Bator wins singles gold at PABCON Youth Championships

Bator, who competed on the first of two squads, totaled 1,346 for six games, an average of 224.33, at Salitre Bowling Center. She sat and watched as Colombia's Laura Fonnegra nearly passed her. Instead, the Colombian, who bowls collegiately at Lindenwood, settled for the silver medal, five pins back.

Fonnegra needed two strikes in the final frame to edge Bator but left a 10 pin on the first shot and closed with a 197 game. Fonnegra didn't miss a spare the last game but was unable to throw two consecutive strikes.

"I was so nervous that I was shaking in my flip flops," Bator said. "Laura threw the ball great the last game, and I feel fortunate to have held on to win the gold medal."

Bator, who finished second in singles to teammate Josie Earnest at last year's PABCON Youth Championships, put together six consistent games en route to the victory. She had games of 236, 223, 220, 219, 226 and 222.

"The big thing was I made my spares today," Bator said. "If it wasn't for my high spare percentage, I wouldn't have even been close. I only had three opens and two of them were splits."

Junior Team USA newcomer Jenn Boisselle of Brandon, Fla., took the bronze medal as she threw three strikes in the final frame to finish with 1,287. Boiselle edged Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez by 22 pins.

Kristie Petravich of West Palm Beach, Fla., finished fifth with 1,253, while Brittni Hamilton of Webster, N.Y., was ninth with 1,180.

On the boys side, Colombia's Juan Gomez beat out Junior Team USA's Jake Peters of Decatur, Ill., by 42 pins to win the gold medal. Gomez totaled 1,401 to Peters' 1,359. El Salvador's Rudy Quintanilla took the bronze medal with 1,332. 

Chris Pierson of Waukesha, Wis., finished ninth with 1,246, while Daniel Spink of St. Louis, Mo., was 21st with 1,168. Defending singles champion Geoffrey Young of Denton, Texas, ended up 29th with 1,133.


2009 PABCON YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salitre Bowling Center, Bogota, Colombia
Monday's Results

SINGLES
(Top 5; six games)

GIRLS

1, Christine Bator, United States, 1,346. 2, Laura Fonnegra, Colombia, 1,314. 3, Jennifer Boisselle, United States, 1,287. 4, Maria Jose Rodriguez, Colombia, 1,265. 5, Kristie Petravich, United States, 1,253. Complete girls results.

BOYS

1, Juan Gomez, Colombia, 1,401. 2, Jake Peters, United States, 1,359. 3, Rudy Quintanilla, El Salvador, 1,332. 4, Kevin Belandria, Venezuela, 1,321. 5, Michael Piccari, Venezuela, 1,298. Complete boys results.