By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
Staten Island Advance | silive.com
DETROIT — It’s safe to say Maya Avilez and Jason Wichnovitz are on a roll in the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championships.
The two put themselves in great position to advance to the Advancer Rounds of the event after day three of qualifying on Wednesday.
Avilez, a righty, currently sits in 14th position with 2,200 pins in the Girls’ 15U division. She fired a 234, 127, 193, 174 en route to a 728 set on Wednesday. The top 52 in the division qualify for the Advancer Rounds.
Meanwhile, Wichnovitz took a run at a 300 game in his U17 squad at Astro Lanes on Wednesday.
Bowling in his sixth Junior Gold, he struck on his first nine shots in the final game and, while he didn’t complete the perfect game, the 279 game helped him post a 923 block in one of the more difficult centers.
“Honestly, it’s a huge confidence boost because I was coming off a performance where I went 90-under (at Skore Lanes) and I was in 90th place,” said the lefty, who is currently in 13th position with 2,441 pins overall. The top 124 bowlers will move on. “I’ve never went plus in a block at Junior Gold until the first day and I went plus-10. Second day, I went 90-under. So, I knew I had to play it safe today but it turned out good for me.”
U12 Division – Field Size: 262 Boys
BOYS – 38 Advance to Final Advancers Round (cut: 2015)
39 – William Kohnenkamp 138, 179, 177, 128-622 | 1988 (27 pins shy of the cut line)
U15 Division – Field Size: 715 Boys / 356 Girls
BOYS –103 Advance to Advancers Round (cut: 2135)
141 – Joseph Guarnieri 191, 159, 161, 201-712 | 2091
167 – Frank Koppie 180, 140, 184, 191-695 | 2073
321 – Nicholas Palmeri 150, 193, 145, 148-636 | 1960
321 – Victor Guastella 175, 188, 160, 140-663 | 1960
397 – Yousef Dardeir 144, 114, 165, 132-555 | 1912
576 – Cody Bass 202, 158, 168, 153-681 | 1785
587 – Steven Souffrin 188, 152, 150, 199-689 | 1776
633 – Alex Santos 119, 166, 131, 149-565 | 1720
700 – Gregory Pasquale 155, 156, 113, 151-575 | 1574
GIRLS –52 Advance to the Final Advancers Round (cut: 2089)
14 – Maya Avilez 234, 127, 193, 174-728 | 2200
87 – Brianna Mester 147, 192, 160, 129-628 | 2025
U17 Division – Field Size: 868 Boys / 443 Girls
BOYS – 124 Advance to the Advancers Round (cut: 2215)
13 – Jason Wichnovitz 235, 233, 176, 279-923 | 2441
169 – William Courtney 155, 172, 191, 180-698 | 2181
591 – Brandon Leung 128, 143, 155, 122-548 | 1953
674 – Steven Pasquale 194, 205, 186, 176-761 | 1898
853 – Joseph LaBarbera 115, 160, 118, 100-493 | 1655
GIRLS – 64 Advance to the Advancers Round (cut: 2155)
311 – Lauren Ruth Sarreal 138, 220, 137, 170-665 | 1882
436 – Stephanie Fetik 142, 101, 115, 145-503 | 1624
U20 Division – Field Size: 800 Boys / 440 Girls
BOYS – 116 Advance to the Advancers Round (cut: 2306)
634 – Anthony DeRosa 150, 167, 197, 157-671 | 1980
668 – Kenneth Courtney 125, 168, 183, 159-635 | 1950
787 – Joseph Nadal 145, 142, 163, 157-607 | 1769
GIRLS – 63 Advance to the Advancers Round (cut: 2215)
314 – Jessica Fetik 142, 158, 167, 170-637 | 1936