When Matt McNiel (pictured right) of Chanhassen, Minn., completed his nine games at this year's United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, he had no idea he'd just posted the highest all-events total in 107 years of tournament history.

Now, the record-setting left-hander can add eagle winner to his growing resume as the official Regular All-Events champion at the 2010 event, which ended its 136-day run at the National Bowling Stadium on Monday.

McNiel, 25, marked in 88 of 90 frames on the way to sets of 806 in singles, 780 in team and 740 in doubles for a 2,326 total. Ron Vokes of Racine, Wis., previously held the all-events record with 2,321, which he shot on the way to the title last year in Las Vegas.

"I've been putting about 100 hits a day on the website to see what's going on, and it feels so good to know it's finally in the books," said McNiel, who finished fifth in Regular Singles. "I've been getting a lot of congratulations on my performance, and getting that kind of respect from your peers and people you look up to is what makes it real. It's starting to sink in, and it feels amazing."

Less than two weeks after McNiel's performance, defending Regular Singles champion Bo Goergen (pictured left) of Midland, Mich., was in Reno to put his title on the line. While he isn't the tournament's first repeat singles champion, he will share the winning feeling he experienced a year ago with his teammates after helping Northern Lanes Pro Shop (right) of Sanford, Mich., to the 2010 Team All-Events crown with a 10,284 total.

Dan MacLelland of Saginaw, Mich., a two-time collegiate national champion and two-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player, led the way for Northern Lanes Pro Shop with a 2,166 all-events total. He was followed by Dale Hofmeister (2,085), Goergen (2,031), J.R. Raymond (2,026) and former Team USA member Derwin Pitre (1,976).

"This feels absolutely fantastic, and to be able to see my guys' faces as they get to experience what I did last year has been amazing," said Goergen, a 50-year-old right-hander who took home the 2009 Regular Singles title with a record-score of 862 and helped his team to a third-place Team All-Events finish. "We work hard at our games and do our best to excel, and to accomplish something like this at this level is really special. I am excited for the team and really proud of all the guys."

This year's Regular Singles winner is Terrence Syring (pictured left) of Bay City, Mich., who put together games of 276, 258 and 299 for an 833 series on March 26 and had the longest wait of all the Regular Division champions.

"I was just waiting and hoping that my score would hold on," said Syring, a 27-year-old right-hander, whose previous-high series on the championship lanes was 689 in doubles last year in Las Vegas. "I know what it's like to chase the score on the leaderboard, but I'm glad no one was able to catch up to me. This is definitely exciting."

In Regular Doubles, 29-year-old John Kreyer Jr. (r.) of Fridley, Minn., found his way back into the spotlight and brought his partner, Steve Bohn (l.) of Norwood, Minn., 40, with him as the two left-handers combined for a 1,514 winning-total.

Kreyer, who rolled the first 300 of the 2007 USBC Open Championships, also at the Stadium, led this year's doubles surge with games of 258, 279 and 279 for an 816 series, while Bohn contributed 248, 204 and 246 for 698.

"There were a few nail-biting moments in there when some great teams put up serious numbers, so it feels really good now that it's over," Kreyer said. "It's like a weight has been lifted, and we are so proud now that we've won. We've had a really good year overall, and the feeling is hard to describe."

Rounding things out in the Regular Division is Bowlers Edge Pro Shop (pictured left) of Neenah, Wis., which claimed the top spot with a 3,408 total, the highest team score in six visits to the Stadium, which opened in 1995 and has hosted the Open Championships every third year since.

Three members of the team, Brad Kuhr, Tim Rice and Jason Wendt made their return to the winner's circle, seven years after claiming the same title in Knoxville, Tenn.

Wendt led the way this year with a 727 series and was followed by Rice (716), Kenny Kempf (675), Kuhr (653) and Dan Paul (637). The group put together games of 1,050, 1,115 and 1,243, the second-highest team game of the 2010 event. Warhawks of Milton, Wis., rolled the highest game of the year, 1,258, on the way to a third-place finish with 3,387.

"It was a fun and enjoyable ride, but it was a little scary at times," said Kuhr, who helped his team into the top spot on April 1. "There have been a lot of talented teams that got close but had something go wrong at the end before they could catch us, so it must've been meant to be. Three of us won together last time, and now, it's nice to share it with Dan, who is the one who introduced me to the tournament, and Kenny, who is a great friend of ours. It's just an unbelievable feeling."

In the Classified Division, Ed Howa helped Southeast Paint of Price, Utah, to the team title with games of 878, 930 and 1,000 for a 2,808 total. His 619 series set the pace, and he was joined by Mark Montoya (618), Joe Juliano (549), Gary Nelson (516) and Frank Marrelli (506).

The Classified Doubles title went to the husband and wife duo of Mark and Daphene Thompson of Snyder, Texas. Mark led the way with a 624 set, while Daphene added 583 for a 1,207 total, which edged out runners-up Robert Blum of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Frank DeFrancesco of Poway, Calif., by seven pins.

"The wait has been driving me nuts, and I've been on pins and needles," said Mark Thompson, whose doubles series this year is the only 600 of his nine-year Open Championships career. "Every day, I went online to look at the scores, sometimes two or three times. We're excited. We have been nervous wrecks. My friends have been keeping up with the scores as well, and we're relieved that the wait is over."

David Ackerman (pictured left) of Lena, Ill., posted games of 200, 262 and 226 on the way to the Classified Singles title with a 688 series, while William Gibboney Jr. of Douglasville, Ga., had to wait just eight days to see if he could hold on for the Classified All-Events crown. He shot 674 in doubles, 575 in singles and 570 in team for a 1,819 all-events total.

The 2010 Open Championships kicked off on Feb. 20, and this year's edition marked the tournament's record ninth trip to Reno and sixth visit to the National Bowling Stadium.

During the tournament's run, 14,189 five-player teams, more than 70,000 bowlers, made their way to The Biggest Little City in the World for their shot at Open Championships glory.

Some of the numbers not reflected on the leaderboard include 32 perfect games, 13 299s and five 298s, while 38 other bowlers tossed 11 strikes in a row. There were seven 800 series overall, six in singles and one in doubles.

Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.

 

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107th USBC Open Championships

National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., United States (Feb. 20 - July 5, 2010)

REGULAR DIVISION

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls

 

Team
1, Bowlers Edge Pro Shop (Brad Kuhr, Timothy Rice, Dan Paul, Kenny Kempf, Jason Wendt), Neenah, Wis., 3,408. 2, Linds Lakers 1, Minneapolis, 3,390. 3, Warhawks, Milton, Wis., 3,387. 4, KR Strikeforce, Decatur, Ill., 3,386. 5, Armstrong Printing 1, Naperville, Ill., 3,382. 6, Bowlers Universe 2, Rockford, Ill., 3,381. 7, Northern Lanes Pro Shop, Sanford, Mich., 3,355. 8, S & B Pro Shop, Clinton Township, Mich., 3,347. 9, The Bowling Store 1, Omaha, Neb., 3,343. 10 (tie), Fox Bowl 1, Wheaton, Ill., and STORM, Pritchett, Colo., 3,321.

Doubles
1, Steve Bohn, Norwood, Minn./John Kreyer Jr., Fridley, Minn., 1,514. 2, Jeffrey Mersch, Orlando, Fla./Erik Vermilyea, Mansfield, Texas, 1,507. 3, Patrick Tiller, Orlando, Fla./Clint Roth, Orange City, Fla., 1,499. 4, Tom Milton, St. Petersburg, Fla./David Taylor, Seminole, Fla., 1,498. 5, Jeff Nimke, Oshkosh, Wis./Chad Maas, Brookfield, Wis., 1,480. 6, Michael Adamski, Grandview, Mo./Tom Patton, Olathe, Kan., 1,462. 7, Jason Waters, Macedonia, Ohio/Steve Waters, Northfield, Ohio, 1,449. 8, Craig Auerbach, Sunrise, Fla./Michael Gaither, Tulsa, Okla., 1,446. 9, Luke Voaklander, St. Bonifacius, Minn./John Eiss, Orono, Minn., 1,444. 10, Dale Williams, West Valley, Utah/Jimmy Jensen/Magna, Utah, 1,441.

Singles
1, Terrence Syring, Bay City, Mich., 833. 2 (tie), Earon Vollmar, Toledo, Ohio, and Eric Traylor, Cypress, Texas, 811. 4, Jason Munkberg, Redding, Calif., 807. 5, Matt McNiel, Chanhassen, Minn., 806. 6, Jimmy Johnson, Pataskala, Ohio, 804. 7 (tie), Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., and Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 795. 9, Bill Froberg, St. Joseph, Mich., 791. 10, Dan Gould, East Hampton, Mass., 783.

All-Events
1, Matt McNiel, Chanhassen, Minn., 2,326. 2, Brett Wolfe, Tempe, Ariz., 2,245. 3, John Bauerle Jr., Indianapolis, 2,225. 4, Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 2,211. 5, John Kreyer Jr., Fridley, Minn., 2,184. 6 (tie), Sam Lantto, Eden Prairie, Minn., and Earon Vollmar, Toledo, Ohio, 2,174. 8 (tie), Jonathan Schalow, Whitewater, Wis., and Matt Tomsu, Papillion, Neb., 2,173. 10, Chuck Tompkins, Galloway, Ohio, 2,168.

Team All-Events
1, Northern Lanes Pro Shop (Bo Goergen, Derwin Pitre, Dale Hofmeister, JR Raymond, Dan MacLelland), Sanford, Mich., 10,284. 2, Linds Lakers 1, Minneapolis, 10,187. 3, Red Carpet Lanes, Greenfield, Wis., 10,131. 4, Warhawks, Milton, Wis., 10,033. 5, STORM, Pritchett, Colo., 9,975. 6, S & B Pro Shop, Clinton Township, Mich., 9,920. 7, Junior Team USA Support, Orlando, Fla., 9,893. 8, Bowlers Zone 1, Gilbert, Ariz., 9,864. 9, Armstrong Printing 1, Naperville, Ill., 9,826. 10, Team Pabst, Madison, Wis., 9,819.

 

CLASSIFIED DIVISION

Team
1, Southeast Paint (Mark Montoya, Frank Marrelli, Joe Juliano, Gary Nelson, Ed Howa), Price, Utah, 2,808. 2, Rivercat Five, Rancho Murieta, Calif., 2,793. 3, Popp Operating, Hoisington, Kan., 2,744. 4, Huikko's Bowling Center 3, Buffalo, Minn., 2,730. 5, Team X, Brownsville, Texas, 2,718. 6, Cardinal Lanes, Hoisington, Kan., 2,708. 7, Bay Area Strikers 4, Union City, Calif., 2,703. 8, EWI/NPS/Denny's, Mentor, Ohio, 2,699. 9, Whippersnappers 2, Sylvania, Ga., 2,691. 10, Team 6, Fresno, Calif., 2,689.

Doubles
1, Daphene Thompson/Mark Thompson, Snyder, Texas, 1,207. 2, Robert Blum, Huntington Beach, Calif./Frank DeFrancesco, Poway, Calif., 1,200. 3, Isaac Vidaurri/Frank Goff Jr., Kingsville, Texas, 1,193. 4, Gary Nelson/Ed Howa, Helper, Utah, 1,189. 5, Stephen Kubis/Stacey Smith, Houston, 1,186. 6 (tie), Bill Ausburn, Hayden Lake, Idaho/Dale Motz, Post Falls, Idaho, and Tracey Peake Carter/Daryl Peake, Mount Holly, N.C., 1,185. 8 (tie), Cassondra Geller/Doug Geller, New Haven, Ind., and Tyson Sims/Scott Wilcox, Georgetown, Idaho, 1,182. 10, John Bishop/Dan Mosteller, Tooele, Utah, 1,175.

Singles
1, David Ackerman, Lena, Ill., 688. 2 (tie), David Garcez, Merced, Calif., and Don Clayborn, Kansas City, Kan., 669. 4, Gerald Faires, Collinsville, Ill., 661. 5, Dan Palmer, Byers, Colo., 658. 6, Sara Oszuscik, Plymouth, Ind., 654. 7, Blake Sandidge, Lead, S.D., 653. 8, Aaron Gilliam, Rifle, Colo., 648. 9, Joseph Buggs, Honolulu, 647. 10, Miguel Sanchez, Chicago, 646.

All-Events
1, William Gibboney Jr., Douglasville, Ga., 1,819. 2, Ken Iredale, United Kingdom, 1,810. 3, Joseph Jellots, Starkville, Miss., 1,798. 4, Harry Arnold, Falls City, Neb., 1,796. 5, Geoff Bryant, Courtney, British Columbia, 1,789. 6, Fred Go, West Covina, Calif., 1,788. 7, Steve Miller, Roanoke, Ill., 1,775. 8, Richard Eisenhut, Downers Grove, Ill., 1,766. 9, Shane Rice, Charlotte, N.C., 1,748. 10, Scott Lehman, Celina, Ohio, 1,744.