From left, Travis Moyer, Kevin Tatrow, Samantha Santoro and Natalie Cortese.
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Finalists Set for DAAHSC
HOWELL, N.J. - 3/29/2008
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Story courtesy Lucas Wiseman, USBC
Four varsity high school bowlers advanced past a tough field Saturday and will have the chance to compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships on national television in the finals of the 2008 Denny's All-American High School Championships.
Travis Moyer of Anchorage, Alaska, Kevin Tatrow of BelAire, Kan., Samantha Santoro of Reinholds, Pa., and Natalie Cortese of Hoffman Estates, Ill., advanced to the TV finals, which will be taped Sunday after the conclusion of the 65th Denny's U.S. Open at Brunswick Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick, N.J. The event is scheduled to be aired on Sunday, April 6 on ESPN at 1 p.m. Eastern.
Santoro finished 6-2 in round robin match play and averaged more than 212 for 16 games Saturday. She closed the day with games of 279 and 244 to seal up a spot in the championship match. Cortese, meanwhile, locked up her spot with a 256 final game.
"I struggled a couple games before that and the lanes started to change," Santoro said. "I moved right and it just happened that the adjustment worked out perfectly."
Santoro said she spent some time talking with professional bowlers at the U.S. Open on Friday to get some tips just in case she advanced to the TV finals.
"I was over watching the pros and talked to them a little bit about bowling on TV," Santoro said. "They said my adrenaline will be going 100 miles per hour. Parker (Bohn III) said to just stay calm, but I think it's going to be hard."
Moyer led the boys field with a 5-3 match play record and a 16-game average of 200. He held a 125-pin lead over second place heading into the final game and watched as Tatrow fired 212 to move from third to second and secure a spot in the finals.
"I bowled extremely well being that it's a pro shot and I averaged more today than I do on my home lanes," Moyer said. "All I can do is my best in the finals, but it's really not about winning. It's about making the TV finals and meeting all of the other great bowlers from other states."
After the two boys and two girls face off for their individual championships, the winners will join forces with PBA players Kelly Kulick and Tony Reyes for a unique doubles match to close out the telecast.
The Denny's All-American High School Championships showcases 32 varsity high school athletes from 18 states competing for $10,000 in scholarships. The winners will each receive a $3,000 scholarship while the second place finishers will each earn $2,000 scholarships.
All players competed in eight games of qualifying Saturday morning before the field was cut to the top eight boys and top eight girls, who competed in round robin match play to determine the four players on the TV finals.
Denny's, the PBA and the United States Bowling Congress joined together to create the tournament for recognized varsity level high school bowlers. The 32 participants were selected based on their bowling skills as well as personal and academic achievements.
DENNY'S ALL-AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Howell Lanes, Howell, N.J.
BOYS
Round robin match play (Eight games)
1, Travis Moyer, Anchorage, Alaska, 5-3-0, 3,350. 2, Kevin Tatrow, BelAire, Kan., 4-4-0, 3,305. 3, Brian Small, Port Reading, N.J., 4-4-0, 3,293. 4, Paul Walsh, Vero Beach, Fla., 4-4-0, 3,257. 5, Christopher Lane, Franklin, Tenn., 5-3-0, 3,221. 6, Peter Mochizuki, Honolulu, 3-5-0, 3,164. 7, Joel Klaas, North Street, Mich., 3-5-0, 3,162. 8, Evin Anderson, Jacksonville, Ark., 3-5-0, 3,120.
Qualifying (Eight games)
1, Travis Moyer, Anchorage, Alaska, 1,710. 2, Kevin Tatrow, BelAire, Kan., 1,655. 3, Paul Walsh, Vero Beach, Fla., 1,626. 4, Brian Small, Port Reading, N.J., 1,623. 5, Peter Mochizuki, Honolulu, 1,582. 6, Joel Klaas, North Street, Mich., 1,576. 7, Evin Anderson, Jacksonville, Ark., 1,553. 8, Christopher Lane, Franklin, Tenn., 1,550. 9, Jordan Ferrer, Henderson, Nev., 1,529. 10, Ethan Biswell, Rio Rancho, N.M., 1,489. 11, Alexander Garcia, Chicago, 1,472. 12, David Knight, Folcroft, Pa., 1,455. 13, Jayson Foote, Westerville, Ohio, 1,428. 14, Matthew Roe, Johnson City, N.Y., 1,422. 15, Justin Breaux, Lafayette, La., 1,290. 16, Ben Carsten, Fulton, Miss., 1,280.
GIRLS
Round robin match play (Eight games)
1, Samantha Santoro, Reinholds, Pa., 6-2-0, 3,580. 2, Natalie Cortese, Hoffman Estates, Ill., 6-2-0, 3,525. 3, Brittni Hamilton, Webster, N.Y., 3-4-1, 3,438. 4, Suzana Signaigo, Kapolei, Hawaii, 4-4-0, 3,247. 5, Dayna Galganski, North Palm Beach, Fla., 3-4-1, 3,123. 6, Kristen Keenan, Centerville, Ohio, 2-5-1, 3,043. 7, Lela Dudley, Blue Springs, Miss., 3-4-1, 3,006. 8, Nicole Caggiano, Woodbridge, N.J., 3-5-0, 2,944.
Qualifying (Eight games)
1, Brittni Hamilton, Webster, N.Y., 1,768. 2, Suzana Signaigo, Kapolei, Hawaii, 1,666. 3, Samantha Santoro, Reinholds, Pa., 1,656. 4, Dayna Galganski, North Palm Beach, Fla., 1,610. 5, Natalie Cortese, Hoffman Estates, Ill., 1,590. 6, Kristen Keenan, Centerville, Ohio, 1,513. 7, Lela Dudley, Blue Springs, Miss., 1,480. 8, Nicole Caggiano, Woodbridge, N.J., 1,452. 9, April Urban, Henderson, Nev., 1,438. 10, Jessica Guertin, Milford, Mich., 1,422. 11, Jessica Sutton, Bremerton, Wash., 1,407. 12, Amy Seliger, Anchorage, Alaska, 1,402. 13, Rachael Aguirre, Wichita, Kan., 1,351. 14, Amber Lavergne, Lafayette, La., 1,320. 15, Laura Stoltz, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 1,240. 16, Nicole McCalley, Waterloo, Iowa, 1,223.
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