At the halfway point of the 2011 United States Bowling Congress Team USA Trials, Diandra Asbaty of Chicago and Mike Fagan of Patchogue, N.Y., remained at the top of the standings after 18 games.

Asbaty holds a slim seven-pin lead with a two-day total of 3,929, an average of 218.2, while Fagan leads with 4,192, an average of 232.8, at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center in suburban Las Vegas.

Although Asbaty wasn't able to score quite as high on the 34-foot Stockholm lane pattern Wednesday, she had just enough to stay ahead of Shannon Pluhowsky (right) of Dayton, Ohio. Pluhowsky, who has already been selected to join Team USA in 2011, led the 73-player women's field with 2,065 (229.44) to finish with 3,922. Defending champion Brenda Padilla of Mansfield, Texas, is third with 3,907.

"There's still a lot of games to go, but I feel like I made some really good decisions today," said Asbaty, who totaled 1,901 for Wednesday's nine games. "Usually, I start this tournament slow but this year I came in thinking that I wanted to get as much as I can as early as I can. So far that's worked out for me."

Fagan holds a 27-pin lead over Scott Boyle of Salida, Calif., who has totaled 4,165 and retained his second-place position. EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., is third with 4,053. Defending champion John Janawicz (left) is 11th with 3,903.

"I definitely could have bowled better, and I got a couple of big games in the middle which let me hang around," said Fagan, who totaled 2,068 in the second round. "I'm looking forward to the long pattern tomorrow. I usually bowl well on the long patterns but I expect tomorrow to be tricky, too. I just have to keep an open mind and hopefully bowl well."

47-time PBA champion Walter Ray Williams Jr. (right) led the 125-player men's field on the second day of the trials with 2,097 and an average of 233 to leap from 13th to fifth place with 4,034.

Competition continues Thursday with the third of four nine-game blocks. The top three men and top three women finishers after 36 games will earn automatic spots on Team USA, while the National Selection Committee will pick two additional men and two additional women to join the team.

The top two male and top two female competitors who are 20 years old or younger before Jan. 1, 2011 will earn automatic spots on Junior Team USA 2011. The National Selection Committee will select two additional boys and two additional girls to join the team.

The National Selection Committee will select from players who either competed in the Team USA Trials or who advanced to the match-play portion of the USBC Junior Gold Championships, which were held in July in Indianapolis.

 

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Men's Division - Standings after 18 games

1. Michael Fagan, 4,192 2. Scott Boyle*, 4,165 3. EJ Tackett*, 4,053 4. Greg Geering*, 4,049 5. Walter Ray Williams Jr., 4,034 6. Tyler Herrman*, 3,982 7. Nathan Bohr, 3,96 8. Steve Smith, 3,951 9. Thomas Baral*, 3,947 10. Jarret Mizo, 3,934 11. John Janawicz, 3,903 12. Kyle King, 3,877 13. Devin Bidwell, 3,855 14. Jon Trzcinski*, 3,837 15. Perry Crowell IV*, 3,827 16. Kamron Doyle*, 3,825 17. Craig Hanson, 3,809 18. Jacob Peters, 3,802 19. Matthew Tuckfield, 3,786 20. Matthew Gasn, 3,779
* Eligible for Junior Team USA

Men Round 2 Results (pdf file)
Men's Division after 18 Games (pdf file)

 

Women's Division - Standings after 18 games

1. Diandra Asbaty, 3,929 2. Shannon Pluhowsky, 3,922 3. Brenda Padilla, 3,907 4. Brittni Hamilton, 3,903 5. Kim Yioulos*, 3,882 6. Liz Johnson, 3,871 7. Josie Earnest, 3,796 8. Danielle McEwan, 3,777 9. Christine Bator, 3,771 10. Bryanna Caldwell, 3,770 11. Melanie DeCarlo*, 3,756 12. Elise Bolton*, 3,748 13. Samantha Santoro, 3,746 14. Samantha Kelly*, 3,743 15. Kayla Johnson, 3,679 16. Kayla Bandy, 3,678 17. Jessica Earnest*, 3,654 18. Dayna Galganski*, 3,648 19. Suzana Signaigo*, 3,631 20. Emily Maier, 3,625
*,Eligible for Junior Team USA

Women Round 2 Results (pdf file)
Women's Division after 18 Games (pdf file)