This week at the 2018 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships was a celebration of longevity, as three bowlers reached participation milestones at the Oncenter Convention Center in Syracuse, New York.

Paul Gustke of Sarasota, Florida, was the third bowler this year to reach 60 years on the tournament lanes (June 26), while Pat Holseth of Las Vegas (June 27) and George Rowan of Columbus, Ohio (July 2) each celebrated 50 years of participation. The event’s 50-Year Club got 13 new members during the tournament’s 2018 edition.

Gustke (featured photo), an 86-year-old right-hander who became the 25th member of the 60-Year Club, started his tournament career at the 1953 event in Chicago. He received a plaque, chevron and engraved money clip to commemorate this week’s milestone.

In 60 years on the championship lanes, he has knocked down 97,024 pins for a career average of 180.6. His performance in 2018 included sets of 387 in team and 334 in doubles for a 721 total. He did not participate in singles.

Holseth (left), a 70-year-old right-hander, made his tournament debut at the 1969 event in Madison, Wisconsin.

In his 50th appearance, Holseth only competed in the team event, rolling a 417 series. In his five decades at the Open Championships, he has knocked down 69,340 pins for a career average of 186.4.

Rowan (right) made his first visit to the Open Championships during the 1968 tournament in Cincinnati. In his 50th appearance, the 74-year-old right-hander opened with a 555 series in his team event. He’ll compete in doubles and singles on the afternoon of July 3.

Holseth and Rowan each received a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin at the Oncenter Convention Center to commemorate their longevity.

Two bowlers roll perfect games at Oncenter Convention Center

BJ Curtis of Cumberland, Maryland, and Richard Clark of Johnson City, New York, became the 12th and 13th bowlers to achieve perfection at the 2018 USBC Open Championships.

Curtis (left), a 34-year-old right-hander, connected for 12 consecutive strikes in his first game of singles June 28 at the Oncenter Convention Center, and he followed the 300 with games of 171 and 215 for a 686 series. Cotie Holbek of Burlington, Wisconsin, leads Regular Singles with 802.

Curtis started the day posting games of 148, 213, and 202 for a 563 series in doubles. He made adjustments throughout doubles, which gave him the right look and heading into singles.

With his 656 series in team, Curtis finished his 10th Open Championships with a career-best 1,905 all-events total. Kurt Pilon of Warren, Michigan, leads Regular All-Events with 2,186.

Clark’s 300 game came in his final game of doubles June 30 after games of 179 and 234, giving him a career-best 713 series. The 51-year-old right-hander (right) added sets of 606 in singles and 533 in team for a 1,852 all-events total, the best of his four Open Championships appearances.

Two bowlers defend titles at USBC Open Championships

The Classified All-Events and Classified Singles titles were on the line this week as Dwayne Brossett of Natchitoches, Louisiana, and Wiley Collins of Winter Springs, Florida, visited the Oncenter Convention Center.

Both were first-timers at the 2017 event in Las Vegas, and both were recognized as champions prior to their respective team events this week in Syracuse.

Brossett (left), who won the 2017 Classified All-Events title with a 1,745 total, was the first to defend this week, taking the lanes June 30 and July 1.

The 62-year-old’s sophomore campaign at the Open Championships ended with sets of 483 in doubles, 479 in team and 389 in singles for a 1,351 all-events total, leaving him short of this year’s leading total of 1,754, posted by Isaac Wake of Versailles, Indiana.

Collins (right) hit the championship lanes July 1-2, and his 2018 singles set included games of 188, 149 and 176 for a 513 series. Jochen Rehbein of Germany leads Classified Singles this year with 622.

Collins added a 491 set in team and 465 effort in doubles for a 1,469 all-events total.

A look ahead

Only a few days of competition remain at the 2018 USBC Open Championships, but there still are some defending champions and top competitors headed to the Oncenter Convention Center.

Reigning Regular Doubles champions Zachary Hattori of Henderson, Nevada, and Michael Coffey of Melbourne, Florida, will be in town to compete July 2-3. Their doubles defense will take place July 3 at 11 a.m. Eastern.

The two claimed the 2017 title on the second-to-last day of competition with a 1,478 total.

Defending Regular All-Events winner Brad Angelo of Lockport, New York, will help close the 2018 tournament, as he competes on the final two days. He’ll hit the lanes for his team event July 7 at 7 p.m. Eastern and return for doubles and singles July 8 at 11 a.m. EDT.

Angelo claimed the 2017 crown with sets of 735 in singles, 723 in team and 718 in doubles for a 2,176 total.

The 2018 Open Championships, featuring nearly 40,000 competitors from all 50 states and several foreign countries, kicked off March 24, and the event’s 107-day run will end July 8. The final squad of the year will take the lanes at 7 p.m. Eastern.

For more information on the Open Championships, click here.

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2018 USBC Open Championships – Regular Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 1,046 and above)
1, S & B Pro Shop 1 (Bill Orlikowski, Andrew Burke, Marcus McClain, Ryan Mouw, Kurt Pilon), Warren, Mich., 3,322. 2, Higgy’s Aquarium, Westerville, Ohio, 3,300. 3, The Locker Guy 1, Owatonna, Minn., 3,279. 4, Red Carpet Lanes, Greenfield, Wis., 3,277. 5, Lodge Lanes Too, Orlando, Fla., 3,248. 6, Team NABR, Fairport, N.Y., 3,217. 7, Shox City, Lawrence, Kan., 3,216. 8, 4 Revs & 1 Cripple, Ontario, Canada, 3,213. 9, The Shim Reapers, Franklin, Wis., 3,206. 10, #TeamWhenYo, Rochester, N.Y., 3,190.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 419 and above)
1, Richard Eighme, Waterloo, Iowa/AJ Chapman, St. Paul, Minn., 1,457. 2, Alex Ouellette, Linwood, Mich./Justin Neiman, Macomb, Mich., 1,456. 3, Ryan Stubblefield, St. Charles, Mo./Bryan Hahlen, Greenwood, S.C., 1,454. 4, Steve Kloempken, Pleasant View, Utah/David Haynes, Las Vegas, 1,453. 5, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo./Ronnie Fujita, El Sobrante, Calif., 1,443. 6, Francois Louw, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa/Michael Mak, Hong Kong, 1,437. 7, Matt Tomsu/Jay Watts, Omaha, Neb., 1,421. 8, Mitchell Katic, Kissimmee, Fla./Tyler James, Deltona, Fla., 1,416. 9, Dan Chambers/Steven Nava, Hopkins, Minn., 1,412. 10, Chad Svendsen, Monroe, Wis./Jonathan Schalow, Evansville, Wis., 1,403.

Singles
(Averages of 210 and above)
1, Cotie Holbek, Burlington, Wis., 802. 2, Chris Hill, Franklin, Wis., 795. 3, Brenden Sramek, Bellevue, Neb., 790. 4, Rick Justice, Lawton, Okla., 786. 5, Michael Fitzgerald, Phoenix, 785. 6, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 784. 7, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 781. 8, Rameses Chambers, Kansas City, Mo., 771. 9, Chad Oachs, Mankato, Minn., 770. 10. Vernon Peterson, Winter Haven, Fla., 769.

All-Events
(Averages of 210 and above)
1, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 2,186. 2, Josh Johnson, Callahan, Fla., 2,181. 3, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,164. 4, AJ Chapman, St. Paul, Minn., 2,147. 5(tie), Jonathan Schalow, Evansville, Wis., and Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 2,146. 7, Francois Louw, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, 2,131. 8, Russ Wilson, Lawrence, Kan., 2,130. 9, David Labinski, South Milwaukee, Wis., 2,129. 10, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 2,124.

Team All-Events
(Combined all-events totals of all five team members)
1, Red Carpet Lanes (Christopher Pierson, David Labinski, Ken Duffield, Chad Maas, David Beres), Greenfield, Wis., 10,252. 2, Higgy’s Aquarium, Westerville, Ohio, 10,011 3, Lawn Lanes 8, Burbank, Ill., 10,006. 4, Brian Brazeau Pro Shop, Ocala, Fla., 9,959. 5, One & Done, O’Fallon, Mo., 9,932. 6, Maxxx Revs Pro Shop 1, Peoria, Ill., 9,882. 7, Shox City, Lawrence, Kan., 9,805. 8, StormEBI, Cincinnati, 9,772. 9, #TeamWhenYo, Rochester, N.Y., 10,741. 10, Team NABR, Fairport, N.Y., 9,735.

2018 USBC Open Championships – Standard Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 901-1,045)
1, The Bowlers ER Tres (Tracy Anderson, Jason, Intravaia, Jannard Remo, Bill Shaw, Daniel Luncsford), Park Ridge, Ill., 2,843. 2, AJ’s Boys & Grandkids, Sparta, Mich., 2,735. 3, Dooley’s, Woodbridge, N.J., 2,730. 4, Mel’s Diner, Calmar, Iowa, 2,720. 5, Pla-Mor Lanes 5, Coldwater, Ohio, 2,719. 6, Manassas VA Team 3, Manassas, Va., 2,718. 7, Eastman, Jonesborough, Tenn., 2,717. 8, R&G Ag. 2, Grand Forks, N.D., 2,708. 9, Let’s Roll, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,704. 10, Pollard’s Bowl 5/Volidco, Versailles, Ind., 2,703.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 361-418)
1(tie), Jeffrey Krywcum/Michael Krywcum, Buffalo, N.Y., and Chad Green/Chad Queen, Athens, Tenn., 1,203. 3, Thomas Dutkiewicz/Stacey Browe, Kentwood, Mich., 1,200. 4(tie), David Stettnichs, Madison, S.D./Aaron Stettnichs, Rock Rapids, Iowa, 1,192. 5, Geoffrey Raasch/Darrell Raasch, Houston, 1,189. 6, Brian Hall, Blaine, Minn./Robert Pfeifer, Coon Rapids, Minn., 1,188. 7, Jack LittleRaven, Clinton, Okla./Stephen Kelley, Moore, Okla., 1,186. 8, Joseph Ortega/Richard Ciessau, Chicago, 1,174. 9, Ed Sauer/Thomas Shea, Billings, Mont., 1,172. 10, Mark Pifer, Covington, Va./Jerry Byer, Eagle Rock, Va., 1,171.

Singles
(Averages of 181-209)
1, Ted Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., 707. 2, Rob Pierson, Miles City, Mont., 706. 3, Neil Vitale, Benton Harbor, Mich., 694. 4, Alex Houston, Rochester, Minn., 686. 5, Lauren Pixley, Modesto, Calif., 678. 6, Robert Tuchek, Alliance, Neb., 667. 7, Kevin Cotterman, Sidney, Ohio., 666. 8(tie), Wendy Inscho, Roseville, Mich., and Sheldon Fettig, Killdeer, N.D., 657. 10, William LaRock, Lansing, N.Y., 655.

All-Events
(Averages of 181-209)
1, Alex Houston, Rochester, Minn., 1,855. 2, Jesse Gibson, Vincennes, Ind., 1,822. 3, Tyrone Brewington, Goldsboro, N.C., 1,811. 4, Joseph Stapert, West Jordan, Utah, 1,806. 5, Steve Kuykendall, Oakland, Calif., 1,800. 6, Mike Menge, Cleveland, 1,798. 7, Jorge Acurero, Taylorsville, Utah, 1,797. 8, Jon Lee, Alexandria, Minn., 1,795. 9, John Albrecht, Oak Creek, Wis., 1,794. 10, Mark Ross, Fort White, Fla., 1,790.

2018 USBC Open Championships – Classified Division

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall

Team
(Combined averages of 900 and below)
1, Team “Beav” (Bermadel Hagen, Victoria Beaver, Leonard Beaver, Vanessa Beaver, Maurice Anderson), Oceanside, Calif., 2,449. 2, Really???, Katy, Texas, 2,414. 3, Fiesta Bowl 2, Hanover Park, Ill., 2,409. 4, NYC Rollers in Motion, Bronx, N.Y., 2,399. 5, 2 Legit 2 Split, Mount Ayr, Iowa, 2,386. 6, Silver Bullets, Palm Coast, Fla., 2,381. 7, Bowling World 7, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., 2,340. 8, Knights and More, Aiken, S.C., 2,338. 9, Sarge’s Pin Killers 9, Las Cruces, N.M., 2,336. 10, OSNM 1, South Holland, Ill., 2,334.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 360 and below)
1, Jessica Archer, Portland, Maine/Edward Cotter, Levant, Maine, 1,116. 2, Adam Valentinas, Palos Park, Ill./Daniel Hartmont, Orland Park, Ill., 1,097. 3, Robert Johnson, Stansbury Park, Utah/Kenneth Poulsen, West Valley City, Utah, 1,082. 4, Jennifer Geimer, Miami Shores, Fla./Doug Romanik, Miami, 1,077. 5, Larry Pizzini, Boerne, Texas/Woodrow Gearhart, San Antonio, 1,073. 6, Norman Bentley/Richard Stone, Hoosick Falls, N.Y., 1,072. 7, LaVerne Ashley, Yonkers, N.Y./Dwayne Redman, Bronx, N.Y., 1,064. 8, James Pfeiffer, Camanche, Iowa/Randall Prokopec, Wauconda, Ill., 1,063. 9, Jennifer Pitti, Lakeland, Calif./Mike Lee, Los Angeles, 1,059. 10, Sandy Gray, Lake View, N.Y./Donald Dorsheimer, Fredonia, N.Y., 1,057.

Singles
(Averages of 180 and below)
1, Jochen Rehbein, Lindenfels, Germany, 622. 2, Juan Cavazos, Clinton, Iowa, 617. 3, Miriam Beckles, Ajax, Ont., 611. 4, Larry Roundtree, Lakeland, Fla., 608. 5, Jeannie Hockenberry, Natrona Heights, Pa., 604. 6(tie), Isaac Wake, Versailles, Ind., and Darren Robitaille, Grove, Okla., 602. 8, Rocky Martin, Enosburg Falls, Vt., 597. 9, Joe Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., 594. 10, Eva Smerecki, Norristown, Pa., 592.

All-Events
(Averages of 180 and below)
1, Isaac Wake, Versailles, Ind., 1,754. 2, Jochen Rehbein, Lindenfels, Germany, 1,718. 3, William Michalski, Syracuse, N.Y., 1,693. 4(tie), Joe Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., and Pat Anderson, Cut Bank, Mont., 1,656. 6, Billy Nagengast, West Point, Neb., 1,641. 7, Francisco Pina, Bakersfield, Calif., 1,628 8, Bryon Monnier, Brandt, S.D., 1,627. 9(tie), Esau Hernandez, Kissimmee, Fla., Jeannette Anderson, Burns, Wyo., and Juanita Holt, Bronx, N.Y., 1,614.