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Bowling News USA - February 10, 2011 Storm's Ralph Solan, Steve Kloempken Make the Cut to 65 at the Masters...

 

 

Storm's Ralph Solan and Steve Kloempken laced up their bowling shoes on Wednesday and proved to the star studded USBC Masters field that they can "still get 'er done."

The duo, who happen to be employed at "The Bowlers Company", both vaulted into Thursday's qualifying round at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, NV.

Solan, of Huntsville, Alabama fired a 2118 ten game block and sits 49th heading into Thursday. His best friend and fellow Storm employee Steve Kloempken, (Pleasant View, Utah) is 52nd after a 2111 total on Wednesday.

"I can't tell you how good this feels," said Solan, a three - time PBA Regional Champion. "I have been working on a new performance routine which is really helping me stay focused between shots. Schlem (Chris Schlemer, Storm PBA Tour Consultant) is helping me out and I feel good."

Solan, a Storm Regional Sales Manager, is using a Reign Supreme™ with a 5" x 4" layout as his "go to" ball. "It is giving me just enough midlane roll and is really smooth," said the St. Louis, Missouri native. "The Masters has a great field and I'm excited to compete."

Kloempken, Storm's Global Technical Advisor, and two - time USBC Open Championships titlist, credits managing the breakdown of the lane condition for his early success. "One of the nice things on this pattern is, if you grab one or make a bad shot, the pattern let's you know it right away. Finessing the breakdown and carry down is really important as well as managing your ball selection and surfaces."

Kloempken is using a Storm Marvel™, Hy-Road™, and Victory Road™ with a 6" pin from his axis. "It is getting me through the front clean and really kicking hard on the end. The Victory Road along with a Tropical Heat™ are getting the corners out which is going to be important for me."

Listen to interview with Storm's Steve Kloempken here:

http://www.youtube.com/StormBowlingBalls?feature=mhum

Roto Grip star Wes Malott led the Storm/Roto Grip staffers and is currently in seventh place (2253.) Storm International star Jason Belmonte is close behind in eighth place (2250). Roto Grip staffer Brian Kretzer joins Storm staffers Jeff Carter, Tom Hess, Pete Weber, Norm Duke, Andres Gomez and Brian Himmler in the Round of 65. Several free agents are using Storm/Roto Grip equipment including 13- time PBA Champion Patrick Allen.

The top 65 players after 10 games advanced to Thursday's third round of qualifying, which will determine the top 63 players who will join defending champion Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., in the double-elimination match-play bracket.

Canadian George Lambert IV maintained his tournament lead after two rounds.

Should Lambert retain the No. 1 position heading into match play he would face Williams in the first round. Williams finished the second round outside of the cut number but still advances to match play as the No. 64 seed. He finished in 151st place with a 10-game total of 1,937.

"I'm confused because I thought I had been throwing the ball really well," said Williams, a USBC and PBA Hall of Famer who has 47 career titles. "Yesterday the pins didn't fall at all, but today was a little better. At least with the games I bowled, I have some idea what's going on. I'm not in the best frame of mind right now but match play is a different animal and I just have to perform."

The USBC Masters is a major on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour and the champion of the event will earn $50,000 for first place. The final four players who survive bracket play will advance to the championship round, which will be televised live on ESPN at 3 p.m. Eastern on Sunday.

At the end of 10 games, two players tied for 65th place and had a one-game roll-off for the final spot in Thursday's final five-game block. Brian Himmler of Cincinnati defeated Tyler Wilds of Mendon, Mich., 185-134, to advance.

2011 USBC MASTERS
National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev.

Wednesday's results

QUALIFYING ROUND 2

(10 games)

1, George Lambert IV, Canada, 2,356.

2, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 2,345.

3, Tommy Jones, Greenville, S.C., 2,299.

4, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 2,297.

5, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 2,274.

6, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 2,255.

7, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 2,253. (Roto Grip)

8, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 2,250. (Storm)

9, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 2,247.

10, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 2,234.

10, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 2,234.

12, Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, Mich., 2,231.

12, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 2,231.

14, Jason Munkberg, Redding, Calif., 2,226.

15, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2,218. (Roto Grip)

16, David Beres, Waukesha, Wis., 2,211.

17, Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa., 2,210.

18, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,200. (Using Roto Grip)

19, Joshua Kierpiec, Scottsville, N.Y., 2,198.

20, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 2,196.

21, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 2,188. (Using Storm/Roto Grip)

22, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 2,177. (Storm)

23, Ricky Schissler, Henderson, Colo., 2,176.

24, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 2,170.

25, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 2,168. (Using Storm)

26, Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 2,164.

27, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 2,160.

28, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 2,158.

29, Mike DeVaney, Murrieta, Calif., 2,156. (Using Storm/Roto Grip)

29, Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., 2,156. (Storm)

31, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 2,153.

32, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 2,152.

33, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 2,150.

33, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,150. (Storm)

33, Anthony Thompson, Redding, Calif., 2,150.

36, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 2,149. (Using Storm)

36, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 2,149. (Using Storm)

38, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 2,143. (Storm)

39, Terrance Bright, Atlanta, 2,139.

40, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 2,132. (Storm)

41, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 2,131.

42, Mark Scuderi Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 2,130.

43, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,128.

43, Mathew Jones, Avondale, Ariz., 2,128.

45, Brandon Kraye, LaHabra, Calif., 2,126.

46, Michael Clark Jr, Cleveland, Ohio, 2,125.

47, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 2,124. (Using Storm/Roto Grip)

48, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 2,119.

49, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 2,118. (Storm)

49, Ralph Solan, Huntsville, Ala., 2,118. (Storm)

51, Stuart Williams, England, 2,113. (Using Storm)

52, Steve Kloempken, Pleasant View, Utah, 2,111. (Storm)

52, J.R. Raymond, Saginaw, Mich., 2,111.

54, Adam Ishman, Las Vegas, 2,110.

54, Steven Badovinac, Parker, Colo., 2,110. (Using Storm)

56, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 2,104.

57, Lucas Legnani, Argentina, 2,103.

57, Erik Vermilyea, Mansfield, Texas, 2,103.

59, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 2,102.

60, Teruyuki Obara, Japan, 2,098. (Storm International)

60, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 2,098.

62, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 2,091. (Using Storm)

63, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 2,084.

64, Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 2,080.

65, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 2,074*. (Storm)

* Himmler won one-game roll-off, 185-134, to advance.

(Segments courtesy pba.com)

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February, 2011