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Attention NYS Women's Championships Captains:
2018 Hotel List is on Tournaments Page

New Yorker Joe Novara
Records 900 Series

OCT. 20, 2017 - ARLINGTON, Texas - Joe Novara of East Patchogue describes himself as camera shy, but there's no way to avoid the spotlight when you step onto the approach on the verge of perfection.

The 26-year-old right-hander -- a finalist in the 2014 and 2017 NYS Masters Championships -- is known in the Northeast as a fierce competitor, and his assault on the pins Monday at East Islip Lanes in East Islip resulted in 36 strikes during the Monday Invitational league.

The trio of perfect games makes Novara the 33rd bowler overall, and fourth from the Empire State, to record a 900 series. His achievement is pending approval from USBC and would be the 34th USBC-approved 900. It marks the first perfect set of the 2017-2018 season and fourth during the 2017 calendar year.

"I really didn't feel any pressure while I was bowling, but now that it's had a chance to sink in, it's pretty unbelievable," said Novara, who owns The Perfect Fit Pro Shop at Port Jeff Bowl in Port Jefferson Station. "It's one of those things you dream of, but you never think it will really happen. When I get lined up, I just seem to strike a lot. It's hard to describe. I always felt like 900 was possible, but to actually do it is something else."

Novara previously flirted with 900 on two occasions, stringing 31 strikes, and each time getting more confident that if given the opportunity again, he'd finish it off.

The Monday Invitational league features four-player teams and takes up about half of the 40-lane center, which grew quiet for Novara's final frame.

"It really was pretty crazy," Novara said. "I knew people were back there, but I tried to stay focused on the game. I'd throw a shot, high-five my teammates and turn back around. I started to lose my look on the right lane, but I knew if I could strike there in the ninth frame, I had a really good chance to do it."

Novara entered Monday's league session with more than two dozen certified 300s to his credit, along with multiple series over 850. He regularly has averaged in the 240s.

Growing up in a highly competitive area of the country helped Novara excel as a youth bowler and high school athlete, and his passion for the sport led him to the pro shop business. In June 2017, he found the perfect career fit as a pro shop owner for the first time.

Despite his continued success on the lanes and the momentum of his 900 series, he is focused on making sure the pro shop runs well.

His competitive efforts primarily are limited to league and local events, though the USBC Open Championships and USBC Masters will be visiting his home state in 2017-18, which is enticing, too. The two events will be held a few hours away in Syracuse, New York.

The first bowler to roll a 900 series on Long Island, New York, Novara does have one, concrete competitive goal though - winning the prestigious Long Island Masters. The 2018 edition is scheduled for late January.

"I've been working in pro shops since I was 15, and I'm very grateful and excited about this new opportunity," Novara said. "I'll bowl when I can, but I want to make sure the shop runs perfectly. That's where my head is right now."

-- Story courtesy of USBC

NYS Open Senior
Four Syracuse-Area Bowlers
Take 6-Game Combine Titles

OCTOBER 23, 2017 – Four members of the Syracuse USBC BA captured Six-Game Combine titles as the 39th NYS Open Senior Championships drew to a close Sunday at Flamingo Bowl in the Syracuse suburb of Liverpool.

The lead in five of the six age classifications changed hands over the weekend in the tournament, which began on Oct. 14-15 with competition in Doubles, Singles and Six-Game Combine events.

Only Sammy Ventura (Syracuse USBC BA) held on as his 1,534 score in Class D (55-59) withstood a challenge from Ed Bauman Sr. (Fulton County USBC BA), who posted 1,526.

All scores are unofficial pending final average verification.

CLICK HERE for unofficial standings.

CLICK HERE for projected prize list.

Other Six-Game Combine leaders are as follows:

Super Senior (75-and-up) – Maria Johansen (Hudson Valley USBC), 1,365 – two pins higher than Constance Gerardi (Schenectady USBC).

Class A (70-74) – Joseph Moro (Ithaca USBC), 1,391 – nine pins better than Thomas Clark (Syracuse USBC BA).

Class B (65-69) – Charles Trudell (Syracuse USBC BA), 1,494 – 93 pins higher than David Miller (Rochester USBC).

Class C (60-64) – Benny Appleby (Syracuse USBC BA, Auburn USBC BA), 1,509 – topping previous leader R. Jeffery Ward (Greater Buffalo USBC) by 12 pins.

Class E (50-54) – Kenneth Dubois (Syracuse USBC BA), 1,470 – 17 pins more than previous leader Scot Friedhaber (Greater Buffalo USBC).

Bauman and Dubois teamed for the Class D Doubles title with 1,498, while Appleby and Patricia Wright combined for the Class C Doubles crown with 1,451.

Other Doubles leaders are James Germain and Andrew Wallace (Fulton USBC BA), Super Senior, 1,325; Richard Cook and Ken Fehlner (Finger Lakes USBC BA), Class A, 1,420; Thomas Clark and Joseph Noboa (Syracuse USBC BA), Class B, 1,476, and Jeff Lafave and Francis Cataldo (Adirondack USBC), Class E, 1,412.

In Singles, Ventura in Class D and James Miner (Syracuse USBC BA) in Class C held on to their leads with 803 and 781, respectively.

Other leaders are Nick DeSantis Sr. (Syracuse USBC BA), Super Senior, 674; Richard Bzdak (Twin Tiers USBC), Class A, 724; Trudell, Class B, 795, and Daniel Billington (Adirondack USBC), Class E, 783.

Mike McCracken (Syracuse USBC BA) rolled a 300 game on the last squad, while Cataldo had 298 on the first squad Sunday and Mike Callan (Rochester USBC) had 290 on Saturday. Gary Reynolds (Auburn USBC BA) posted the high series over the weekend – 764.

Rick Lambrecht (Auburn USBC BA) won the MOTIV bowling ball.

The NYS USBC would like to thank the Syracuse USBC WBA for its assistance with the tournament fundraisers and the managemen and staff of Flamingo Bowl.

NYS USBC Seeks Candidates
to Serve on Its Board of Directors

OCTOBER 3, 2017 -- Are you a United States Bowling Congress member who lives in New York or bowls in a USBC-certified league in New York State and is concerned about the future of our sport?

If so, you may be just the right person to take a place on the New York State USBC Board of Directors.

The NYS USBC's vision is to be the leading authority for tournament bowling in New York State, striving to provide fair tournaments and worthwhile programs to enhance and promote the sport.

If you are a critical thinker and a team player -- and have ideas that can move bowling forward by helping to recruit and retain members, and by working on behalf of our youth, then please fill out the resume form found on the About Us page and submit it per the instructions on the form.

NYS Directors Approve
Tournament Changes

Two Divisions, Entry Fee Increase
for Open Championships in '18

SEPT. 27, 2017 – New York State USBC directors, in an effort to increase tournament participation across the board, approved a two-division format for the NYS Open Championships beginning with the 2018 tourney next April and May at Patel's Kingston Lanes.

The board, meeting in New Hartford on Sunday morning, voted in favor of recommendations from its tournament committee to divide NYS Open participants into two groups based on averages of 1000 (Team), 400 (Doubles) and 200 (Singles).

The divisional format for 2018 will be as follows:

-- Team Event – Division 1, 1001 & over (1100-plus bowl scratch); Division 2, 1000 & under.
-- Doubles Event – Division 1, 401 & over (440-plus bowl scratch); Division 2, 400 & under.
-- Singles Event – Division 1, 201 & over (220-plus bowl scratch); Division 2, 200 & under.
-- All-Events will continue, also based on the above Singles averages.

Handicap in Division 1 will be 90 percent of 220 and in Division 2 will be 90 percent of 200.

All handicaps will be computed on a Team Average basis – meaning that handicaps will be determined based on the cumulative averages of team members.

"Speaking for the (NYS USBC) board and after receiving input from some of our bowlers, we believe that a divisional format is the way to proceed if we wish to increase entries," said NYS USBC President Roger Buckman. "The Wisconsin USBC BA has had divisions for quite some time, and they are getting close to 2,000 teams every year."

Click on the Tournaments tab and 94th NYS Open to download an entry form.

The board also vote for a $5 per person per event increase in the entry fees. The Team entry fee will be $200; Doubles, $80; Singles, $40, and All-Events (no change), $10.

The payout ratio will continue at 1:5 and the top five scratch scores in each event will earn prize money as well.

For 2019, the board approved changes to the NYS Women's Championships and NYS Queens Championship.

The three divisions in the NYS Women's tournament, starting with 2019, will be revised by 10 pins per bowler to reflect the proliferation of higher averages in recent years.

The new setup is as follows:

-- Team Event -- Division 1 (Scratch), 800 & Over; Division 2 (Handicap), 640-799; Division 3 (Handicap), 639 & Under.
-- Doubles Event – Division 1 (Scratch), 400 & Over; Division 2 (Handicap), 320-399; Division 3 (Handicap), 319 & Under.
-- Singles Event – Division 1 (Scratch), 200 & Over; Division 2 (Handicap), 160-199; Division 3 (Handicap), 159 & Under.

For the 2019 Queens, the entry fee will be raised to $90, with the qualifying round continuing at five games.

NYS Senior Masters
Lakeview Lanes in Fulton
to Host Tourney on Nov. 4

OCT. 16, 2017 – The NYS USBC office is taking entries for the 1st NYS Senior Masters Championship on Nov. 4 at Lakeview Lanes in Fulton (north of Syracuse).

Go to the Tournaments section of this website to download an entry form.

The NYS Senior Masters Championship is a scratch singles tourney offering a first prize of $1,200 (based on at least 80 entries).

It is being sponsored by Bethmann Russell Financial Services of Syracuse and four bowling balls companies – Brunswick, MOTIV, Storm and Columbia 300.

Bowling ball raffles to support the tournament are taking place over the next several weeks at Boulevard Bowl in Schenectady, Bowl-A-Roll Lanes in Rochester, Lakeview Lanes in Fulton, Tonawanda Bowling Center, Rainbow Lanes in Weedsport and Cort Lanes in Cortland.

The format features two four-game qualifying rounds (9:30 and 11:30 a.m.), with re-entry allowed, and followed by the top 16 competing in a single-elimination, two-game match play finals. The top 16 will include a guaranteed spot for a 60-and-over bowler, unless a 60-and-over bowler makes the cut outright.

The entry fee is $65.

CLICK HERE for a list of bowlers signed up thus far (through 10/22/17).

NYS Women's Senior Singles Championships

Carson's 289 Game & 1,564 Total
Highlight Closing Weekend

UPDATE -- SEPT. 6, 2017

Results of the 37th NYS Women's Senior Singles Championships are official, with no changes at the top of the leaderboard.

CLICK HERE for the prize list.

CLICK HERE for the final standings.

Prize checks are going out in today's (Sept. 6) mail. Bowlers are asked to cash or deposit the checks as soon as possible.

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AUGUST 21, 2017 – A near-perfect game and a tournament-record 1,546 six-game score by Sharon Carson (Albany USBC) highlighted action on the closing weekend of the 37th NYS Women's Senior Singles Championships at East Greenbush Bowling Center.

Competing in the tournament for the first time, the 50-year-old right-hander rolled a 289 game on Saturday – leaving a 10-pin on the 11th ball – for a 696 scratch series, and followed that up with 688 scratch on Sunday for a 1,384 scratch total.

With handicap, based on her 183 average, Carson registered 1,546 to claim the Class E (50-54 age group) title by 68 pins over previous leaders Isaura Simon (New York City USBC) and Donna DeGraw (Corning USBC WBA).

Close to 550 bowlers entered the tournament, which took place over the past two weekends at the 32-lane center located about 10 miles from Albany.

The lead changed hands in three other divisions over the weekend with bowlers from New York City USBC, Genesee Region USBC and Greater Buffalo USBC rising to the top.

In Class AA (75-and-over), Leola Brown (New York City USBC) posted 1,429 with handicap to lead the way, followed by Bettye Laird (Chen Del O USBC) and Janet Malmstrom (Albany USBC), who had 1,394 and 1,377, respectively.

In Class C (60-64), Mary Ann Stone (Genesee Region USBC) recorded 1,405 with handicap to take over first place while Keesa Bess (Southern Tier USBC) shot 1,352 to move into second place, overtaking previous leader Annie Howell-Benitez (Westchester County USBC) by seven pins.

In Class D (55-59), Kathleen Willy (Greater Buffalo USBC), a 2014 champion in Class E, rolled 1,388 with handicap to take over first place from previous leader Maryanne Faranda (Adirondack USBC) by 28 pins.

Two division leaders held on to the top spot – Jeannette Francis (Westchester County USBC) in Class A (70-74), 1,368, and Jessie Buck (Syracuse USBC WBA) in Class B (65-69), 1,384.

The champions of each of the six age groups will win a free entry to the 2018 USBC Senior Championships.

Sue Winne (Albany USBC) won the breast cancer awareness bowling ball.

The New York State USBC would like to thank directors of the Albany USBC for their support and the management and staff of East Greenbush Bowling Center for their excellent customer service.

Next year's tournament is scheduled for Aug. 17-19, 24-26, at Colonial Lanes in Chester (Orange County).

Four NY Bowlers Cash
at USBC Senior Event

AUGUST 11, 2017 – While none of the nine New York State USBC representatives made it to the medal round, four cashed at the USBC Senior Championships which concluded Thursday at Texas Station in Las Vegas, Nev.

Barbara Sim of Albany was the top finisher – placing seventh out of 35 bowlers in the Women's Division 70-74 age group -- and earned $205.

Sim rolled 719 with handicap yesterday to move from the 26th spot to seventh, missing the medal round by six pins. The top six bowlers in each of the age classifications advanced to the medal round on Thursday night.

In the Open Division, Ron VanDerLinden of Cuba, Michelle Duchowny of Ballston Lake and Charlene Brandow of Nassau cashed.

VanDerLinden placed ninth out of 30 bowlers in the 75-and-over group, posting 677 yesterday for a 1,271 total; Duchowny placed 12th out of 33 bowlers in the 50-54 age group with 1,320, and Brandow finished in 12th place out of 32 bowlers in the 55-59 age group with 1,361.

One in three bowlers in each age group earned prize money.

Other New Yorkers' results:

Women's Division:
-- Anne Haase of Dunkirk, 12th, 50-54, 1,269.
-- Tanga Stephenson of Hempstead, 17th, 60-64, 1,280.
-- Denice Hall of Scipio Center, 25th , 55-59, 1,235;

Open Division:
-- LeRoy Brady of South Glens Falls, 19th, 65-69, 1,246;
-- William Thompson of Jamestown, 17th, 60-64, 1,292

Discount Offered to Local Associations
Wishing to Support NYS Youth Bowling

JUNE 8, 2017 -- Each year, local associations are given the opportunity to support the NYS USBC youth scholarship program by purchasing ads in the Youth Team and Youth Pepsi finals program books.

Now, and until the end of 2017, the state association is offering a 25 percent discount on two full-page ads in both books.

"Sponsorship ad forms received by December 31st will receive $25 off," said Tom Solimine, NYS USBC Youth Committee chair. "Local associations will get two full-page ads for $100 -- that's a 25 percent savings."

Hundreds of the program books are printed and distributed at the state finals. All proceeds from the ads go directly toward youth scholarships.

For more information, contact Solimine at solimine2000@aol.com.

CLICK HERE for the Youth Team ad sponsor form -- front.
CLICK HERE for the Youth Team ad sponsor form -- back.

CLICK HERE for the Youth Pepsi ad sponsor form -- front.
CLICK HERE for the Youth Pepsi ad sponsor form -- back.

NYS USBC Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner

NYS USBC HONOREES: Six people were honored by the New York State USBC on Saturday night (June 3) at its Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner at the Radisson Hotel Corning. Seated from left are Brad Buckert and Bill Fortino, both of Rochester, who received the Service to Youth and Proprietor/Manager Recognition awards, respectively; standing from left are Hall of Fame inductees Gary Kinyon of Lockport, superior performance; Joan Ashby of Auburn, meritorious service; Roseann DiFlorio of Syracuse, superior performance, and Peter Sheridan of Cortland, meritorious service. More than 100 people were in attendance. Click on the Hall of Fame tab for an article about the ceremony. Photo by Mike Pettinella/NYS USBC Association Manager.