North American Bowling News
Teen Masters Produces New Stars in the Bowling Universe
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| Zack Hattori (Photo courtesy PBA LLC) |
RENO, Nev. (July 29, 2010) – Zack Hattori of Las Vegas and Morgan O’Brien of Lomira, Wis., won the high school boys and girls titles in the 14th annual Teen Masters at the National Bowling Stadium Thursday.
Hattori won a $4,000 scholarship as high school boys winner while McKenzie Eaton of Wyoming, Mich. earned $2,000 as runner-up. O’Brien won a $3,000 scholarship and Kaylee Magazine of Clearwater, Fla. $1,500 as high school girls champion and runner-up, respectively.
Hattori, who will be a senior at Silverado High School in Las Vegas this fall, defeated Eaton, 4-2 (167-197, 236-216, 208-204, 209-187, 229-248, 234-203) in the 'best of seven game' championship match.
“I had a good line but the first game I wasn’t executing really well,” said Hattori, in his fourth Teen Masters. “It was hard for me to double because I couldn’t get the left lane down (long pattern.) I switched balls and got in more so that’s when I started making good shots and it started to come together.
“I didn’t know much about McKenzie coming into this week but we were rooting for each other in the championship match and I just happened to come out on top.”
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| Morgan O'Brien (Photo courtesy PBA LLC) |
O’Brien, who will be a senior at St. Marys Springs high school this fall, took advantage of an open frame by Magazine in the 10th frame of game seven to win the girls championship match, 4-3 (187-211, 158-193, 169-163, 221-180, 216-186, 193-194, 181-175). O’Brien had a spare and strike in the 10th to clinch the final game.
“She had me in the first two games,” said O’Brien in her third Teen Masters. “After that, I made an adjustment and a ball change and that made a big difference. I also saw how she was playing and I decided to adjust to use her line.
“My coaches told me to not focus on beating my opponent but beating the pins so that’s what I did but my heart was still beating out of my chest.”
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| Greg Young (Photo courtesy PBA LLC) |
In the 14-under division, 14-year-old Greg Young of Viera, Fla., captured the boys title with a 3-1 victory (202-194, 200-219, 226-203, 188-184) in the 'best of five game' championship match over Jeffrey Juarez of East Meadow, N.Y., to win a $1,200 scholarship. Juarez won $1,000.
“I did not want to go into game five,” said Young, bowling in his first Teen Masters. “ I was struggling on the long pattern and the ball was checking up. I had some nerves and was glad to win it in game four.”
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| Ashley Dunn (Photo courtesy PBA LLC) |
In the girls 14-under title match, 13-year-old Ashley Dunn of Palmdale, Calif., defeated Chevelle Holstein of Sparks, Nev., 3-1 (191-171, 224-158, 135-199, 195-146) for a $1,000 scholarship. Holstein won $700 for second place.
“I’m very excited,” Dunn said. I got more confident as the week went on and that helped me. In the last match I had to switch my ball on the long pattern and move left on the short pattern and those moves got me to the pocket and got more carry.”
In addition to competing for scholarship prizes, Teen Masters champions O’Brien and Hattori will join Danielle McEwan, Rockland, N.Y., and Mike Fujita, El Sobrante, Calif., from the Collegiate Masters in receiving invitations to bowl alongside the best bowlers in the world in the 2010 PBA World Series of Bowling, Oct. 24-Nov. 6, at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
The Teen Masters was created by Gary Beck, founder of Killer B Promotions, in 1997 and has provided young bowlers with more than $1 million in scholarships over a span of 14 years.