40th NYS Open Senior Championships -- RESULTS
Rochester NY USBC Bowlers Excel
OCTOBER 22, 2018 – Three Rochester NY USBC members -- led by 83-year-old Charlie Gfeller who rolled a 299 game in Doubles competition on Sunday and “triple crown” winner Troy McClure -- captured Six-Game Combine titles at the 40th NYS Open Senior Championships at Sunset Bowl in Waterloo.
Unofficial standings from the tournament, which took place on Oct. 13-14, 20-21, show that Gfeller (Super Senior 75-and-Up), Peter Pilaroscia (Class B 65-69) and McClure (Class E 50-54) finished on top in their respective divisions.
They, along with Richard Cook (Finger Lakes NY USBC) in Class A 70-74, John Knott (Albany USBC) in Class C (60-64) and Kimberly Hawkins (Mid-Hudson USBC) in Class D 55-59, will have the opportunity to represent New York State in the 2019 USBC Senior Championships next August in Cincinnati, Ohio, as long as the scores hold after final average verification.
Gfeller, who rolled a USBC-certified 868 series as an 80 year old, started with 195 on the 42-foot Challenge pattern before finding the line in game two of the Doubles event on lanes 5-6. He put 11 balls in the 1-3 pocket before crossing over on the 12th delivery and leaving the 5-pin.
He finished with a 205 game and, coupled with partner John Merriwether’s 709 series, also claimed the Super Senior Doubles title with 1,426 (including 18 pins handicap based on Gfeller’s 213 average).
Gfeller posted 593 in Singles (575 scratch) to edge first-weekend leader Robert Massotti (Central NY USBC) by three pins in the Six-Game Combine. Peg Gilmore (Auburn NY USBC) is third at 1,289.
Pilaroscia (200 average) registered 1,308 with handicap – 619 in Doubles and 689 in Singles – to nip Wayne Potter (Canandaigua USBC) by four pins, Mike Cottrell (Central NY USBC) by five pins and William Thompson Jr. (Jamestown Area USBC) by six pins in Class B 65-69. He also earned the Class B 65-69 Singles title with the 689.
McClure (213 average) put up a 702 score (684 scratch) in Doubles on the opening weekend, which resulted in first place in that event with partner Bob Wiley (Rochester NY USBC), who rolled a 709 series (all scratch). McClure came back on Saturday afternoon to roll 704 (686 scratch) in Singles to claim first place in Class E 50-54 Six-Game Combine.
Jeff Lafave (Adirondack USBC), who entered with a 216 average, made a run at the top on Sunday with 688 in Doubles and 702 in Singles for 1,390. He finished third in Class E 50-54 Singles with 702 – two pins behind leader McClure and a pin behind second-place Bill Hasiotis (Rochester NY USBC).
In Class A 70-74, Cook (180 average) recorded 1,357 on scratch sets of 605 and 566 to outdistance Bruce Szczepanski (Rochester NY USBC) by 61 pins. Cook also teamed with Ken Fehlner for 1,331 to successfully defend their Class A 70-74 Doubles title.
In Class C 60-64, Knott (157 average) placed first with 1,316, edging 2017 champion R. Jeffrey Ward (Greater Buffalo USBC) by 19 pins. Ward was under his average in Doubles, posting 445 scratch (615 with handicap), but rallied for 531 scratch (701 with handicap) in the Singles event, which also overtook Ward for first place.
In Class D 55-59 Six-Game Combine, Hawkins (156 average) held on with 1,343, based on her handicap scores of 673 in Doubles and 670 in Singles. Scott Shields (Genesee Region USBC) was second at 1,327.
Other first-place finishers are as follows:
-- Class B 65-69 Doubles – Joe Trigilio and Fred Gravanda (Genesee Region USBC), 1,283.
-- Class C 60-64 Doubles – Lloyd Amidon and Cottrell (Central NY USBC), 1,355.
-- Class D 55-59 Doubles – Robert Bartolone and Kim Herman (Rochester NY USBC), 1,278.
-- Super Senior 75-and-Up Singles – Massotti, 689.
-- Class A 70-74 Singles – Maresse Wager-Walawender (Lake Ontario USBC), 668.
-- Class D 55-59 Singles – Patric Donaghue (Rochester NY USBC), 708.
The tournament drew 114 Doubles teams and 210 Singles, one of the best turnouts in recent years. Next year, the event is scheduled for Oct. 12-13, 19-20 at Sportsman Bowl in Schenectady.
The NYS USBC wishes to thank the management and staff of Sunset Bowl for its excellent customer service and the women of the Finger Lakes NY USBC for their support in running the various charity fundraisers.
