First-time Texas doubles duo takes second in Division 2 at USBC Women's Championships

RENO, Nev. - Bowling together for the first time in doubles, two Texas bowlers moved into second place in Division 2 (299-388 average) at the United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships presented by the Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus.

Janice Kuhen, San Marcos, Texas, and Kim Illhardt, Seguin, Texas, wound up three pins short of taking their division lead with a 1,169 pinfall. "In that situation, you always think back about this frame or that frame, where you easily could have picked up those pins if you had done something different," Kuhen said, shaking her head.

Though she and teammate Illhardt have bowled league for 15 years at San Marcos' Sunset Lanes - located midway between San Antonio and Austin - Kuhen always had bowled doubles with her sister. As fate would have it this year, her sister was working on a volunteer project out of town and couldn't make the trip to Reno.

Kuhen rolled a 524 (194, 174, 156), while Illhardt got hot with a 645 (205, 239, 201), which put the duo two pins behind Southern Californians Elaine VanOtten and Sharon Cassidy, whose 1,171 total has held the division lead since mid-April. Both Kuhen and Illhardt bowled well above their averages, which are 155 and 177, respectively.

Illhardt was particularly happy with her performance. "I was just hitting my spot consistently," she exclaimed excitedly. "I just got in the groove and everything I threw seemed to be working for me."

A retired bank manager, the 67-year-old Kuhen began her bowling career as a pinsetter at age nine. Illhardt, 44, and an accountant, also did her share of pinsetting as a youngster.

Are the two planning on doubling up again as a twosome? "Oh, I imagine," Kuhen answered, laughing.

Kegel is the official lane maintenance supplier of the United States Bowling Congress. For more information on the USBC Women's Championships, visit www.womenschampionships.com.

5/31/2006



By Bob Sagan USBC Communications