After more than two days of competition at the 2007 USBC Junior Gold Championships, there's little doubt that AMF Airport Lanes is challenging athletes the most. Chris Bolosan of Newport News, Va., who won the U.S. Junior Amateur title in 2005, opened with his first block Monday at Transit Lanes, the highest scoring of the three centers, and was near the top of the standings with 1,354, an average of 225.67 per game. In his second qualifying block Wednesday at AMF Airport, Bolosan totaled 1,151, an average of 191.83.
Jenny Brown of Deland, Fla., and Adam Martinez of San Antonio, a right-handed bowler who throws a back-up ball were crowned U.S. Junior Amateur champions Friday at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships. The championships featured nearly 1,600 of the top youth bowlers in the country competing for $100,000 in scholarships, individual titles and berths on Junior Team USA 2008.
Tony Sambueno of Aiea, Hawaii, and Jenny Brown of Deland, Fla., emerged as the high qualifiers after 18 games at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships late Thursday night. Sambueno shot 3,852, an average of 214 per game, while Brown, a current Junior Team USA member, shot 3,762, an average of 209. The top 96 boys and 48 girls advanced from qualifying to the semifinals.
Pikeville College senior Kayla Bandy of Danville, Va., became the first female in the 10-year history of the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships to shoot a perfect game during qualifying Thursday. Bandy, who was named Most Valuable Player for the 2006-07 collegiate bowling season by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association, fired the perfect game in the second game of her final qualifying block at AMF Thruway Lanes. 
For two athletes nearing the end of their tenure as youth bowlers, having the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships in their hometown is proving to be a unique experience. Nikki Lewandowski (l.) of Buffalo, N.Y., and Charlie Zmozynski (r.) of Depew, N.Y., are two veteran Junior Gold competitors, with Lewandowski competing for a record 10th time and Zmozynski for the fifth time. For them, what could be their final Junior Gold is much different than what they've experienced in the past.
Over the past few months, Jon Buckert of Rochester, N.Y., has felt that something big was brewing in his young bowling career. He hopes the payoff comes this week at the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships. Qualifying competition for the boys and girls divisions consists of three six-game blocks over four days continuing through Thursday. After 18 games, the top 96 males and 48 females (including all ties) will advance to the semifinals
