High school champ off to strong start at Junior Gold Championships

    07/11/07

    USBC Youth

    AMF Thruway Lanes, Transit Lanes, AMF Airport Lanes in Buffalo N.Y., USA (July 7-13, 2007)

    2007JuniorGoldJonBuckert.jpg 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.

    Buckert was named the 2007 recipient of the Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow in December, won the inaugural Denny's All-American High School Championships in March and was recently named a Dexter/USBC High School All-American. Now, his sights are set on earning a spot on Junior Team USA this week.

    "My confidence level is pretty high up there after the year I've had," said Buckert, who shot 1,286 for six games in his opening squad at AMF Thruway Lanes on Monday. "I'm bowling well, and I know I can compete with a lot of the better bowlers out there from across the country."

    Buckert, 18, is one of more than 1,500 of the top youth bowlers in the country who are competing in the Junior Gold Championships, which are being conducted at three Buffalo-area bowling centers this week. The athletes are battling for $100,000 in scholarships and the title of U.S. Junior Amateur champion.

    After his solid start Monday, Buckert, a recent high school graduate who will attend bowling power Wichita State University in the fall, is confident he can continue to do well this week.

    "My scores today show me that I have the ability to compete in this tournament," said Buckert, who finished 52nd at last year's Junior Gold in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "I'm really looking forward to the next few days. I have a good look at all three centers, and I'm throwing the ball really well right now."

    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

    The semifinalists bowl six additional games on Friday to determine the top 32 males and top 32 females who compete in the finals. The remaining bowlers compete in six final games with the top male and top female declared U.S. Junior Amateur champions.

    The top five finishers who are U.S. citizens in the boys and girls divisions will earn automatic spots on Junior Team USA, serving as United States representatives in international competition in 2008. The National Selection Committee will choose six additional Junior Gold competitors, three males and three females, to round out the 2008 team.


    2007 USBC Junior Gold - Qualifying Boys Standings after six games





    2007 USBC Junior Gold - Qualifying Girls Standings after six games