Beech Grove, IN – If you haven’t heard the name Donnie Sutton, well, you must be living in a cave. The Beech Grove Senior has put bowling on the map at his local High School and leaves behind a solid program for those following behind him.

Donnie started bowling at the age of two as soon as he was able to hold a bowling ball. He joined a Saturday morning youth bumper league at Expo Bowl on the southside of Indianapolis. He did not stay in bumpers long, as he strived to be like his big brother Jeffrey Sutton who was bowling with the “Big Kids”. He continued to bowl Saturday morning youth leagues at both Expo Bowl and All-Star Bowl and started to stand out from those of a similar age. In 5th grade, Donnie signed up to bowl in the Middle School Bowling Program where he bowled for the next three years. During these years, he finished in the top four in individuals every year, helped his team win a Middle School State Team Title, and even bowled his first 300 during middle school competition at the age of 12.  

Moving into high school, and Beech Grove not having a bowling team, Donnie was forced to sit out of school competition his freshman year. During that year, Donnie and his family worked hard to try and establish a school team. With the help of Coach Randy Barnhart, their efforts paid off and Indiana High School Bowling became a reality for the Beech Grove School system.

In Donnie’s three years of High School Bowling, he was able to put up some impressive statistics. He made it to the State Finals each year as an Individual, named to the All-Conference and All-Region Team every year, and named to the All-State Team his Junior Year. He was able to capture multiple top finishes which include a Sectional Team Champion (2022-23), Regional Champion (2022-23), Semi-State Runner-up (2022-23), and Semi-State Champion (2023-24). Although Donnie’s highest individual State Finals finish was 8th his junior year, his talents far exceed this achievement.

Donnie’s accomplishments are not limited to high school bowling. He has nine 300 games to his credit, and in 2023, he bowled his high series of 844, which is believed to be a record among local youth bowlers. He has won numerous tournaments and leagues, some of the most notable ones being the All-Star Bowl Youth Series, Bowlindy Youth Series, Grandpa Grouch, Louise Lesser, and Junior Masters League where he and his teammates won the last three years. 

~ John Bauerle Jr

INDIANAPOLIS, Expo Bowl – Sixty-nine competitors from across the state came to Expo bowl to compete in the first Bowlindy Youth Series Event of the 2023-24 season. Six of whom were crowned champions and ten earned their Junior Gold Spots.  

The Bowlindy Youth Tournament Series was designed to showcase the talents of our young athletes within their respected age divisions. Divisions consist of U12 BOY, U12 GIRL, U15 BOY, U15 GIRL, U18 BOY, and U18 GIRL. Each participant bowled four games moving pairs after every game, while bowling on a sport compliant lane pattern. Sport patterns are used to challenge their skill and prepare them for High School, College, and the Junior Gold Championship. 

Those who want to compete in the Junior Gold Championship next July in Detroit, Michigan, had the option to qualify for the event. This event attracts the top youth bowlers from across the globe. Ten bowlers earned their spots and ready to represent Indiana in July!    

U12 Champions

      • Girls: Isabella Jones (Earned Junior Gold)

      • Boys: Jaice Walker (Earned Junior Gold)

U15 Champions

      • Girls: Elizabeth Silcox

      • Boys: Drayten Freeman

Girl: Tori Beeman and Boy: Oliver Lanam (Earned Junior Gold)

U18 Champions

      • Girls: Jaycie Smith

      • Boys: Riley Speer (Earned Junior Gold)

Girl: Ragan Mathis and Boy: Cameron Yocum, Landon Million, and David White (Earned Junior Gold)

~ John Bauerle Jr

ARLINGTON, Texas – Eight competitors from the 2023 Junior Gold Championships have been selected to receive the David Dahms Sportsmanship Award.

The winners were determined by the International Bowling Campus Youth Committee based on nominations received from participants at this year's Junior Gold Championships, which was held across six bowling centers in the Indianapolis area in July.

The David Dahms Sportsmanship Award is given to competitors who best exemplify sportsmanship, leadership, positive attitude and enthusiasm during the Junior Gold Championships. The honor is awarded to one male and one female participant in each division.

Each winner in the 12-and-under (U12), U15, U18 and U20 divisions receives a 100-point SMART scholarship. The 2023 winners are:

12-and-under division

      • Girls: Emma Emerson, Georgetown, Del.

      • Boys: Callen Cabral, Somerset, Mass.

15-and-under division

      • Girls: Anna Antony, Farmington, Conn.

      • Boys: Matthew Rogers, Schenectady, N.Y.

18-and-under division

      • Girls: Savannah Swiatocha, Schenectady, N.Y.

      • Boys: Logan Winkler, Lebanon, Tenn.

20-and-under division

      • Girls: Lucy Garry, Memphis, Tenn.

      • Boys: Matthew Heldman - Indianapolis 

The award is named for David Dahms, who was instrumental in the development and launch of the Junior Gold program. 

~ Content courtesy of Dave Schroeder @ Bowl.com

ALLEN PARK, MICHIGAN – Ryan Speer of Beech Grove, Ind., completed a huge comeback in the final round of match play on Friday night to claim the boys title in the Teen Masters Championships.

In the girls division, Abbie Leindecker of Wooster, Ohio, led almost wire-to-wire and pulled away at the end to claim her first major title.

Speer went into the final round of match play at historic Strobl Arena at Thunderbowl Lanes in sixth place, trailing fifth-round leader Robert Vater of Iola, Wisc., by 160 pins.

But Speer came out striking in the final round, putting up games of 277, 225, 268, 225 and 233 winning every game except Game 5 – a loss to a 256 by 2021 boys champ John Nunn.

He went into the final game trailing Vater by just nine pins.

Speer opened the final game with six straight strikes, while opened with a double but then left the 2-4-8 in the third, spared, struck, and then left a single pin in the fifth to fall behind early.

Speer left a solid 8-pin in the seventh, then threw a turkey to put the match away and clinch the title. He won the final game 268-233.

“In the last game I wanted to come out strong,” Speer said. “If I get ahead early, then he has to start making shots to catch back up.

“And that's what we did. We ran the front six, and other than a smash 8 (in the seventh), we might have been able to put up a 300. But I came out strong and I just tried to put it away as early as possible.”

Speer finished with a pinfall total of 8,211 and a 220.6 average for 36 games.

He closed out the tournament with the high six-game block of the tournament at 1,496 in the last round to make up the big deficit he faced.

“I was comfortable shooting 220 and 230, knowing it would win matches,” he said. “But to make up pins, you need 250, 260 and the bonus.

“So I just came out and said I was going to be aggressive. Every shot we were going to go for it to see if we can put big strings together. And if something stands, cover it up and just try to keep from giving as many pins away as I could.”

Vater finished second with a pinfall total of 8,155 and actually had high average in the event at 220.7. But Speer won two more games, and the 60 extra bonus pins ended up being the difference.

Vater started the final round strong, winning with a pair of 255 games. But then he lost to Luke Winter, 225-182, dropped a close 225-223 game to Speer, and won Game 5 with only a 192 to give him a slim lead going int position round.

Winter, out of Appleton, Wisc., finished third with 8,089, followed by Mason Doan of Royersford, Pa., at 8,036 and Josh Maslanich of North Royalton, Ohio, with 7,975.

For Leiendecker, the win ended a string of close calls in major tournaments without a victory. She finished with a 36-game pinfall total of 7,657, and had high average among the girls at 206.

Emma Siekierski of Davison, Mich., was second at 7,404, Mia Stolakis of Worcester, Mass., third (7,365) and Hope Bunk, Billings, Mont., fourth (7,017).

“After being fourth, fifth, third and second multiple times a lot in my life, it feels good to have one major thing,” Leiendecker said. “So it's like, 'Oh, my god! She's actually kind of good!' ”

Leiendecker lost her first two games of the last round and fell behind Emma Siekierski of Davison, Mich.

“Falling behind wasn't a wake-up call at all,” Leiendecker said. “I have this thing where when I get behind, I get more of a, 'Wow! Don't do that!'

“After leading the tournament for that whole entire time, knowing that it was not that far of a gap even though I got passed, one big game and you put yourself right back in because of those 30 bonus pins.”

And that's just what she did.

Leiendecker quickly regained the lead with a 235-169 decision over 2022 champ Rachel Moore of Keokuk, Iowa, and followed with wins of 201-191 over Bunk, and 233-181 over Meagan Kennedy of Brownsburg, Ind.

That gave her a 133-pin lead over Siekierski going into the final game, which wasn't even close.

Leiendecker put the game away early, striking in seven of her first eight shots and winning the game, 243-153.

Leiendecker, still trails her older sister, Allie, in major wins. Allie won this event in 2015 and again in 2017, bowling the only 300 ever by a girl in the tournament, and owns a Junior Gold title.

But it was still gratifying for Abbie to finally get a big win.

“I've been traveling for two-and-a-half weeks because of Junior Gold and the Youth Open,” she said. “So being able to finally win something, after doing all that traveling, is so rewarding. It's huge!”

It was also a big win for Speer.

“This is about the best tournament you can win as a bowler, from a pure bowling standpoint,” he said. “There's nothing like this, and there's nothing harder than this.

“Junior Gold, SYCs and most youth tours – they don't even come close to the level of toughness you have to put up with out here. This might be my best career win for a long time!”

26th Teen Masters Championships

At Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Michigan

Final standings

With place, name, hometown, win-loss record and 36-game pinfall total, including bonus pins

BOYS DIVISION

1. Ryan Speer, Beech Grove, Ind., 9-3, 8211

2. Robert Vater, Iola, Wisc., 7-5, 8155

3. Luke Winter, Appleton, Wisc., 9-3, 8089

4. Mason Doan, Royersford, Pa., 5-7, 8036

5. Josh Maslanich, North Royalton, Ohio, 6-6, 7975

6. John Nunn, Jacksonville, Fla., 5-7, 7962

7. Dominic Gibson-Smith, Palm Bay, Fla., 7-5, 7889

8. Braden Mallasch, Waupaca, Wisc., 7-5, 7856

9. Kyle Dunne, Hinckley, Ohio, 5-7, 7842

10. Mel Sim, Queens Village, N.Y., 6-6, 7828

11. Harry Davis, Fall City, Wash., 4-8, 7723

12. Xavier Newell, Far Rockaway, N.Y., 3-9, 7528

GIRLS DIVISION

1. Abbie Leiendecker, Wooster, Ohio, 8-4, 7657

2. Emma Siekierski, Davison, Mich., 8-4, 7404

3. Mia Stolakis, Worcester, Massachusetts, 10-2, 7365

4. Hope Bunk, Billings, Montana, 6-6, 7017

5. Vicki Andrews, Indianola, Iowa, 6-6, 6940

6. Paris Mendones, Bossier City, Louisiana, 5-7, 6937

7. Rachel Moore, Keokuk, Iowa, 5-7, 6821

8. Frances Davila, San Antonio, Texas, 7-5, 6790

9. Madilyn Yockel, Raymond, N.H., 4-8, 6766

10. Maribeth Baker, Sellersville, Pa., 5-7, 6691

11. Emma Yoder, Wooster, Ohio, 4-8, 6669

12. Meagan Kennedy, Brownsburg, Ind., 4-8, 6621

~ Content curtesy of Johnny Campos

Congratulations goes out to youth bowler Riley Speer for winning the 2022 Pinheads Sweeper Championship!!! Coming off a win the previous week, Riley was focused and ready to compete with some of the best bowlers in the Indianapolis area. He got off to a great start, rolling a 300 his first game and taking a commanding lead. After that, he never looked backed as he kept the lead the entire tournament. Riley bowled games of 300, 238, 192, 245, 215, 247, 228 and 195 for a total of 1,860, averaging 232.5 for his eight games.  That's impressive considering the tournament was bowled on two different patterns. Qualifying participants bowled four games on the Wolf 34' pattern and four games on the Shark 48' pattern.  This made for premium shot making as they would alternate patterns after every game. 

Pinheads puts on excellent events, giving scratch bowlers in the Indianapolis area something to bowl in. Marie Pringle, the tournament director, does an amazing job running the series and keeps bowlers informed of upcoming events, results and all other important communications. The Sweeper Series Championship consisted of 21 bowlers and paid out a total of $4,866, Riley claiming the top spot of $1,125 which will go into his smart account. Not a bad payday for the Lutheran High School Sophomore!  ~ John Bauerle Jr

On September 24th, 2022, Indiana High School Bowling held its inaugural Storm Baker Doubles Tournament at Mike Aulby's Arrowhead Bowl in Lafayette, Indiana. Fifty teams competed in the event as it drew some of the top high school bowlers from across the state. Local bowling standouts Christian Luna and Jordan Bauerle came out on top and became the 2022 Champions. Luna attends Perry Meridian High School and was recently named to the 2021 Indianapolis South All-Conference Team for his outstanding performance in conference play. Bauerle, who attends Roncalli High School, keeps adding to his accomplishments. Last season he was the Indianapolis South Conference Sectional Champion and made it all the way to a 21st place state showing; he too was named to the 2021 Indianapolis South All-Conference Team.   

ALLEN PARK, MICH. -- Rachel Moore went undefeated in the final round of match play on Friday and held off a late charge by qualifying leader Hope Bunk to claim the girls title in the 25th annual Teen Masters Championships.

In the boys division, top-seeded Nathen Smith of Noblesville, Ind., had enough of a lead to overcome a challenge from Thomas McLaughlin of Jacksonville, Fla., to claim the boys title on the historic arena lanes at Thunderbowl Lanes.

Moore, out of Keokuk, Iowa, took a 51-pin lead over Bunk heading into the final game of the night.

Both bowlers started with two strikes, but Bunk, out of Billings, Mont., had a couple of opens midway through the match. Moore also had a couple of opens, but stayed clean the rest of the way for a 188-172 decision.

Moore finished with a pinfall total of 7,411 with a 10-2 record in match play. She averaged 197.5 for 36 games.

"When Hope opened twice I tried to stay clean after that," she said. "I felt like I got more carry tonight than this afternoon.

"Tonight I just kept moving my feet and changing my speed."

Bunk, who finished 12th last year, had high average among the girls at 198.2, but just went 6-6 in match play.

Brooklyn Gagnon of Sioux Falls, S.D., was third at 7,286, while Mia Stolakis of Worcester, Mass., made a good run to finish fourth with 7,277. Fifth-round leaded Abbie Leiendecker of Wooster, Ohio, placed fifth at 7,254.

Smith took a comfortable 107-pin lead into the position round match against McLaughlin, who had rolled a 280 game and averaged just under 240 for his final six games.

McLaughlin opened the match with seven straight strikes, putting some early pressure on the leader. And Smith was feeling the heat.

"I was straight up nervous," he said. "Thomas put up a pretty good fight. He had a good run the last couple of games."

But McLaughlin's string ended in the eighth with a seven count. After he didn't strike in the ninth, all he could shoot was 266. Smith was shooting at a 210 pace, which was enough relieve some of the pressure.

Smith lost the match, 254-210, but finished with a pinfall total of 8,039 -- 33 better than McLaughlin.

"When Thomas didn't strike in the eighth and ninth frames, I kind of loosened up a little," Smith said. "I didn't really need to strike as much, I just needed to stay clean.

"And I got the job done!"

Smith finished with a 215.8 average and went 9-3 in match play.

Ryan Speer of Beech Grove, Ind., placed third with 7,939, followed by Hayden Tarris of Bettsville, Ohio (7,838) and David Hayes of Terra Haute, Ind. (7,810).

~ Content curtesy of Johnny Campos