 'Aw, you got that.' So, she was the one who kept on saying, 'Donna, you almost got it, you almost got it - just go!'"
With her 2015 appearance in the books, Bong's performance has given her the incentive to continue working on her game, with the support from her family and teammates.
"They do try," Bong said. "I guess I'm not really one to take criticism well, because I know what I'm supposed to do. I know how it is supposed to go, and I just have to make it in my mind that that's the way it's going to go. But they do tell me and give me tips all the time."
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.