Tom Baker leads first round of PBA Senior Don Carter Open

Boosted by opening games of 275 and 278, Hall of Famer Tom Baker (pictured left) of King, N.C., averaged 246.8 to lead after the first six-game round of the Professional Bowlers Association Senior Don Carter Open Monday at Carter Family Bowl.

Baker, a nine-time PBA Senior Tour champion and four-time Senior Player of the Year, had games of 275, 278, 204, 232, 256 and 236 for a 1,481 pinfall. He holds an 11-pin lead over two-time Senior Tour titlist Steve Ferraro (right) of Kingston, N.Y., in second with a 1,470 pinfall which included a 300 game.

"It feels good to get the season started," Baker said of the first tournament of the season. "After being off for several months you always wonder how you're going to do the first time out.

"The key today was to play straight down the lane because if you hooked the ball too much and got the ball too far outside on the lane you were going to be out of bounds and the ball just wouldn't come back."

Six-game qualifying continues Tuesday and Wednesday after which the 120-player field will be cut to the top 32 who will advance to match play on Thursday. Round of 8 and championship rounds will get underway Thursday at 7 p.m.

PBA.com's Xtra Frame Video service will provide comprehensive final-day coverage of the Senior Don Carter Open on April 21 with coverage beginning 10 minutes prior to the start of each round at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and the finals at 7 pm.

 

Walter Ray Williams Jr. looking for fresh start in 2011 PBA Senior Tour season

 

Players with position, hometown and 6-game total

1, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1,481
2, Steve Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 1,470
3, Steve Neff, Homosassa Springs, Fla., 1,461
4, Dave Patchen, Oregon, Ohio, 1,414
5, Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 1,411
6, Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 1,398
7, Dave Flemming, Fairborn, Ohio, 1,395
8, Tom Howison, Chillicothe, Ohio, 1,392
9, Russ Freeman, Antioch, Ill., 1,382
10, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 1,378
11, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,376
12, Christopher Keane, New City, N.Y., 1,373
13, John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 1,368
14, Garry Blanton, Owensboro, Ky., 1,363
15, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 1,352
16, (tie) Bob Handley, Winter Park, Fla.,
Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 1,346
18, Dave Bernhardt, Shelby Twp., Mich., 1,338
19, Michael Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 1,337
20, Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,334
21, Terry Metzner, Kentwood, Mich., 1,333
22, Billy Block, Pembroke Pines, Fla., 1,329
23, Keith Glasgow, St. Petersburg, Fla., 1,317
24, Gary Morgan, Marietta, Ga., 1,313
25, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 1,307
26, Ron Garr, Ridgedale, Mo., 1,306
27, (tie) Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., George Gomez, Orlando, Fla., 1,305
29, Mark Scime, Winter Garden, Fla, 1,303
30, (tie) Tommy Brodowski, New Hyde Park, N.Y., Don Sylvia, Reno, Nev., 1,300
32, Bob Brady, Santa Monica, Calif., 1,292
33, Jim Price, Harrrisburg, N.C., 1,291
34, Pete Couture, Titusville, Fla., 1,289
35, Dale Eagle, Frisco, Texas, 1,285
36, Dennis Psaropoulos, Lake Worth, Fla., 1,282
37, (tie) David Goldenberg, Selden, N.Y., Ken Gibson, Greenville, S.C., Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 1,281
40, Randy Niehaus, Rockford, Ill., 1,280
41, Emilio Mora Sr., Defiance, Ohio, 1,270
42, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Township, Mich., 1,266
43, Mitchell Jabczenski, Novi, Mich., 1,264
44, Steve Bova, Massapequa, N.Y., 1,254
45, (tie) Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., Kevin Schofield, Canada, 1,251
47, (tie) Phil Gessner, Spring, Texas, Lee Rucker, Fort Myers, Fla., 1,247
49, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 1,245
50, Bruce Himschoot, Sanford, Fla., 1,243
51, (tie) Larry Popp, Marion, Ohio, Walter Sova Sr., South Daytona, Fla., 1,238
53, Ed Marzka, Orlando, Fla., 1,237
54, John Shreve Sr., Elyria, Ohio, 1,235
55, Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 1,234
56, Gregory Waldon, Manhattan, Mont., 1,225
57, Steven Boxerman, University City, Mo., 1,222
58, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,221
59, Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 1,220
60, Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 1,219
61, Gary Lambert, Orlando, Fla., 1,216
62, Bill Argenbright, Fisherville, Va., 1,215
63, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 1,214
64, Dave Sill, Rockledge, Fla., 1,207
65, Patrick King, Yankton, S.D., 1,206
66, Peter Knopp, Germany, 1,204
67, Michael Tryniski, Fulton, N.Y., 1,203
68, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 1,201
69, Warren Blankenship, Ardmore, Okla., 1,200
70, Don Hicks, West Babylon, N.Y., 1,197
71, (tie) Robert Callari, Bloomfield, N.Y., Bob Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 1,191
73, Bob Pazur, Venice, Fla, 1,190
74, Danny Gould, Palm Bay, Fla, 1,189
75, Harley Trumbull, New Boston, Mich., 1,187
76, (tie) Daniel Miner, East Moline, Ill., Chuck Gardner, Charlotte, N.C., Guppy Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 1,186
79, Dan Clausse, Reno, Nev., 1,183
80, Richard Felten, Rockville, Md., 1,180
81, Sam Perrotta, Lincoln Park, N.J., 1,179
82, Frank Tuccitto Jr., Southington, Conn., 1,177
83, (tie) Robert Teeters, Lapel, Ind., Robert Harvey, Boise, Idaho, 1,172
85, Sal Bongiorno, Hollywood, Fla., 1,168
86, Larry Williams, St. Augustine, Fla., 1,162
87, Steve Stein, Staten Island, N.Y., 1,158
88, (tie) Ronald Brick, Ormond Beach, Fla., George Lord, Lakeland, Fla., 1,155
90, Timothy Banks, Hanscom AFB, Bedford, Mass., 1,154
91, Andy Ippolito, Forest Hills, N.Y., 1,145
92, (tie) Ray Randall, Dearborn, Mich., Gary Hiday, Indianapolis, 1,144
94, (tie) Thomas Ream, Tampa, Fla., Leo Plaia, New Orleans, 1,143
96, (tie) Timothy Regan, East Northport, N.Y., Paul Franzetti, N Venice, Fla., 1,140
98, Dennis Amato, Pine Brook, N.J., 1,125
99, David Martin, Chesapeake, Va., 1,124
100, Timothy Kauble, Marion, Ohio, 1,122
101, Mike Hastings, Millsboro, Del., 1,119
102, Ken Waters, Kingsport, Tenn., 1,117
103, Bob Chamberlain, The Villages, Fla., 1,109
104, Douglas Weese, Carson City, Mich., 1,107
105, Marty Berke, Allentown, Pa., 1,106
106, Glen Nakagawa, Highland Village, Texas, 1,105
107, Bobby Dunn, Augusta, Ga., 1,101
108, Donald Breihan, Columbia, S.C., 1,097
109, Fred Baldwin, Sturgis, Mich., 1,087
110, Andy Anderson, Falls Church, Va., 1,084
111, Donna Tuttle, King, N.C., 1,080
112, Mike Broussard, Houma, La., 1,079
113, Fred Kouri, Castle Rock, Colo., 1,071
114, Joseph Venezio, Linden, N.J., 1,067
115, Frank Gallo Jr., Newport News, Va., 1,036
116, Rick Bucceri, Deltona, Fla., 1,010
117, Rod Michael, Florissant, Mo., 1,003
118, Lindell Woolard, Tallahassee, Fla., 999
119, Peter Brainard, Tampa, Fla., 971
120, J. Wayne Shank, Winter Park, Fla., 941

Girls Bowling: Zopf Leads Andrew to State Tourney

The Southwest Prairie Conference will get its chance to prove once and for all its the toughest conference in Illinois at the girls bowling state tournament Friday and Saturday at Cherry Lanes in Rockford.

The eight-team conference is sending three participants into the fray in sectional champions Minooka and Oswego and Bolingbrook sectional runner-up Plainfield Central.

Andrew of the Southwest Suburban Conference is making its first state appearance since 2007.

“It’s going to be great,” Oswego coach Dan Okoren said. “I feel very confident. We’re going to prepare this week and have some fun along the way.”

Courtney Petosky, Oswego’s top bowler all year and the Bolingbrook individual sectional champion, is making a return trip to Rockford after qualifying as an individual in 2010.

“There’s nothing to lose because we made it to state,” said Petosky, a junior. “You have to bowl the best you can, stay confident and leave everything out there.”

 “Courtney (Petosky) went last year individually, and she really wanted the team around her,” Okoren said. “She’s got that now.”

Plainfield Central, which is making its fifth trip to Rockford, took third in 2006.

“We’re going to have fun in Rockford,” Plainfield Central coach Connie McGrath said. “I want to give these kids the full experience. We’re going to soak up every minute of it. This is our Super Bowl. We are going to enjoy our last tournament together as a team.”

“It’s my senior year and I want to go out with a big bang,” Plainfield Central senior Sam Burchart said. “It’s going to be so exciting.”

Plainfield Central's Tricia Zimmerman (an Ashford University recruit) and Chelsea Oshita (McKendree University signee) will be making their third state appearances. Both are seniors.

“I’ve never really been to state as a player,” Burchart said. “I went with Tricia (Zimmerman) when she went as an individual and it was amazing. I’m thrilled. I love all my teammates, and I think it’s going to be the best experience I’ll ever have, especially since it’s my senior year. You can’t get much more exciting than that.”

Minooka is making its sixth trip to the state tournament, but only has one state trophy to show for it (third in 2005).

“We’re getting hot at the right time of the year,” Minooka coach Frank Yudzentis said. “We feel pretty confident about what we’re doing.”

Also brimming with confidence are junior Courtney Johnston and freshman Emily Koulis, who each won medals last weekend at the Andrew Sectional. Senior Alyssa Poole is making her third trip to the state tourney.

“You don’t want to be at the sectional or state tournament and beat yourself,” Yudzentis said. “That’s our approach. If a team beats us, kudos to them. We are going to make shots, spares and know that the tournament isn’t a one-game affair. It’s 12 games. That’s a long tournament.”

Among the teams expected to challenge for the state title are Rockford Jefferson and Machesney Park Harlem.

Although Andrew is making just its second state appearance, something could be brewing as the Thunderbolts’ state lineup is void of seniors.

Sophomore Nicole Zopf shot a 1,273 at the Andrew Sectional and is primed for a run at an individual medal if the Thunderbolts fail to advance to the second day.

Speaking of individuals, Lincoln-Way North sisters, sophomore Kayla and senior Kelsey O'Brien, are making their state tournament debuts after qualifying out of the Andrew Sectional.

Oswego East senior Kelsey Johnson is hoping her third trip to the state tourney is a charm. She was an individual qualifier out of the Bolingbrook Sectional.

“She’ll do just fine downstate,” Oswego East coach Jeremy Hillman said. “This is her third time downstate, so she has some experience. This is the first time she’ll be there individually so it will be interesting to see how she does.”

“I’m going to work on the things I’ve been working on all year,” Johnson said. “I’m going to focus on what I have to do and not worry about everybody else around me.”