Despite a wrist injury, former Junior Team USA member Matt Gasn of Clarksville, Tennessee, piled on the strikes at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas on March 25 and cruised into the top spot in Regular Singles at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.

The 25-year-old right-hander (pictured right) rolled games of 251, 286 and 265 for an 802 series, the first 800 of the 2017 event, while also helping Vanilla Salsa of Roseville, California, take the lead in Team All-Events with a 9,743 total. The group averaged more than 233 in its final three games to secure the top spot.

Pictured above from left to right: Vanilla Salsa’s Shawn Naumann, David O’Sullivan, Matt Gasn, Sean Riccardi and PJ Haggerty.

Team All-Events is the combined all-events score for all five team members.

Shawn Naumann led the way for Vanilla Salsa and moved into second place in Regular All-Events with 2,053. Gasn added 2,025 and was followed by David O’Sullivan (1,960), PJ Haggerty (1,854) and Sean Riccardi (1,851).

Every Kiss Begins With Kruml of O’Fallon, Missouri, previously held the lead in Team All-Events with 9,588, Tony Buck of Rockford, Michigan, was the leader in Regular Singles with 768, and Jacob Boresch of Kenosha, Wisconsin, leads Regular All-Events with 2,122.

A day after Gasn and his teammates found their way into the spotlight, Robert Leser of Fenton, Michigan, teamed with Darin Craine (left, r-l) of Burton, Michigan, to raise the bar in Regular Doubles with a 1,342 total.

Craine, a 31-year-old right-hander, made his fifth tournament appearance and led the way with games of 254, 215 and 221 for a 690 series. He converted a 6 pin in his final frame and struck on the fill ball to secure the lead.

Leser, a 26-year-old right-hander and Open Championships first-timer, added games of 203, 259 and 190 for a 652 set as the two passed Nick Pate of Inver Grove, Minnesota, and Casey Maxted (right, r-l) of Gillette, Wyoming (1,336).

Defending Regular Singles champion Bobby Bures Jr. won’t repeat

Defending Regular Singles champion Bobby Bures Jr. (pictured above. Photo: Randy Gulley.) of Painesville, Ohio, put his title on the line March 28 at the South Point Bowling Plaza and came up short in his bid to become the first bowler in 114 years of USBC Open Championships history to successfully defend a singles title.

The 29-year-old right-hander (pictured left with his father) definitely made it exciting, opening with a 278 game, but he only was able to add 207 and 235 for a 720 series, which is tied for eighth this year and shy of the 802 series rolled earlier in the week by Matt Gasn of Clarksville, Tennessee.

Bures also had 632 in doubles and 625 in team for a 1,977 all-events total, good for 10th place. He finished tied for fourth place in Regular All-Events in 2016.

Standard Division gets new leaders in every event

The Standard Division standings at the 2017 USBC Open Championships also got shaken up this week as new leaders emerged in every event.

Minnesota Select Sires 1 of Fergus Falls, Minnesota (pictured above), claimed the lead in Standard Team by averaging nearly 195 on the way to games of 953, 1,012 and 957 for a 2,922 total March 22, more than 230 pins ahead of Wildcat Lanes 1 of Wayne, Nebraska, which previously held the lead with 2,688.

Andrew Kasten led the charge for Minnesota Select Sires 1 with a 725 series, and he was joined by Arvid Strande (639), Paul Buendiger (542), Scott Molnar (528) and Carl Krause (488).

On March 23, Mike Thielen of Eagle Grove, Iowa, moved into the lead in Standard All-Events with sets of 624 in singles, 603 in doubles and 574 in team for a 1,801 total. Thielen, who was a Classified Doubles runner-up in 2016, passed San Diego’s Tommy Purvy, who previously held the lead with 1,769.

The lead in Standard Doubles went to first-time participants Cody Maier and James Medina (right, l-r) of Spring Creek, Nevada, who posted a 1,180 total to break a tie at the top of standings.

Maier, a 27-year-old left-hander, led the doubles effort with a 619 series, a career-high, while Medina, a 24-year-old left-hander, added 561.

The success didn’t end there for Maier, who had 584 in singles and 483 in team to end his Open Championships debut as the leader in Classified All-Events with a 1,686 total.

John Dowell (left) of Portland, Oregon, raised the bar in Standard Singles with games of 220, 255 and 176 for a 651 series at the Bowling Plaza on March 27.

The 38-year-old right-hander got just enough count in his final frame to slip past Larry Riggs of Sidney, Montana, who had held the lead since the tournament’s opening weekend, posting a 648 total Feb. 19.

For more information on the Open Championships, click here.

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2017 USBC Open Championships – Regular Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 1,046 and above)
1, Kruse’s Pro Shop (Zack Wilhelmi, Casey Stavenger, Bradley Nordick, Douglas Wagner Jr., Eric Parvey), Fargo, N.D., 3,198. 2, Supreme Deck, Grand Haven, Mich., 3,174. 3, Classic Lanes Raisins, Milwaukee, 3,158. 4, SIR 1, Tafton, Pa., 3,148. 5, Ballard’s Bowling Academy 2, Fort Worth, Texas, 3,059. 6(tie), Vick Vick Boom 1, Mount Joy, S.C., and Vanilla Salsa, Roseville, Calif., 3,042. 8, Every Kiss Begins with Kruml, O’Fallon, Mo., 3,040. 9, Classic Lanes Kids, Milwaukee, 3,037. 10, Ballard’s Bowling Academy 1, Fort Worth, Texas, 3,036.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 419 and above)
1, Darin Craine, Flint, Mich./Robert Leser, Fenton, Mich., 1,342. 2, Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Casey Maxted, Gillette, Wyo., 1,336. 3, Clint Dacy, Fort Worth, Texas/Chris Hibbitts II, Keller, Texas, 1,320. 4, Jackie Carbonetto, Blauvelt, N.Y./Matt Gasn, Clarksville, Tenn., 1,312. 5, Jim Schroeder, Waukesha, Wis./Ryne Greenwood, Kenosha, Wis., 1,309. 6, Matthew Zitnik, Mayfield Heights, Ohio/Jason Bowles, Euclid, Ohio, 1,308. 7, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo./Nick Kruml, Downers Grove, Ill., 1,298. 8, Shawn Naumann, Orlando, Fla./PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 1,294. 9, Jacob Boresch/Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,289. 10, David Gerhart, Mount Joy, S.C./Daniel Vick, Pittsford, N.Y., 1,286.

Singles
(Averages of 210 and above)
1, Matt Gasn, Clarksville, Tenn., 802. 2, Tony Buck, Rockford, Mich., 768. 3, Rick Knickerbocker, Sacramento, Calif., 758. 4, Gary Daroszewski, Milwaukee, 736. 5, Neal Miskell, Indian Head, Md., 732. 6, Ryne Greenwood, O’Fallon, Mo., 730. 7, Geoffrey Young, Keller, Texas, 726. 8(tie), Bobby Bures Jr., Painesville, Ohio, and Matt Freiberg, Las Vegas, 720. 10(tie), Dan Chambers, Bloomington, Minn., William Uthoff, St. Charles, Mo., Randy Cot‚, Red Rock, Ariz., and Brian Currence, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, 715.

All-Events
(Averages of 210 and above)
1, Jacob Boresch, Kenosha, Wis., 2,122. 2, Shawn Naumann, Orlando, Fla., 2,053. 3, Ryne Greenwood, Kenosha, Wis., 2,045. 4, Geoffrey Young, Keller, Texas, 2,028. 5, Matt Gasn, Clarksville, Tenn., 2,025. 6, Daniel Vick, Pittsford, N.Y., 2,012. 7(tie), Gary Daroszewski, Milwaukee, and Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 1,992. 9, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,979. 10, Bobby Bures Jr., Painesville, Ohio, 1,977.

2017 USBC Open Championships – Standard Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 901-1,045)
1, Minnesota Select Sires I (Arvid Strande, Carl Krause, Paul Buendiger, Scott Molnar, Andrew Kasten), Fergus, Minn., 2,922. 2, Rimmy’s Pro Shop 2, Oak Lawn, Ill., 2,709. 3, Wildcat Lanes 1, Wayne, Neb., 2,688. 4, Solid 1, Milpitas, Calif., 2,677. 5, Oak Forest Bowl, Midlothian, Ill., 2,672. 6, New Berlin Ale, New Berlin, Wis., 2,666. 7, Oakridge Farms No. 1, Frazee, Minn., 2,665. 8, Sportsman Bowling Club No. 3, Moreno Valley, Calif., 2,661. 9, Color Wonders Painting II, Melvin, Mich., 2,658. 10, Strike Chasers 1, Fremont, Calif., 2,644.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 361-418)
1, Cody Maier/James Medina, Spring Creek, Nev., 1,180. 2(tie), Jeffrey Schwebke, McHenry, Ill./Robert Dinger, Volo, Ill., and Jeff Kusnerick/Duane Kruger, Streator, Ill., 1,174. 4, Mele Sally Chow/Randy Chow, Pearl City, Hawaii, 1,167. 5, Annette Hirsch/Tyson Hirsch, Burley, Idaho, 1,164. 6, Jordan Longnecker/Jon Zaruba, Streator, Ill., 1,161. 7, Ryan Mahoney/William O’Sullivan, Jacksonville, Fla., 1,156. 8(tie), Dan Johnson, Gwinner, N.D./Jim Kutter, Lidgerwood, N.D., and Darrell Pedersen/Mike Thielen, Eagle Grove, Iowa, 1,151. 10, Randy Moore, Pawleys Island, S.C./Kelly Griffin, Waldorf, Md., 1,150.

Singles
(Averages of 181-209)
1, John Dowell, Portland, Ore., 651. 2, Larry Riggs, Sidney, Mont., 648. 3, Bob Helton, Wood River, Neb., 647. 4, George Sampior, South San Francisco, Calif., 645. 5, Matt Schmitt, Rockford, Ill., 644. 6, Greg Jones, Jackson, Ohio, 635. 7, Michael Holt, Somerset, N.J., 634. 8, Mark Klostermeier, Toledo, Ohio, 631. 9, Bobby Craig, Salinas, Calif., 630. 10, Bradley Coffey, Waukesha, Wis., 628.

All-Events
(Averages of 181-209)
1, Mike Thielen, Eagle Grove, Iowa, 1,801. 2, Tommy Purvy, San Diego, 1,769. 3, Scott Gray, East Meadow, N.Y., 1,756. 4, Ruben Flores, Salinas, Calif., 1,754. 5, Mark Kemper, Frazee, Mich., 1,750. 6, Shane Uptagrafft, Racine, Minn., 1,744. 7, Kevin Carr, Carrington, N.D., 1,742. 8, John Stafford, Fountain, Colo., 1,741. 9(tie), Bruce Meyers, Yankton, S.D., and Michael Kvislen, Finley, N.D., 1,739.

2017 USBC Open Championships – Classified Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 900 and below)
1, Dusty’s Floor Covering (Douglas Fugleberg, Corey Hanson, Ricky Crane, Jody Bueng, Lynn Christianson), Twin Valley, Minn., 2,487. 2, Decorah Auto Center, Calmar, Iowa, 2,437. 3, Crooked Creek 1 Bar & Grill, Bowman, N.D., 2,413. 4, Parnell 2, Belding, Mich., 2,375. 5, Kerman Bowl, Kerman, Calif., 2,371. 6, County Line Storage, Osceola, Wis., 2,325. 7, Screaming Nuts, Pearland, Texas, 2,323. 8, King Pin Lanes 2, Campbellsport, Wis., 2,310. 9, Fore Bowlers, Mesquite, Nev., 2,309. 10, Aerointeriors, Billings, Mont., 2,291.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 360 and below)
1, Charles Lindeman, Belt, Mont./John Lindeman, Fort Benton, Mont., 1,058. 2, Sarah Eastland, Lawrence, Kan./Justin Milburn, De Soto, Kan., 1,055. 3, Carl Alioto, Pinehurst, N.C./Michael Carstensen, Schofield, Wis., 1,052. 4, Dawn Holmes/Dennis Holmes, Las Vegas, 1,037. 5, Josh Stickland, Sisseton, S.D./Noah Nissen, Lidgerwood, N.D., 1,035. 6, Mike Ignacio, Seaside, Calif./Anthony Souza, Watsonville, Calif., 1,034. 7(tie), Kayla Gray/Michael Gray, Salem, Ore., and Stanley Keeney, Casey, Ill./Denise Elsberry, Paris, Ill., 1,032. 9, Robert Todino/Kelly Lundgren, Green River, Wyo., 1,031. 10, Jeremy Gleason, Lidgerwood, N.D./Kipp Bredvik, New Effington, S.D., 1,028.

Singles
(Averages of 180 and below)
1, Michael Tengan, Hilo, Hawaii, 607. 2, Efrain Rodriguez, New York, N.Y., 590. 3, James Lee, North Platte, Neb., 589. 4, Gregory Lancaster, Port Orchard, Wash., 587. 5, Cody Maier, Spring Creek, Nev., 584. 6, Jonathan Eickhoff, Lowell, Mich., 583. 7, Taylor Lewis, Cambridge, Neb., 577. 8(tie), Mike Belden, Altoona, Wis., and John Jungeblut, Higginsville, Mo., 574. 10, Norris Kjos, New Rockford, N.D., 573.

All-Events
(Averages of 180 and below)
1, Cody Maier, Spring Creek, Nev., 1,686. 2, Efrain Rodriguez, New York, N.Y., 1,636. 3, Bim Marston, Hardin, Mont., 1,623. 4, Jason Gerlat, Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, 1,611. 5, Jeffrey Wallace, Riply, Ohio, 1,587. 6, Daniel Hybner, Rudyard, Mont., 1,586. 7, Jonathan Eickhoff, Lowell, Mich., 1,571. 8, Grant Foy, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,569. 9, Kipp Bredvik, New Effington, S.D., 1,564. 10, Norris Kjos, New Rockford, N.D., 1,558.