With one round remaining, Dean Richards of Tacoma, Wash., moved into the men's overall lead, while Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., continued to stay ahead of the women Thursday at the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials.

Johnson continued to cruise with an overall lead of nearly 200 pins, finishing with a 27-game total of 6,112, an average of 226.37. Richards, meanwhile, jumped from second to first with a total of 6,146, an average of 227.63, at Sunset Station Hotel and Casino's Strike Zone Bowling Center.

All players will take part in a final nine-game block Friday with the top three men and top three women earning automatic spots on Team USA for 2009. An additional two men and two women from the remaining field will be selected to join the team.

"So far today was definitely my toughest pattern," said Johnson, who averaged 211 on the Long lane condition Thursday. "It was a big grind today, and I'm happy with where I'm at. I have to keep focusing on me and the pins and nothing else."

Johnson holds a 182-pin lead over fellow Team USA member Shannon Pluhowsky of Phoenix. Pluhowsky led the day on the Long pattern and finished with a 27-game total of 5,930. Another Team USA member, Diandra Asbaty of Chicago, is third with 5,859.

Richards, a current Junior Team USA member who competed in the World Youth Championships in Orlando, Fla., earlier this year, has a 71-pin lead on past Team USA member Cassidy Schaub of Polk, Ohio, who is second with 6,075. Second-round leader David Haynes of Las Vegas dropped to third with 6,065.

Richards attributes some of his success this week to focusing on executing shots and relying less on equipment changes.

"I only brought five bowling balls this week with me and wanted to focus on executing and matching up," Richards said. "A few of my friends brought over a dozen balls with them. For me, it's more important to execute my shots."

In addition to the Team USA spots available this week, eight spots on Junior Team USA 2009 are up for grabs. The top two boys and two girls in the final standings who are 20 years old or younger as of Jan. 1, 2009 will earn automatic spots on Junior Team USA.

Also, two boys and two girls from that same age group who competed in either the 2009 Team USA Trials or advanced to the top 16 at the USBC Junior Gold Championships last July are eligible to be selected. The selections will be announced Friday.

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