Wisconsin always is well-represented at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and the next generation of Badger-State bowlers made their presence known on the sport's biggest stage Saturday.

Propelled by a 1,258 game, the fourth-highest team effort in tournament history, Warhawks (pictured left) of Milton, Wis., made a run at the top spot in Regular Team before settling into third place with a 3,387 total. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop (right) of Neenah, Wis., the 2003 team champion, leads with 3,408.

Warhawks entered the National Bowling Stadium with a carefully-devised strategy, and although some opening-game nerves and a few errant shots led to a 974 start, the teammates got comfortable and started striking.

After posting the highest game of this year's tournament, they closed things out with a 1,155 game. The highest team game in 107 years of USBC Open Championships competition is 1,266, rolled by Dunham Sporting Goods 2 of Franklin, Wis., at the 2000 tournament in Albuquerque, N.M.

"At the beginning, both teams found the left lane to be a little bit tighter, and, of course, there were some first-game nerves," said Jonathan Schalow, who led the group with a 727 series. "In the 10th frame, we decided to make a move on the left lane, and it paid off. We set a goal of 1,200 for the second game, but no one talked about the final score. We focused on each frame and really tried to talk to each other."

Ryan Kohlmeyer added 714 for Warhawks and was followed by Chad Svendsen (675), Chris Colosimo (651) and Bryan Bannach (620).

In the months leading up to their trip to the 2010 USBC Open Championships, the former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater teammates practiced together and worked on different ways to break down the lanes as a group.

Schalow, who found individual success in his tournament debut last year in Las Vegas, turned to some of Wisconsin's most talented and experienced bowlers for advice on how to attack the championship lanes in order to succeed as a team.

"After last year, I started reading some blogs and talking to some of the local bowlers to see what I could learn about team play and the best ways to attack the lanes," said Schalow, a 23-year-old right-hander.

"Our plan was to burn it up around the sixth and seventh boards and slowly move left from there. We knew we needed to stay right as long as we could to open up the shot. My individual success last year really motivated me to learn more so we could perform well in team."

Last year, Warhawks shot 2,806, and Schalow came alive in doubles with a 299 game en route to an 807 series. He teamed up with Svendsen for a 1,458 total and fifth-place finish in Regular Doubles. Schalow's 2,122 all-events total was 18th overall, and that performance motivated him in his sophomore campaign.

"Our original goal coming in was to make the top 25, but going into the third game today, we were focused on the top five," said Schalow, who bowls regularly at Rock River Lanes in Fort Atkinson, Wis. "We wanted to execute, make good shots and communicate as a team to minimize mistakes. The second game really motivated us, but our preparation and communication made the difference."

The group's companion team, Warhawks 2, played an important role in breaking down the lanes and turned in a solid performance as well, finishing with a 3,080 total.

Kyle Sullivan led the way with 681 and was followed by Matt Anderson (661), Andrew Ewig (626), Adam Bannach (572) and Nick Tanin (540).

"This is an experience that none of us will ever forget," Schalow said. "I am grateful to have such great bowlers locally to get advice from, and this means the world to me and my teammates. This is a rewarding experience, and it's very fulfilling to be able to perform so well at an event with so many great bowlers."

The pins continued to fall for Schalow and his teammates Sunday as he added 738 in singles and 708 in doubles for a 2,173 all-events total, which is tied for eighth place in Regular All-Events. Matt McNiel (pictured left) of Chanhassen, Minn., leads with 2,326.

Schalow's effort helped his team into fourth place in Team All-Events with 10,033, making Warhawks the 24th team in history to eclipse the 10,000 mark. Northern Lanes Pro Shop (right) of Sanford, Mich., led by 2009 Regular Singles champion Bo Goergen, leads Team All-Events this year with 10,284.

Kohlmeyer added 2,093 for Warhawks and was followed by Svendsen (2,010), Bannach (1,920) and Colosimo (1,837).

"This is a phenomenal feeling, and I'm a little bit speechless right now," said Schalow, who is averaging 238.6 in his Open Championships career. "I played the lanes right, I threw good shots, and I bowled well overall. To come out to the big Stadium and bowl so well for the second year in a row feels amazing. This whole experience has been so rewarding and memorable."

Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.

 

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107th USBC Open Championships

National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., United States (Feb. 20 - July 5, 2010)

REGULAR DIVISION

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls

 

Team
1, Bowlers Edge Pro Shop (Brad Kuhr, Timothy Rice, Dan Paul, Kenny Kempf, Jason Wendt), Neenah, Wis., 3,408. 2, Linds Lakers 1, Minneapolis, 3,390. 3, Warhawks, Milton, Wis., 3,387. 4, KR Strikeforce, Decatur, Ill., 3,386. 5, Armstrong Printing 1, Naperville, Ill., 3,382. 6, Bowlers Universe 2, Rockford, Ill., 3,381. 7, Northern Lanes Pro Shop, Sanford, Mich., 3,355. 8, S & B Pro Shop, Clinton Township, Mich., 3,347. 9, The Bowling Store 1, Omaha, Neb., 3,343. 10, STORM, Pritchett, Colo., 3,321.

Doubles
1, Steve Bohn, Norwood, Minn./John Kreyer Jr., Fridley, Minn., 1,514. 2, Jeffrey Mersch, Orlando, Fla./Erik Vermilyea, Mansfield, Texas, 1,507. 3, Patrick Tiller, Orlando, Fla./Clint Roth, Orange City, Fla., 1,499. 4, Tom Milton, St. Petersburg, Fla./David Taylor, Seminole, Fla., 1,498. 5, Jeff Nimke, Oshkosh, Wis./Chad Maas, Brookfield, Wis., 1,480. 6, Jason Waters, Macedonia, Ohio/Steve Waters, Northfield, Ohio, 1,449. 7, Craig Auerbach, Sunrise, Fla./Michael Gaither, Tulsa, Okla., 1,446. 8, Luke Voaklander, St. Bonifacius, Minn./John Eiss, Orono, Minn., 1,444. 9, Dale Williams, West Valley, Utah/Jimmy Jensen/Magna, Utah, 1,441. 10, Ed Petrie, Las Cruces, N.M./John Young, Edgewood, N.M., 1,439.

Singles
1, Terrence Syring, Bay City, Mich., 833. 2 (tie), Earon Vollmar, Toledo, Ohio, and Eric Traylor, Cypress, Texas, 811. 4, Jason Munkberg, Redding, Calif., 807. 5, Matt McNiel, Chanhassen, Minn., 806. 6, Jimmy Johnson, Pataskala, Ohio, 804. 7, Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 795. 8, Bill Froberg, St. Joseph, Mich., 791. 9, Dan Gould, East Hampton, Mass., 783. 10 (tie), Dave Stenger, East Peoria, Ill., and Dave Smalley, Louisville, Ky., 781.

All-Events
1, Matt McNiel, Chanhassen, Minn., 2,326. 2, Brett Wolfe, Tempe, Ariz., 2,245. 3, John Bauerle Jr., Indianapolis, 2,225. 4, Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 2,211. 5, John Kreyer Jr., Fridley, Minn., 2,184. 6 (tie), Sam Lantto, Eden Prairie, Minn., and Earon Vollmar, Toledo, Ohio, 2,174. 8 (tie), Jonathan Schalow, Whitewater, Wis., 2,173. 10, Matt Tomsu, Papillion, Neb., 2,173. 10, Chuck Tompkins, Galloway, Ohio, 2,168.

Team All-Events
1, Northern Lanes Pro Shop (Bo Goergen, Derwin Pitre, Dale Hofmeister, JR Raymond, Dan MacLelland), Sanford, Mich., 10,284. 2, Linds Lakers 1, Minneapolis, 10,187. 3, Red Carpet Lanes, Greenfield, Wis., 10,131. 4, Warhawks, Milton, Wis., 10,033. 5, STORM, Pritchett, Colo., 9,975. 6, S & B Pro Shop, Clinton Township, Mich., 9,920. 7, Junior Team USA Support, Orlando, Fla., 9,893. 8, Bowlers Zone 1, Gilbert, Ariz., 9,864. 9, Armstrong Printing 1, Naperville, Ill., 9,826. 10, Team Pabst, Madison, Wis., 9,819.

 

CLASSIFIED DIVISION

Team
1, Southeast Paint (Mark Montoya, Frank Marrelli, Joe Juliano, Gary Nelson, Ed Howa), Price, Utah, 2,808. 2, Rivercat Five, Rancho Murieta, Calif., 2,793. 3, Huikko's Bowling Center 3, Buffalo, Minn., 2,730. 4, Cardinal Lanes, Hoisington, Kan., 2,708. 5, Bay Area Strikers 4, Union City, Calif., 2,703. 6, EWI/NPS/Denny's, Mentor, Ohio, 2,699. 7, Team 6, Fresno, Calif., 2,689. 8, We Don't Know, Columbia, S.C., 2,687. 9, Stars & Strikes 12, Conifer, Colo., 2,685. 10, Wothe Bait 1, Perham, Minn., 2,684.

Doubles
1, Daphene Thompson/Mark Thompson, Snyder, Texas, 1,207. 2, Robert Blum, Huntington Beach, Calif./Frank DeFrancesco, Poway, Calif., 1,200. 3, Gary Nelson/Ed Howa, Helper, Utah, 1,189. 4, Stephen Kubis/Stacey Smith, Houston, 1,186. 5, Bill Ausburn, Hayden Lake, Idaho/Dale Motz, Post Falls, Idaho, 1,185. 6 (tie), Cassondra Geller/Doug Geller, New Haven, Ind., and Tyson Sims/Scott Wilcox, Georgetown, Idaho, 1,182. 8, John Bishop/Dan Mosteller, Tooele, Utah, 1,175. 9, Wayne Doney, Lamar, Colo./Jim Matusek, Hartland, Wis., 1,174. 10, Pat Fitzgibbons, Colorado Springs, Colo./Pete Fitzgibbons, Goodland, Kan., 1,173.

Singles
1 (tie), David Garcez, Merced, Calif., and Don Clayborn, Kansas City, Kan., 669. 3, Gerald Faires, Collinsville, Ill., 661. 4, Dan Palmer, Byers, Colo., 658. 5, Sara Oszuscik, Plymouth, Ind., 654. 6, Blake Sandidge, Lead, S.D., 653. 7, Aaron Gilliam, Rifle, Colo., 648. 8, Joseph Buggs, Honolulu, 647. 9, Miguel Sanchez, Chicago, 646. 10, Steve Heath, Huntsville, Ala., 645.

All-Events
1, Ken Iredale, United Kingdom, 1,810. 2, Joseph Jellots, Starkville, Miss., 1,798. 3, Harry Arnold, Falls City, Neb., 1,796. 4, Geoff Bryant, Courtney, British Columbia, 1,789. 5, Steve Miller, Roanoke, Ill., 1,775. 6, Richard Eisenhut, Downers Grove, Ill., 1,766. 7, Shane Rice, Charlotte, N.C., 1,748. 8, Scott Lehman, Celina, Ohio, 1,744. 9 (tie), Amanda Elliott, Frankfort, Ky., and Harry Berg, Eau Claire, Wis., 1,743.