Flirtin' With Disaster of Tallahassee, Fla., nearly made history at the 2006 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships as it tried to become the first team to win back-to-back Classified Team titles.

After opening with 885 and 1,027 at the American Bank Center Exhibit Hall on Monday, the group was in position to make a run at the top spot, currently held by Torkelson Construction of Clarion, Iowa, which leads with 2,878. Flirtin' With Disaster fell short though, finishing with 865 for a 2,777 team total and fifth place overall.

"Last year, we were very relaxed and just having fun," said Gary Whitmer, who made his 15th Open Championships appearance. "But this time it was a little different. I think that seeing those eagles up on the scoreboard adds some pressure to perform. We didn't feel that weight was off our shoulders until the first game was over."

This year, the group featured four of the five team members who claimed the 2005 Classified Team title with 2,957, the second highest series posted in that division. Lewis Marine Supply of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which shot 2,974 at the 1991 in Toledo, Ohio, owns the top spot in that category.

Robert DuCasse led the way for Flirtin' With Disaster with 606 and was followed by Karen West (557), Whitmer (550), newcomer Henry Bryant Jr. (547) and Ken Mackenzie (517).

Alan Thompson, of Tallahassee, Fla., was the missing member from last year's championship squad and could not join the group to in its title defense because his improved average would have put the team over the 900 combined average mark and into the Regular Division.

"I bowled in a Sport league, which went a long way to helping improve my scores," said Thompson, who contributed 653 in last year's championship performance. "I really wanted to be out there to keep the team together, but I still felt like I was doing my part by cheering them on from the stands."

According to Whitmer, finding repeat success on the tournament lanes takes more than just the right mix of skill and luck.

"Because we all bowl together back home, we have good team chemistry and communication," said Whitmer, a 45-year-old right-hander. "We're happy with the result, but we really didn't bowl as well as we could have. I know it would've been great to win this again, but it's still been an unforgettable experience, and I'm ecstatic to think we might finish in the top five."

Presenting sponsors for the 2006 USBC Open Championships are Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Texas State Aquarium, Majestic Ventures Yacht Charters, Inc., USS Lexington Museum and Texas Treasure Casino Cruises.



Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls:

Team
1, Browning Pontiac (Steve Fehr, George Gohagan III, Ken Jessee, Jon Murph, Ken Abner), Cincinnati, 3,496. 2, Bowlers Universe 1, Rockford, Ill., 3,472. 3, Brunswick Shox, Wichita, Kan., 3,436. 4, The Benik Corporation, Silverdale, Wash., 3,402. 5, Bowling Dynamics Inc., Phoenix, 3,400. 6, Trophy King Pro Shop, Davenport, Iowa, 3,394. 7, Red Carpet Waukesha, Waukesha, Wis., 3,387. 8, Fran's Pro Shop 3, Waterloo, Iowa, 3,382. 9, True Amateur Tournament 1, Upland, Calif., 3,372. 10, Chilton Billiard Supply, Wichita, Kan., 3,365.

Doubles
1, Paul Yoder, Albuquerque, N.M./Bobby Stives, El Paso, Texas, 1,497. 2, Pat McGainey Jr., Baltimore/Brian Bennett, Lewes, Del., 1,496. 3, Paul Zuehlke, Oshkosh, Wis./Jon Schure, Ripon, Wis., 1,461. 4, Kevin Adam/Jacques Jacobson, Reading, Pa., 1,447. 5, Shane Keefauver, Canton, Ill./Doug Manhart, Bloomington, Ill., 1,432. 6, Gary Skidmore, Albuquerque, N.M./John Weltzien, Wellington, Fla., 1,425. 7, Scott Terzo/Mark McClain, Rochester, N.Y., 1,421. 8, Aaron Pawloski, Volcano, Calif./Bobby Huckaby, Santa Cruz, Calif., 1,420. 9, Mike Friedman, Adams, Tenn./Tony Szeluga, Clarksville, Tenn., 1,413. 10, Ryan Lever, New Berlin, Wis./Chad Maas, Brookfield, Wis., 1.412.

Singles
1, Norm Titus, Columbia, Tenn., 811. 2, Dave Barker, Springfield Ill., 793. 3, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 792. 4, Michael Chontos, Finleyville, Pa., 791. 5, Janette Piesczynski, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 789. 6 (tie), Dave Hewitt, Fremont, Calif., and Jeff Carter, Springfield Ill., 788. 8, David Williams Jr., Omaha, Neb., 783. 9, Ernest Goedicke, Brigham City, Utah, 774. 10, Mike Danielson, Vancouver, Wash., 773.

All-Events
1, Dave Mitchell, Farmington, Minn., 2,189. 2, Andrew Neuer, Milton, Pa., 2,183. 3, Aaron Walsh, Amarillo, Texas, 2,180. 4, Kelly Ray, Arlington, Texas, 2,179. 5, Norm Titus, Columbia, Tenn., 2,177. 6, Shane Keefauver, Canton, Ill., 2,171. 7, Rob Schuh, Neenah, Wis., 2,161. 8, Robert Dillman, Albuquerque, N.M., 2,158. 9, Mitch Sacks, Mundelein, Ill., and Michael Nape, Aurora, Ill., 2,156.<
Team All-Events
1, Linds Lakers 1 (Sam Lantto, Gary Green, Charles Vashaw, Todd Savoy, John Eiss), Minneapolis, 9,940. 2, MoRich Ball Company, Milwaukee, 9,893. 3, Bowling Dynamics Inc., Phoenix, 9,866. 4, Montgomery Industries Inc., Braintree, Mass., 9,851. 5, Smith Barney 1, Madison, Wis., 9,849. 6, Warrior Lanes, Des Moines, Iowa, 9,837. 7, Browning Pontiac, Cincinnati, 9,829. 8, Ebonite HQ 1, Hopkinsville, Ky., 9,816. 9, Fox Bowl 1, Wheaton, Ill., 9,814. 10, On Track/Custom Thumb A, Brooklyn Center, Minn., 9,799.

Team
1, Torkelson Construction (Greg Schipull, Roger Haupt, Troy Schultz, Dustin Elston, Eric Douglass), Clarion, Iowa, 2,878. 2, Suburban Lanes, Meade, Kan., 2,851. 3, Sportsman Bowling Club 3, Cerritos, Calif., 2,807. 4, Grogan's Dairy Queen, Dyersburg, Tenn., 2,789. 5, Flirtin' With Disaster, Tallahassee, Fla., 2,777. 6, D&R Golf, New Iberia, La., 2,750. 7, Sparta Pro Shop, Sparta, Mich., 2,745. 8, Hole in the Wall 2, Newton, Iowa, 2,744. 9, Lucky-Lucky, Lubbock, Texas, 2,743. 10, Dos Amigos, Page, Ariz., 2,742.

Doubles
1, Robert Tukker, Mount Prospect, Ill./David Clauss, Chicago, 1,248. 2, Richard Cockerhan, Davison, Mich./Ron Caldwell, North Branch, Mich., 1,234. 3, Chris Lott, Murfreesboro, Tenn./Ronald Morris, Nashville, Tenn., 1,229. 4, Larry Sifton, Lafayette, La./Carlton McCoy, Opelousas, La., 1,223. 5, Kevin Mitchell, Millbrae, Calif./Robert Stephens, San Francisco, 1,214. 6, Jared Gould, Jamestown, N.Y./Harvey Osterstuck, Perrysburg, N.Y., 1,212. 7, Kirby Lomax, Gainesville, Ga./Samuel Murray, Toccoa, Ga., 1,211. 8, Ron Hester/Ken Varner, Lexington, N.C., 1,209. 9, Leroy Bellemin, Grand Coteau, La./Rodney Leblanc, Lafayette, La., 1,201. 10 (tie), Larry Sorenson/Virgil Taylor, Streator, Ill., Tim Anderson, Dawson, Minn./Rob Bennett, Montevideo, Minn., and Glynn Arceneaux, Lafayette, La./Rob Clark, Duson, La., 1,198.

Singles
1, Shawn Fisher, Albuquerque, N.M., 684. 2 (tie), Steve Jacoby, Gowen, Mich., and Ted Skrzynecki Jr., Ida, Mich., 679. 4 (tie), Darlene Baker, Mahomet, Ill., and Todd Guidry, Lafayette, La., 675. 6, Rand Syverson, Onamia, Minn., 665. 7, Aaron Biagioni, Ottawa, Ill., 661. 8, Frederick Green, Waterford Township, Mich., 660. 9, Chris Case, Knoxville, Tenn., 657. 10, Greg Hidalgo, Austin, Texas, 655.

All-Events
1, Kirby Lomax, Gainesville, Ga., 1,861. 2, John Millet Jr., Greenland, N.H., 1,851. 3, Todd Guidry, Lafayette, La., 1,824. 4, John Murray, Pompano Beach, Fla., 1,802. 5, Jeffery Schrupp, Lester Prairie, Minn., 1,800. 6, Keith Braun, Celina, Ohio, 1,797. 7, Billy Haferkamp, Clifton, Texas, 1,788. 8, Michael Licko, Carol Stream, Ill., 1,787. 9, Robyn Haires, Panama City, Fla., 1,785. 10, James McLendon, Charlotte, N.C., 1,781.