State tournament back at last
A year later than originally scheduled, the New York State USBC Open Championships arrive this weekend at Boulevard Bowl.
The 96th tournament was set for last spring until the COVID -19 pandemic caused its cancellation.
Early returns on the state’s longestrunning bowling event, which extends through mid-may, have been encouraging. Seven of the 26 squads — 13 team, 13 doubles/singles — already are full or just shy of capacity. That equates to approximately 130 entries for each.
Squads are scheduled for four of the next five weekends (Mother’s Day weekend, May 8-9, is excluded). The team event is for five players. Doubles and singles are bowled back-to-back, and bowlers must bowl in both. The entry fee is $40 per bowler per event. Handicap is 90 percent of 230.
It is the first time the Open Championships have been held in the Capital Region since 2012, when Spare Timesouth Glens Falls (now Kingpin’s Alley) was host, although they will return in 2022, when Spare Time-latham welcomes the state’s bowlers.
For further information, visit http:// bowlny.com.
Local scene
Top-seeded Matt Fazzone of Rotterdam and Kenny Livengood of Colonie won the inaugural John Drexel Memorial Doubles at Town ‘n Country, beating Jim Hosier of Wayne, N.J., and PBA titleholder Anthony Pepe of Queens 460-452 to capture the $2,000 winner’s share. There were 53 teams entered . ... The first two John Drexel Memorial Scholarship winners, each receiving $500, were announced: Paige Jackson of Columbia (2021) and Jack Popow of Voorheesville (2022).
Brian Leclair of Delmar and Don Herrington of Ballston Lake are in Florida, where the PBA50 national tour kicked off Sunday in Fort Myers. Through 14 games, Leclair was 22nd and Herrington 57th among 143 bowlers. There are five tournaments within the next month, including Clearwater and The Villages, Fla.; Aberdeen, N.C.; and Centreville, Va. The Fort Myers finals are Tuesday night . ... The remaining PBA50 schedule hasn’t been announced other than the Super Senior Classic (Sept. 9-13) and the Senior Masters (Sept. 13-19), both at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
Elizabeth Criscuolo of Schenectady won the Schenectady USBC women’s singles tournament at Towne Academy. ... Another New York bowling center was destroyed last week as Holiday Lanes, a 32-lane house in Oneonta, burned to the ground.
National news
With his U.S. Open victory, Chris Via earned the final berth in the PBA Super Slam, which airs live on Fox at 12:30 p.m. Sunday in Annandale, Va. The others: Thomas Larsen (USBC Masters), Tom Daugherty (World Championship), Francois Lavoie (Tournament of Champions) and Anthony Simonsen (Players Championship) . ... Jason Belmonte, who finished 12th in the Open, announced that he will not compete in the PBA Playoffs later in April, choosing to return home to Australia as he and his wife, Kimberly, await the arrival of their fourth child.
The father of 17-year-old Anthony Neuer, who converted the 7-10 split on Sunday’s U.S. Open telecast, won a PBA regional title in the Capital Region. Andy Neuer of Milton, Pa., captured the 1985 Capital District PBA Open at what was then known as Clifton Park Bowl (now Spare Time-clifton Park).