Kentucky's Mike Conn rolls first perfect game at USBC Junior Gold Championships

    07/15/09

    2009 USBC Junior Gold Championships

    Woodland Bowl, Western Bowl and Expo Bowl in Indianapolis, Ind., USA (July 11-17, 2009)

    2009JuniorGoldMikeConn.jpgThe lane conditions proved to be difficult for competitors during the first qualifying rounds of the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships presented by Brunswick.

    But Tuesday saw scoring rebound and Mike Conn (pictured left) of Crestwood, Ky., broke through to produce the tournament's first perfect game.

    Conn, who attends Bellarmine University, rolled the 300 game at Western Bowl in the second game of his six-game qualifying block. It was his ninth certified 300 game but the first he has bowled on Sport Bowling conditions.

    "I was a little nervous in the ninth frame and then the first ball in the 10th I almost left a stone 8-pin," said Conn, who shot 1,368 for the block. "But I carried that and on my next couple of shots I felt a lot better."

    James Cheff, who attends Pikeville (Ky.) College and has bowled against Conn on several occasions, was on the pair next to Conn. Two games after Conn's perfect game, Cheff struck on the first eight frames as Conn looked on.

    "I was trying to match him, but it was a little tough to keep my composure," Cheff said. "I give him a lot of props for that."

    Adam Chase, who won the 2009 USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships in May, came close to matching Conn during the final squad at Western Bowl. Chase struck on his first 11 shots but left a 4-pin on his final attempt for a 299.

    The Junior Gold tournament is being held at Woodland Bowl, Western Bowl and Expo Bowl. The qualifying competition continues Wednesday with final six-game block. The top 150 males and 78 females of the 18 qualifying games advance to the semifinals. Semifinal competition will take place Thursday, consisting of two six-game blocks. The top 16 males and top 16 females will earn spots in the match-play finals, which will take place Friday, July 17.

     


    Two-hander has no limits on the lanes


    2009JuniorGoldRyanLingholm.jpgRyan Lingholm (pictured left), 18, was making his first appearance at the Junior Gold Championships and the two-handed bowler from Boynton Beach, Fla., had a 230 game during Tuesday's action.

    Lingholm throws two-handed because of physical limitations. He was born with arthrogryposis, a rare, non-progressive condition characterized by joints contractures that leave the joints in a fixed position. Lingholm's wrists are in a cocked position but he is able to hold the ball like most two-handers with the two middle fingers on his right hand in the ball and his left hand supporting the ball.

    He has been bowling for 10 years and averaged 210 last summer. He also rolled the first perfect game at Boynton Beach High School during his junior year.

    On Tuesday, he struggled some on the conditions at Western Bowl.

    "I wished I could have bowled better but there's still one more day to get experience," Lingholm said.

     


    Junior Team USA member finds event a challenge


    2009PYCJakePeters_small.jpgIt has been a long week for Jake Peters (left) of Decatur, Ill. A first-year member of Junior Team USA, he won the Masters title at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Youth Championships in Bogota, Colombia, on Saturday then flew to Indianapolis late Sunday to compete in Junior Gold.

    His said being on Junior Team USA "has exceeded everything I could ever imagine."

    "As a bowler, that's the best feeling I ever had to stand on a podium after winning a gold medal with teammates and hear your national anthem over the speakers. It was just unbelievable."

    Peters hopes to keep his spot on Junior Team USA with a strong performance at Junior Gold.

    Competitors at the Junior Gold Championships also compete for spots on Junior Team USA. The top four male and top four female finishers after match-play competition automatically qualify for Junior Team USA 2010. The National Selection Committee (NSC) will award four at-large spots - two male, two female - from the pool of athletes that reach match-play finals.

    "The ultimate goal is to get to walk out of here with USA on your back one more year," Peters said. "That would be unbelievable."

    Peters shot 1,299 on Monday to place 11th overall, then rolled a 1,317 on Tuesday at Woodland Bowl. He described himself as "exhausted and excited" and added the lane conditions at this year's Junior Gold are a lot more demanding than in the last few years.

     


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