Suncoast youths win five championships

By PHIL GULICK

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 16, 2000

Competitors from the Suncoast Young American Bowling Alliance associations walked off with five titles in the Florida State Tournament last month at centers in Bradenton and Venice.

The Quack-Ups from the Suncoast won the Division 4 team event with a 2,906 pinfall. Also, team members Ryan Clark and Jimmy Schumacher won the Division 4 doubles with a 1,548 and Mike Cerelli captured the boys Division 3 scratch all-events crown with an 1,838.

Clark was a three-time winner, also taking the Division 5 scratch all-events at 1,615 and the Division 5 handicap all-events with a 2,400 pinfall. Upper Pinellas YABA association competitors placed second in several events.

The doubles teams of Kevin Hindin and Chris Fitzgibbon and Jason Ali and Mike Gundel placed second.

Amy Gundel won the Division 4 singles and all-events scratch and handicap events. Cerelli placed first in the Division 3 all-events handicap and Clark in the Division 5 singles.

The annual tournament drew more than 4,000 youngsters with doubles and singles staged at AMF Bradenton Lanes and the team event at AMF Venice Lanes.

Tampa's Pat Pigeon was tournament director.

It was the first state event to include the new Gold event program to qualify bowlers for the USA Junior Olympic Gold National Championships.

LUCK FOR LUCKY LADIES: Rosanne Corona had the only high average on her team (179) and the Lucky Ladies picked up 1,087 handicap pins to win the 14th annual Champion of Champions tournament at Sunshine Bowl recently.

Corona was backed by Nordine Parker (424), Anna White (444), Marjorie Walker (425) and Cleotha Moore (464) as the Lucky Ladies collected 3,383 pins. They beat Interstate Express-LaBonte by four pins. Interstate included Roseann and John Ryan, Teresa and John Carrow and Mary Sims.

Take Away was third at 3,341, Unpredicta Balls fourth at 3,289 and Fred Titley Memorial fifth at 3,213. There were 49 teams entered.

The Champion of Champions competition consists of the regular-season league champions from the nine lower Pinellas County centers covered by the St. Petersburg Bowling Council. The regular season runs from August through May.

SECONDS IS FIRST: Back For Seconds took over first place last week in the Junior Scratch Classic at Countryside Lanes with Ben Zold, Jason LeBlanc and Cliff Barnes leading the way.

The Barnes squad, however, was only a point ahead of Team 5, with Chris Holly, Kevin Hindin and Christ Fitzgibbon. Standings are determined on points won or lost, not on total pins.

Barnes carries a 214 average, a pin behind Shawn Ryan, Zold is at 178 and LeBlanc at 166.

Top scorers last week were Jesse Francis with a scratch 200, Ryan with a 280 game and Stephen Rodriguez with a 737 scratch series.

League directors Bill and Cheryl Bedford are in Las Vegas this week with some of their young charges competing in the USA Junior Olympic Gold National Championships. The Countryside league competes every Wednesday night.

TEAM USA UPDATE: The state Team USA 2000 finals are July 22-23 at Seminole Lanes with the winner advancing to the national championship in December.

State winners earn expenses-paid trips to the nationals. Local qualifying is over for admission to Team USA2000 state competition, but non-qualifiers may buy into the state for $100. Expected to try for the state title are Darryl Dempsey, Frank Czarnocki, Mike Lamont, Bobby Atha, Brent Dewar and Matt Correa.

The first four qualified at the men's city tournament while Dewar and Correa made the grade in the National Classic Bowlers Association (NCBA) league.

Lucy Giovinco-Sandelin, the first American woman to win the AMF World Cup and a longtime Team USA competitor, is entered in the state tournament. She has returned to Tampa, her former home, after a long stay in Norcross, Ga.

State Team USA2000 director Bill Zuben, of Largo, said bowlers are invited to three sweepers on July 21 with a $50 entry fee.

BECKER IN AREA: Thomas Becker, highly decorated U.S. Army Desert Storm veteran, will be at Tampa's AMF University Lanes on July 20 to continue his nationwide marathon bowling on behalf of the AMFFightSMA tour. He hopes to raise $1-million to advance spinal muscular atrophy research. Corporations may sponsor teams for $1,000 and anybody can bowl with Becker for $10.

AROUND THE LANES: Pat Trudeau fired a 300-821, John Smith a 300 game and Ron Clemow a 300-724 at Liberty Lanes. Other honor scorers were Brett Frisse and Jeremy Lewandowski who rolled 300 games at Ten Pin Lanes. ... The Pinellas High School League's organizational meeting is slated for 3:30 p. m. on July 27 at Seminole Lanes. All coaches, center representatives and interested parties are invited. ... The St. Petersburg Association board meets July 15 at its office at 11 a.m.

- Phil Gulick can be reached at Xerxes6@ aol.com or Xerxes6@Juno.com.

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