Kathi Finley of New Bern, North Carolina, celebrated Mother’s Day by calling her sons to let them know she moved into the lead in Emerald All-Events at the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships.

The 56-year-old right-hander averaged nearly 210 during her doubles and singles competition May 8 at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas to coast into the lead with a 1,788 nine-game total. Rexiene Smith of Tampa, Florida, previously held the lead with 1,690.

Finley rolled sets of 635 in doubles, 624 in singles and 529 in team to not only help her to the all-events lead, but also move her into the top four in Emerald Doubles and Emerald Singles.

Finley paired with Amy Miller of Newport, North Carolina, to move into second place in doubles with 1,135, and her singles effort now is fourth.

Kitty Cody of Citrus Heights, California, and Chris Mahana of Eagle, Idaho (pictured left, r-l), lead Emerald Doubles with 1,167, while Patsy Northey (right) of Cambridge, Wisconsin, set the bar in Emerald Singles with 631.

“This was so exciting,” said Finley, who made her second USBC Women’s Championships appearance. “My teammates tried to keep me calm and just kept talking to me, so I wouldn’t think about all of the strikes. Both of my sons are really good bowlers who have 300 rings and average more than 200, and they were really excited for me.”

Emerald All-Events features bowlers with entering averages of 160-174.

New Mexico team cruises to lead in Las Vegas

Developing team chemistry usually is not something that takes place over night, but the members of Toooo Hot!!! of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, put everything together on their first attempt as they made their way to the top of the Emerald Team standings.

Competing together for the first time, Toooo Hot!!! fired games of 676, 757 and 682 to cruise into the lead with a 2,115 total. Bling Team of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, previously held the lead with 1,991.

Crystal Espinosa led the way with a 594 series, and she was joined on the championship lanes by Cynthia Martinez (526), Betty Veitch (510) and Margaret Romero (485).

Emerald Team features four-player teams with combined entering averages of 575-649.

A look ahead

Martha Johnson of Johnson City, Tennessee, is scheduled to make her 50th USBC Women’s Championships appearance this week.

Johnson, 92, made her first tournament appearance at the 1963 event in Memphis, Tennessee, and is looking to join the 50-Year Club after missing last year’s event in Reno, Nevada.

The first live stream from the 2016 event also will take place this week as a group of former collegiate standouts from Wichita State hit the lanes at the Bowling Plaza on May 20.

The team, featuring Jessica Abel, Emily Fagan, Shannon Sellens and Katie Garcia, will be showcased during their doubles and singles set on BowlTV at 11 a.m. Eastern.

For more information on the Women’s Championships, click here.

Related Articles

Alyce Hansen competes in 50th USBC Women’s Championships
New Diamond All-Events, Doubles leaders emerge at 2016 USBC Women’s Championships
Daphne Smith leads three events at 2016 USBC Women’s Championships
Fabulous Four journey concludes at 2016 USBC Women’s Championships
South Point Bowling Plaza welcomes 2016 USBC Women’s Championships

2016 USBC Women’s Championships Team Results

Top 5 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with combined averages of 725 and above)
1, Atlanta’s Finest (Tinickia Fleming, Daphne Smith, Devera Buckley, Vanina Carlton), Lithia Springs, Ga., 2,534. 2, AZ Heat II, The Colony, Ariz., 2,418. 3, AZ Heat I, The Colony, Ariz., 2,395. 4, Wizards/GripLoc, New Hope, Minn., 2,385. 5, Sock, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2,339.

Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with combined averages of 650-724)
1, VA Wildcards (Rosanne Alwine, RoxAnn Artzer-Crowder, Andrea Sharp, Wanda Volpp), Stafford, Va., 2,215. 2, Garden Center Lanes, Alexandria, Minn., 2,206. 3, Tom Kelley’s Pro Shop, Carter Lake, Iowa, 2,150. 4, Gumbo Pin Gals, Shreveport, La., 2,132. 5, Greg’s Towing, Akron, Ohio, 2,126.

Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with combined averages of 575-649)
1, Toooo Hot!!!! (Crystal Espinosa, Cynthia Martinez, Margaret Romero, Betty Veitch), Rio Rancho, N.M., 2,115. 2, Atlanta Lady Rollers, Atlanta, 2,098. 3, Bling Team, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 1,991. 4, Rud Transportation II, Mandan, N.D., 1,989. 5, River Queens, Box Elder, S.D., 1,979.

Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with combined averages of 574 and below)
1(tie), T Mac Trucking (Susan Pritchard, Chloe Vincent, Linda Conti, Roberta Klingler), Falconer, N.Y., and St. Croix River Rollers (Judy Swens, Diane Johnson, Delta Johnston, Janet Merimonti), Stillwater, Minn., 1,835. 3, The Leftovers, Loveland, Colo., 1,832. 4 (tie), Overhead Doors of Lansing, Williamston, Mich., and Bowling Grandma, Springville, Utah, 1,817.

2016 USBC Women’s Championships Doubles Results

Top 5 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with combined averages of 380 and above)
1, Shawna Strause/Heidi Woods, Tucson, Ariz., 1,283. 2, Michelle Dragon/Angela Wolfe, Gilbert, Ariz., 1,232. 3, Jennifer Dovers, Sierra Vista, Ariz./Mandy Etem, Cave Creek, Ariz., 1,217. 4, Sandra Schultz, Macomb, Mich./Novella Daniels, Detroit, 1,215. 5, Anjanette Hogan, Grandview, Mo./Erika Wallace, Kansas City, Mo., 1,207.

Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with combined averages of 350-379)
1, Andrea Sharp, Stafford, Va./RoxAnn Artzer-Crowder, Berryton, Kan., 1,234. 2, Donna Bare/Lisa Yuknavage, Orlando, Fla., 1,150. 3, Ashley Schwartz/Kimberlee Lindsey, Port Charlotte, Fla., 1,144. 4, Janice Ritter/Angela Haltom, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,140. 5, Sherry Theisen, Phoenix/Patti Pope, Valparaiso, Ind., 1,138.

Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with combined averages of 320-349)
1, Kitty Cody, Citrus Heights, Calif./Chris Mahana, Eagle, Idaho, 1,167. 2, Amy Miller, Newport, N.C./Kathi Finley, New Bern, N.C., 1,135. 3, JoAnn Olson, Hutchinson, Minn./Denise Gann, Odenville, Ala., 1,101. 4(tie), Tonya VanVeldhuizen/Julie Jarman, Sioux Falls, S.D., and Sue Rann, Buena Vista, Colo./Tamara Smith, Salida, Colo., 1,097.

Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with combined averages of 290-319)
1, Janet Sward/Arianne Sward, Grasston, Minn., 1,073. 2, Ann-Marie Davis, Lithia, Fla./Randi DeVillier, Riverview, Fla., 1,068. 3, Viola Mueller/Liane Butitta, Neenah, Wis., 1,064. 4(tie), Deborah Schade/Paula Leonard, Findlay, Ohio, and Brenda Jamison, Brentwood, Md./Barbara Holland, Martinsville, Va., 1,054.

Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with combined averages of 260-289)
1, Nancy Jette, Beaverton, Ore./Pamala Conrad, Hillsboro, Ore., 1,014. 2, Linda Armbrister, Soland, Maine/Barbara Clark, Rockville, Md., 998. 3, Barbara Travis, Havelock, N.C./Delia Hibbs, New Bern, N.C., 990. 4, Carol Yerkman, Elkhart Lake, Wis./Susan Bonnett, Kiel, Wis., 987. 5, Carol Hovdet/Kristen Porath, Windom, Minn., 983.

Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with combined averages of 259 and below)
1, Brenda Bass, Conroe, Texas/Linda Brown, Albuquerque, N.M., 956. 2, Margret Smith, Douglasville, Ga./Debra Dale, Dickinson, Texas, 950. 3, Judy Moreman/Rosalinda Walker, Danville, Ill., 914. 4, Evelyn Mallory/Kathy Cadabona, Fairfield, Calif., 907. 5, Brenda Dana, Bedford, Wyo./Heidi Barkdull, Thayne, Wyo., 880.

2016 USBC Women’s Championships Singles Results

Top 5 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with averages of 190 and above)
1, Daphne Smith, Simpsonville, S.C., 724. 2, Laura White, Grand Rapids, Mich., 711. 3, Sharon Tataryn, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 706. 4, Mandy Etem, Cave Creek, Ariz., 700. 5, Eryn Jones, Greenfield, Ind., 693.

Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with averages from 175-189)
1, Billie Roberts, Rockford, Ill., 673. 2, Lindsey Szachta, Charlotte, N.C., 657. 3, Sunni Hearin, Newcastle, Wash., 621. 4(tie), Mindy McNeal, Gurdon, Ark., and Lisa Hutchinson, Novato, Calif., 620.

Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with averages from 160-174)
1, Patsy Northey, Cambridge, Wis., 631. 2(tie), Teresa Person, Tigard, Ore., and Catherine Macari, Islandia, N.Y., 630. 4, Kathi Finley, New Bern, N.C., 624. 5, Margaret DeMoss, Keizer, Ore., 620.

Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with averages from 145-159)
1, Mary Jane Shelton, San Antonio, 584. 2, Erin Bright, Chicago, 582. 3, Nancy Carroll, Aumsville, Ore., 577. 4(tie), Denise Caldwell, Ostrander, Minn., Autumn Fisher, Granby, Colo., and Theresa Sroczyk, East Helena, Mont., 571.

Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with averages from 130-144)
1, Marlana Ayers, Plymouth, Minn., 552. 2, Helen Heritage, Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 540. 3, Kathy Morton, Slater, Mo., 539. 4, Marci Bunting, Long Beach, Wash., 532. 5, Ryanne Bright, Chicago, 521.

Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with averages of 129 and below)
1, Margret Smith, Douglasville, Ga., 569. 2, Judy Moreman, Danville, Ill., 503. 3(tie), Diane O’Connor, Dexter, Minn., and Doreen Gehrke, Salt Lake City, 498. 5, Emma Lee Tate, Richmond, Ky., 487.

2016 USBC Women’s Championships All-Events Results

Top 5 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Division 1 – Diamond
(For bowlers with averages of 190 and above)
1, Emily Peterson, West Fargo, N.D., 1,969. 2(tie), Daphne Smith, Simpsonville, S.C., and Sharon Tataryn, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 1,957. 4, Mandy Etem, Cave Creek, Ariz., 1,940. 5, Lauri Cohrs, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,905.

Division 2 – Ruby
(For bowlers with averages from 175-189)
1, Mindy McNeal, Gurdon, Ark., 1,758. 2(tie), RoxAnn Artzer-Crowder, Berryton, Kan., and Nancy Sharp, Salem, Ore., 1,735. 4, Lindsey Szachta, Charlotte, N.C., 1,733. 5, Billie Roberts, Rockford, Ill., 1,725.

Division 3 – Emerald
(For bowlers with averages from 160-174)
1, Kathi Finley, New Bern, N.C., 1,788. 2, Rexiene Smith, Tampa, Fla., 1,690. 3, Margaret DeMoss, Keizer, Ore., 1,670. 4, Bonnie Drabant, Fridley, Minn., 1,669. 5, Jayne Sonognini, Keizer, Ore., 1,653.

Division 4 – Sapphire
(For bowlers with averages from 145-159)
1, Cindy Combs, Chicago, 1,673. 2, Erin Bright, Chicago, 1,636. 3, Denise Caldwell, Ostrander, Minn., 1,605. 4, JoAnn Olson, Hutchinson, Minn., 1,602. 5, Kristen Porath, Windom, Minn., 1,576.

Division 5 – Amethyst
(For bowlers with averages from 130-144)
1, Nancy Jette, Beaverton, Ore., 1,518. 2, Sarah King, Fayetteville, N.C., 1,493. 3, Norma Rodriguez, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1,482. 4, Ellen Knox, Lakeville, Minn., 1,474. 5, Amil Davis, Glade Hill, Va., 1,473.

Division 6 – Topaz
(For bowlers with averages of 129 and below)
1, Margret Smith, Douglasville, Ga., 1,675. 2, Judy Moreman, Danville, Ill., 1,430. 3, Emma Lee Tate, Richmond, Ky., 1,388. 4, Maryann Medellin, Dallas, 1,380. 5, Kim Sievert, Devils Lake, N.D., 1,360.