Eoff, O'Sullivan win doubles gold at Men's American Zone Championships
05/30/07
Two events down, two gold medals for Team USA at the 2007 Men's American Zone Championships. And, once again, a pair of first-year Team USA members shined through.
Derek Eoff (right) of Greenfield, Wis., continued to torch the field and teamed up with David O'Sullivan of Orlando, Fla., to win the doubles gold medal Tuesday - combining for a blistering 2,644 over six games for an average of 220.33 per game.
Their doubles score is the highest at an American Zone Championships since 1989 and third highest in the event's history, which dates back to 1961. It's the second medal in as many days for Eoff, who earned the singles bronze medal Monday in his Team USA debut.
"You can't ask for a better start," said Eoff, who was joined on the singles medal podium by another Team USA newcomer - gold-medalist John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Fla. "This is an unbelievable feeling."
O'Sullivan shot 1,318 (219.67 average) on the long oil pattern during Tuesday's afternoon session - including a 277 in the opening game to pick up Eoff, who struggled with a 168 in Game 1.
"I'm not really looking at my score or his," said O'Sullivan, who previously won a pair of medals with Junior Team USA at the 2004 World Youth Championships in Guam. "Instead we're just looking for a good team score every game - and 445 got it done. I'm glad I could put something together and get us a good score."
After a ball change to a Storm Solid Thurnderstruck before Game 3, Eoff averaged 246.75 over the final four games to finish with 1,326.
"I got tricked a little bit from the practice sessions because that ball wasn't working then," said Eoff, who also is leading all-events with 2,678 - 100 pins over O'Sullivan's second-place total. "They put a little more volume (oil on the lane pattern) out today. I kicked myself because I've used this ball on long patterns before and had great results."
"I knew Derek would find it sooner or later," O'Sullivan said. "Something like this is a dream come true. It was such an awesome day bowling with Derek. We work so well together and kept each other focused on making great shots. It was a good day, but we have a lot more work to do and medals to win."
Their score remained on top after the evening session completed, but not before receiving a few scares. Mexico's Benjamin Corona and Alejandro Cruz were plus-134 after three games and on pace to take the gold medal before combining for only 365 in Game 4 and falling back from there.
Entering the final game, Canada's Ray Vervynck and Joe Ciach were 90 pins off the leaders' pace, but quickly made up lost ground with a flurry of strikes. Vervynck's 4-6-7 split in the eighth frame was the deciding factor as the Canadians finished with 2,624 and the silver medal.
Corona and Cruz edged Puerto Rico's Francisco Colon and Luis Rodriguez by 10 pins for the bronze.
Competition continues at 8 a.m. local time Wednesday (10 a.m. EDT) with the six-game trios event. Eoff, O'Sullivan and Janawicz will comprise one Team USA team, while Hoffman, Haynes and Page will make up the other.
The Men's American Zone Championships, which will conclude June 1, features 18 countries and consists of six disciplines (singles, doubles, trios, team, all-events and Masters). The event is in Guatemala for the first time since 1966.
Beginning in 2007, the American Zone Championships moved from a quadrennial event featuring both men and women to a biennial event, with separate Women's American Zone Championships and Men's American Zone Championships alternating each year. The first Women's American Zone Championships is scheduled to be held in Chile in 2008.
Doubles Results
All Events Results
Guatemala
By Kevin Hazaert, USBC Communications
Two events down, two gold medals for Team USA at the 2007 Men's American Zone Championships. And, once again, a pair of first-year Team USA members shined through.Derek Eoff (right) of Greenfield, Wis., continued to torch the field and teamed up with David O'Sullivan of Orlando, Fla., to win the doubles gold medal Tuesday - combining for a blistering 2,644 over six games for an average of 220.33 per game.
Their doubles score is the highest at an American Zone Championships since 1989 and third highest in the event's history, which dates back to 1961. It's the second medal in as many days for Eoff, who earned the singles bronze medal Monday in his Team USA debut.
"You can't ask for a better start," said Eoff, who was joined on the singles medal podium by another Team USA newcomer - gold-medalist John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Fla. "This is an unbelievable feeling."
O'Sullivan shot 1,318 (219.67 average) on the long oil pattern during Tuesday's afternoon session - including a 277 in the opening game to pick up Eoff, who struggled with a 168 in Game 1.
"I'm not really looking at my score or his," said O'Sullivan, who previously won a pair of medals with Junior Team USA at the 2004 World Youth Championships in Guam. "Instead we're just looking for a good team score every game - and 445 got it done. I'm glad I could put something together and get us a good score."
After a ball change to a Storm Solid Thurnderstruck before Game 3, Eoff averaged 246.75 over the final four games to finish with 1,326.
"I got tricked a little bit from the practice sessions because that ball wasn't working then," said Eoff, who also is leading all-events with 2,678 - 100 pins over O'Sullivan's second-place total. "They put a little more volume (oil on the lane pattern) out today. I kicked myself because I've used this ball on long patterns before and had great results."
"I knew Derek would find it sooner or later," O'Sullivan said. "Something like this is a dream come true. It was such an awesome day bowling with Derek. We work so well together and kept each other focused on making great shots. It was a good day, but we have a lot more work to do and medals to win."
Their score remained on top after the evening session completed, but not before receiving a few scares. Mexico's Benjamin Corona and Alejandro Cruz were plus-134 after three games and on pace to take the gold medal before combining for only 365 in Game 4 and falling back from there.
Entering the final game, Canada's Ray Vervynck and Joe Ciach were 90 pins off the leaders' pace, but quickly made up lost ground with a flurry of strikes. Vervynck's 4-6-7 split in the eighth frame was the deciding factor as the Canadians finished with 2,624 and the silver medal.
Corona and Cruz edged Puerto Rico's Francisco Colon and Luis Rodriguez by 10 pins for the bronze.
Competition continues at 8 a.m. local time Wednesday (10 a.m. EDT) with the six-game trios event. Eoff, O'Sullivan and Janawicz will comprise one Team USA team, while Hoffman, Haynes and Page will make up the other.
The Men's American Zone Championships, which will conclude June 1, features 18 countries and consists of six disciplines (singles, doubles, trios, team, all-events and Masters). The event is in Guatemala for the first time since 1966.
Beginning in 2007, the American Zone Championships moved from a quadrennial event featuring both men and women to a biennial event, with separate Women's American Zone Championships and Men's American Zone Championships alternating each year. The first Women's American Zone Championships is scheduled to be held in Chile in 2008.
Doubles Results
All Events Results