Bardol, Hamilton lead way into Junior Gold Championships finals

    07/17/09

    2009 USBC Junior Gold Championships

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

    2009JuniorGoldChrisBardol.jpgChris Bardol won't have the opportunity to cheer on his girlfriend, Brittni Hamilton, during Friday's match play round of the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships presented by Brunswick.

    Bardol (pictured left), of Brockport, N.Y., said he is usually there to support Hamilton "because usually she's bowling and I'm not" by the time they get to the end of a tournament.

    But Thursday at Woodland Bowl, Bardol made sure he would be playing on the final day of the Junior Gold Championships. He rolled a 1,307 during the second of two six-game qualifying blocks of the semifinal round, and with a 6,495 total he will take a 105-pin lead into Friday's match play finals. The top 16 boys advanced to the finals.

    "I've been putting a lot of time in, knowing it's my last one," Bardol said of this year's Junior Gold Championships. "I want to go out with a big bang so we'll see what happens. Sixteen games is a lot; a lot can happen."

    2009PYCBrittniHamilton.jpgWhile Bardol was slipping away from the boys' field, Brittni Hamilton (pictured right), of Webster, N.Y., was running away with the top seed for the girls. She struggled to a 1,185 in the morning block but led the afternoon block at 1,283 for a 6,228 total and a 131-pin lead over Cassie Leuthold of Black Hawk, S.D.

    Hamilton was part of the Junior Team USA crew in Bogota, Colombia, last week and came back with gold medals in team and doubles. This week at the Junior Gold Championships she will lead the top 16 girls into Friday's finals.

    "Last week was an awesome week and then this week is going really well for me," Hamilton said. "I'm just hoping I can finish it off tomorrow. There are a lot of games, and a lot of good bowlers."

    And some of those good bowlers just missed the 16-player cut. Junior Team USA members Jennifer Boisselle of Valrico, Fla., and Geoffrey Young of Denton, Texas, each missed the cut. Boisselle had a 278 game in her second block but knew she was right on the cut line; she would finish 18th, 21 pins behind the cut.

    Dale Coleman of High Springs, Fla., however, made a major move by rolling a squad-high 1,323 in the final block. He jumped from No. 34 to make the cut at No. 16 by nine pins.

    Shane Tetterton of Kenhorst, Pa., who was in second place heading into Thursday's action, was "all over the place" during Thursday's action but a 256 game in his second block allowed him to hang on for ninth place. And he already had a game plan for Friday.

    "Get some rest then come out firing," Tetterton said.

    Bardol also knows what he must do on Friday - and that won't include cheering on his girlfriend in the finals.

    "I just need to keep doing the same things I've been doing all week - stay slow, execute your shots and have fun," Bardol said. "It's a lot of fun bowling out here."

     


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    Boys Semifinals - Standings after 30 Games


    The top 16 advance to the finals

    Complete Results

     

     


    Girls Semifinals - Standings after 30 Games


    The top 16 advance to the finals

    Complete Results

     

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