July 10, 2008
DETROIT, Mich. – Vanderbilt junior-to-be Josie Earnest and incoming freshman Brittni Hamilton are both poised to make runs at the championship of the coveted Junior Gold Bowling Championship after four grueling days of competition.
Earnest, the NCAA national “Player of the Year”, is in third place with 6,210 pins after 30 games while Hamilton, the nation’s top prep last year, is seventh with 6,141 after the bulky field of 471 was first cut to 57 and now is down to just 16 heading into Friday’s finals.
What’s at stake is a berth on the United States Junior Team USA, which will go to the top four finishers that are U.S. citizens along with two at-large members chosen by committee to represent this country at international competition in 2009. Earnest has made the team three prior times.
“I have been remarkably proud to see how these Commodore bowlers have battled their way into championship contention,” says Vanderbilt coach John Williamson, who has been on hand for the week-long event. “To be bowling on the final day of this great tournament is an achievement in itself; perhaps you would have to be in the house to understand the combination of skill, focus, physical and mental endurance and even luck that it takes to separate from such a large and strong field.”
Ricki Williams of Wichita, Kan., leads the tournament with 6,268 pins, leaving both Earnest and Hamilton within easy striking distance with plenty of bowling remaining.
A third Commodore, Brittany Garcia, survived the first cut by finishing 37th but didn’t reach the round of 16. Other Commodores entered and bowled well; they included Amanda Halter, Ashley Belden and Karen Grygiel.
Friday’s finals will consist of 15 round robin matches with the winner adding 20 bonus pins to their total, then a final game with 1 versus 2, 3 versus 4, etc. pairings.
For complete results, go to www.bowl.com and click on the Junior Gold coverage.
