onefrombills
07-06-2009, 09:06 PM
BOGOTA, Colombia - Junior Team USA's Christine Bator of Warren, Mich., held on to win the singles gold medal Monday night at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Youth Championships.
Bator, who competed on the first of two squads, totaled 1,346 for six games, an average of 224.33, at Salitre Bowling Center. She sat and watched as Colombia's Laura Fonnegra nearly passed her. Instead, the Colombian, who bowls collegiately at Lindenwood, settled for the silver medal, five pins back.
Fonnegra needed two strikes in the final frame to edge Bator but left a 10 pin on the first shot and closed with a 197 game. Fonnegra didn't miss a spare the last game but was unable to throw two consecutive strikes.
"I was so nervous that I was shaking in my flip flops," Bator said. "Laura threw the ball great the last game, and I feel fortunate to have held on to win the gold medal."
Bator, who finished second in singles to teammate Josie Earnest at last year's PABCON Youth Championships, put together six consistent games en route to the victory. She had games of 236, 223, 220, 219, 226 and 222.
"The big thing was I made my spares today," Bator said. "If it wasn't for my spare percentage, I wouldn't have even been close. I only had three opens and two of them were splits."
Junior Team USA newcomer Jenn Boisselle of Brandon, Fla., debuted on the international scene by taking the bronze medal. Boisselle threw three strikes in the final frame to finish with 1,287 and edged Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez by 22 pins.
Kristie Petravich of West Palm Beach, Fla., finished fifth with 1,253, while Brittni Hamilton of Webster, N.Y., was ninth with 1,180.
On the boys side, Junior Team USA's Daniel Spink of St. Louis, Mo., is ninth at 1,168 with two of three squads completed. Defending singles champion Geoffrey Young of Denton, Texas, is 15th with 1,133.
Venezuela's Michael Piccari leads the boys field with 1,298, an average of 216.33. Alejandro Montijo of Mexico sits in second with 1,242, while Andre Fors Farias of Mexico is third with 1,238.
Junior Team USA's Chris Pierson of Waukesha, Wis., and Jake Peters of Decatur, Ill., are currently competing on the final boys squad.
Bator, who competed on the first of two squads, totaled 1,346 for six games, an average of 224.33, at Salitre Bowling Center. She sat and watched as Colombia's Laura Fonnegra nearly passed her. Instead, the Colombian, who bowls collegiately at Lindenwood, settled for the silver medal, five pins back.
Fonnegra needed two strikes in the final frame to edge Bator but left a 10 pin on the first shot and closed with a 197 game. Fonnegra didn't miss a spare the last game but was unable to throw two consecutive strikes.
"I was so nervous that I was shaking in my flip flops," Bator said. "Laura threw the ball great the last game, and I feel fortunate to have held on to win the gold medal."
Bator, who finished second in singles to teammate Josie Earnest at last year's PABCON Youth Championships, put together six consistent games en route to the victory. She had games of 236, 223, 220, 219, 226 and 222.
"The big thing was I made my spares today," Bator said. "If it wasn't for my spare percentage, I wouldn't have even been close. I only had three opens and two of them were splits."
Junior Team USA newcomer Jenn Boisselle of Brandon, Fla., debuted on the international scene by taking the bronze medal. Boisselle threw three strikes in the final frame to finish with 1,287 and edged Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez by 22 pins.
Kristie Petravich of West Palm Beach, Fla., finished fifth with 1,253, while Brittni Hamilton of Webster, N.Y., was ninth with 1,180.
On the boys side, Junior Team USA's Daniel Spink of St. Louis, Mo., is ninth at 1,168 with two of three squads completed. Defending singles champion Geoffrey Young of Denton, Texas, is 15th with 1,133.
Venezuela's Michael Piccari leads the boys field with 1,298, an average of 216.33. Alejandro Montijo of Mexico sits in second with 1,242, while Andre Fors Farias of Mexico is third with 1,238.
Junior Team USA's Chris Pierson of Waukesha, Wis., and Jake Peters of Decatur, Ill., are currently competing on the final boys squad.