Pennsylvania bowler just shy of singles lead at Open Championships
Chontos opened with games of 266 and 289 and marked in every frame along the way to put himself in position to pass Dave Barker of Springfield, Ill., who leads with 793. Chontos needed the first strike in his final frame, but the 9-pin wouldn't budge. He picked up the spare and struck on the fill ball to finish with 236 and a 791 series and settled into third place.
"Even though it wasn't enough for an eagle, I'm feeling great right now," said Chontos, who finished 24th in Regular Singles (741) and 28th in Regular All-Events (2,027) last year in Baton Rouge, La. "I had a few breaks in there with some good carry, and I feel like I was just playing the right part of the lane with the right ball."
Sticking to a routine on the lanes also helped Chontos keep his cool and continue throwing strikes.
"I was making regular trips to the water cooler after every other shot," said Chontos, who made his 10th Open Championships appearance. "I knew I had to stay focused and make good shots, and I was able to get a rhythm going. After a while, I had to go to the bathroom, but that would have changed the pace. So I took a few deep breaths and moved on."
Overall, Chontos was just happy to still be competing after several knee surgeries and some other injuries almost ended his bowling career. He added 691 in doubles and 592 in team for a 2,074 all-events total.
"I had to have my left knee operated on two years in a row," Chontos said. "And after that I started feeling pain in my arm. But I made a decision to tough it out and stop thinking about the pain. It actually has helped my game because it helps me concentrate a little more on just bowling. But I know the pain will be there and I have to be OK with that."
Presenting sponsors for the 2006 USBC Open Championships are Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Texas State Aquarium, Majestic Ventures Yacht Charters, Inc., USS Lexington Museum and Texas Treasure Casino Cruises.
For more information on the USBC Open Championships, visit USBCOpen.com.
5/27/2006
By Matt Cannizzaro and David Ellis USBC Communications