Junior Team USA girls win team, all-events gold in Bogota

RESULTS:
Boys team | Boys all-events
Girls team | Girls all-events

BOGOTA, Colombia - The Junior Team USA girls earned gold medals Friday in team and all-events at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Youth Championships. 

The Americans ran away with the team title with 4,926, topping second-place Canada by nearly 150 pins, while Christine Bator easily won the all-events title.

Kristie Petravich led the team effort with a six-game total of 1,303 and was followed by Bator (1,259), Brittni Hamilton (1,215) and Jenn Boisselle (1,149). The Canadians took silver with 4,784, while Colombia earned bronze with 4,706.

On the boys side, Venezuela overcame a 30-pin deficit entering the last game to top the United States for the gold medal with 4,931. The Americans took silver with 4,838, while Puerto Rico got bronze with 4,821.

The Junior Team USA girls entered the final round with a 55-pin lead and really weren't challenged all day. They had games of 792, 839 and closed with their lowest total of the six games with 779.

"I'm so proud of this team," Bator said. "We struggled a little bit the last game, but I knew if we just filled frames we would be OK."

The United States girls have now won five gold medals in as many events, with Bator being a part of all five medals. She earned the all-events title by shooting 5,118 for 24 games, an average of 213.25. Petravich took silver with 4,981, while Colombia's Laura Fonnegra was third with 4,976.

Bator can complete the gold-medal sweep with a victory in Saturday's Masters match play. The top 16 players in the final all-events standings advanced to the Masters. Hamilton finished fifth in all-events with 4,910, while Boisselle was sixth with 4,907.
    
"I was trying to not think about all-events all day," said Bator, who has earned gold medals in singles, doubles, trios, team and all-events. "I just have to keep bowling like I have all week. The hard part is over now. Winning the Masters would just be an extra bonus."

In the boys team event, Venezuela shot 902 in the final game to the United States' 779 to jump from second to first. Carlos Cottone led the Venezuelans with 1,330 and was followed by Kevin Belandria (1,237), Michael Piccari (1,218) and Giorgio Clinaz (1,146).

Chris Pierson led the United States with 1,253. Jake Peters added 1,242, Daniel Spink shot 1,186 and Geoffrey Young had 1,157.

Alejandro Montijo of Mexico edged Peters for the gold medal in all-events with 5,177 for 24 games, an average of 215.71. Peters took the silver with 5,158, while Fidel Marchena of the Dominican Republic earned bronze with 5,059.

The other three U.S. boys advanced to Masters play as Pierson finished fifth with 5,025, Spink took 13th with 4,798 and Young was 16th with 4,753.


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

TEAM
(Top 5; 6 games)

GIRLS

1, United States, 4,926. 2, Canada, 4,784. 3, Colombia, 4,706. 4, Venezuela, 4,468. 5, Mexico, 4,466.

BOYS

1, Venezuela, 4,931. 2, United States, 4,838. 3, Puerto Rico, 4,821. 4, Dominican Republic, 4,738. 5, Mexico, 4,717.

ALL-EVENTS
(Top 5; 24 games)

GIRLS

1, Christine Bator, United States, 5,118. 2, Kristie Petravich, United States, 4,981. 3, Laura Fonnegra, Colombia, 4,976. 4, Maria Jose Rodriguez, Colombia, 4,956. 5, Brittni Hamilton, 4,910. Other U.S. players: 6, Jenn Boisselle, 4,907.

BOYS

1, Alejandro Montijo, Mexico, 5,177. 2, Jake Peters, United States, 5,158. 3, Fidel Marchena, Dominican Republic, 5,059. 4, Kevin Belandria, Venezuela, 5,044. 5, Chris Pierson, United States, 5,025. Other U.S. players: 13, Daniel Spink, 4,798. 16, Geoffrey Young, 4,753.