Category Archives for Local Association News

The Green Bay Area USBC board of directors is delighted to announce the return of the All-City Teams, a prestigious recognition for top-performing bowlers. After a hiatus, the board decided to reinstate this honor to provide greater recognition to the outstanding bowlers in the community. Throughout each season, bowlers can earn points through participation in Green Bay Area USBC tournaments, achieving honor scores within their league play, and maintaining high averages throughout the year.

Leading the resurgence of the All-City Team is none other than our male bowler of the year, Jake Ziebarth. Jake has had an extraordinary year, showcasing his remarkable skills on the lanes. His impressive average this season was an astounding 236 recorded in the Homewreckers League at Village Lanes. However, it is in the Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, during the 3 Man Classic league known for its challenging shot, he initially scored a notable 232, with it being adjusted to 243. Jake's achievements extend beyond his high average, with an impressive record of 3 800-series, 46 700-series, and 7 perfect 300 games during the season. His exceptional performance also saw him finish as the runner-up in the Green Bay Open and a top 16 finish in the Masters Tournament.

Jake Ziebarth will be joined by other exceptional male bowlers on the All-City Team, including Rick Volhard, Jake Johnson, John VanLandengon, and Wally Georgia. These talented individuals will be honored at the upcoming Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet scheduled for November 3rd at the Riverside Ballroom.

For the Women's All City Team, the female bowler of the year title goes to Morgan Stary, who has dominated the bowling scene with her outstanding achievements. Morgan secured the top spot with an impressive highest female average at 232. Her triumphs include a 1st place finish at the Queens Tournament and an outstanding fall season in 2022-2023. In addition to her averages, Morgan also achieved an impressive 39 600-series and 12 700-series.

Morgan Stary will be accompanied by four other talented women at the Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet: Beth Polomis, Valerie Verheyen, Kim Hoffman, and Jeanne Simons.

Recognizing the exceptional talent within the community, the honorable mention teams for both men and women are as follows:

Women's Honorable Mention Team:

Carrie Garcia

Kim Felton

Wendy LaFave

Caitlyn Phillips

Briana Cubito

Men's Honorable Mention Team:

Mike Schmit

Kevin Olsen

Matt Heesaker

Joey Wagester

Justin Doxtater

The Green Bay Area USBC extends its congratulations to all the outstanding bowlers who have earned their place on the All City Teams and the honorable mention teams. This revival of the All City Teams underscores the commitment to celebrating and recognizing excellence in the sport of bowling.

Green Bay, WI – The Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay is set to be abuzz with excitement on the evening of November 1st as the Green Bay Area USBC (United States Bowling Congress) Hall of Fame prepares to induct two esteemed members who have left an indelible mark on the local bowling scene. This prestigious event promises to be a celebration of dedication, skill, and unwavering passion for the sport of bowling.

Dan Beilfuss: Meritorious Service

One of the evening's honorees, Dan Beilfuss, is a true bowling stalwart whose dedication to the sport spans over half a century. Having been a member of the Association for an impressive 55 years, Dan's journey in the world of bowling has been nothing short of remarkable. His commitment to the Seymour Bowling Association, where he served as Secretary from 1969, continued even after its merger with the Green Bay Association.

Dan's involvement didn't stop there; he has been a dedicated member of various boards, including the Junior board, Men's board, and the merged board. His contributions extend to a wide range of bowling-related activities, from organizing tournaments to handling registrations, scorekeeping, raffle sales, and youth awards banquets. Dan has also been actively involved in delivering veterans baskets for the BVL (Bowlers to Veterans Link).

On the lanes, Dan Beilfuss has demonstrated his prowess as an accomplished bowler. Averaging over 200 for more than two decades at Wally's Seymour Bowl is a testament to his skill and consistency. He's notched up an impressive four perfect 300 games and boasts over 150 series better than 700. Dan was also a crucial member of the 2008-09 Green Bay City Tournament Team champions and a proud member of the 2006-07 Green Bay Press-Gazette All-City team.

His commitment to the sport and his tireless efforts behind the scenes have made Dan Beilfuss a true legend in the Green Bay bowling community.

John Schermetzler: Superior Performance

Another bowling luminary to be honored at the Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet is John Schermetzler, whose remarkable bowling journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Hailing from Manitowoc, John's journey to Green Bay was driven by his love for the sport, and he quickly made a name for himself on the local scene.

John's Bowlers Advantage Pro Shop team clinched three consecutive Green Bay Major titles, a feat that showcases his remarkable skill and competitive spirit. His consistency is further highlighted by the five times he claimed the second-highest average in the Major. Two other times, he secured the third-highest average, all testament to his unwavering dedication.

One particular night in bowling history stands out – on April 5, 2009, John Schermetzler etched his name in the record books by tying the Willow Creek House record with a mesmerizing series of 269-300-299, totaling an astonishing 868.

John's accolades extend beyond the lanes in Green Bay. He has been crowned the Top 64 tournament champion in 2007 and was also the champion of the 2020-21 Green Bay Senior Masters. An impressive nine times, he earned a spot on the Green Bay Press-Gazette All-City teams, showcasing his consistent excellence.

Throughout his career, John has consistently maintained an average of 230 or higher in the Green Bay Major, including a remarkable high average of 238.7 in 2005-06. He has crossed the elusive 800 barrier seven times, with seven perfect games, two games of 299, and one game of 298. These remarkable accomplishments are a testament to his exceptional talent and dedication to the sport.

It is important to note that these accomplishments are only a glimpse of John Schermetzler's remarkable career, which extends beyond Green Bay to other bowling arenas.

The Green Bay Area USBC Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet on November 1st will be a night to remember, honoring two extraordinary individuals, Dan Beilfuss and John Schermetzler, who have dedicated their lives to the sport of bowling and left an indelible mark on the Green Bay bowling community. Their legacy will inspire generations of bowlers to come, reminding us all of the passion and dedication it takes to excel in this beloved sport. Congratulations to the inductees for their well-deserved recognition!

The Green Bay Area USBC provides scholarships every year to recognize outstanding young bowlers in our association. The scholarships are named after the following individuals, all of whom have had a tremendous impact on youth bowling: Al Salmon, Rose & Maurice Lawyer, and Leo Delvoye.

This year the Youth Committee has awarded two $1,000 scholarships.

This year’s scholarship winners are:

Leo Delvoye Memorial Scholarship

Madison Carriveau

Madison is a sophomore at Pulaski High School where she currently holds a 3.79 GPA.  She has participated in the Youth Leagues at Village Lanes since she was just four years old

In addition to bowling she participates in Student Council, Leo Club, FFA and Team Teddy.  Her bowling honors include first place finishes in the GBA USBC Youth Invitational, Pepsi Regionals along with first team placement in the Green Bay Area High School Bowling Conference All Conference Team.

Her coach Jerry Polarek shared with the committee that Madison is, “a driven young lady who is always on time and participates in city and state every year.  She is always there to support her teammates, even when she is having a bad day.”

Al Salmon Memorial Scholarship

Savanah Athey

Savanah is a senior at Bay Port High School where she holds an impressive 3.586 gpa.  She has participated in the youth leagues at Village Lanes for 11 years.

Her bowling honors are plentiful, including being a member of the 2nd Team All Conference for the Green Bay Area High School Bowling Conference and many high game/series honors for the leagues she has participated in.

Her coach Jerry Polarek shared that she is a quiet and focused bowler, but is the first to congratulate or offer guidance and support to fellow bowlers, regardless of age.

The Green Bay Area USBC is proud to award these outstanding bowlers a scholarship to help them pursue their future education. These annual scholarships are in addition to the $5000+ that our association awards through our annual tournaments where youth bowlers of all age groups can compete. 

The 2023 OpenTeam Championship was held Sunday March 5th at Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley.

129 teams attempted to qualify during league play during the month of January to advance to the 64 team single elimination bracket style event.

The Ashwaubenon Lanes Team from Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley defeated the Rendezvous of Luxemburg team 1033 to 966 in the final match to become this years' champion.

Team members include Mike LaBar, Scott McKinnon, Dave LeGreve, Doug Follet, and Nathan LeGreve.

The 2023 Women's Team Championship was held Sunday March 5th at Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley.

7 teams advanced to the single elimination bracket tournament.

The Oneida 2nd Chance Farms team from Wally's Seymour Bowl defeated the Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley team 899 to 806 in the final match to become this year's champions.

Team members include Sue Rader, Polly Trieber, Georgianna Keahna and Kylene Luepke.

The Green Bay Area USBC Senior Masters Tournament was held February 26th at Village Lanes, 45 bowlers over the age of 50 competed for the right to be called this year's Sr. Masters Champion.

The tournament consisted of 4 games of qualifying where twins Ron & Randy Wilde led the field with 943 and 916 respectively.

The field was cut to 12 bowlers for match play, with the top 4 qualifiers receiving byes for the single game matches.

Last year's champion Scott Weber rolled through match play on his way to the title match where he defeated Randy Wilde 193 to 182.

The Super Senior Award (first bowler over 60+ outside of the cut) went to John Gales with a 850.

Results summary and the links to the full results are below:

Qualifying Results:

(1) Ron Wilde: 943

(2) Randy Wilde: 916

(3) Kelly Berken: 907

(4) Scott Weber: 906

(5) Mark Derozier: 885

(6) Jeff Lee: 885

(7) Rick Garcia: 884

(8) Kent Jacobson: 882

(9) Jay Nephew: 881

(10) Scott Korth: 860

(11) Jack Siharaj: 854

(12) Troy Felsinger: 853

Match Play

Round 1

(9) Nephew def. (8) Jacobson 299-181

(5) Derozier def. (12) Felsinger 227-163

(11) Siharaj def. (6) Lee 227-225

(7) Garcia def. (10) Korth 205-186

Quarter Finals

(9) Nephew def. (1) Randy Wilde 237-212

(4) Weber def. (5) Derozier 198-188

(3) Berken def. (11) Siharaj 205-170

(2) Randy Wilde def. (7) Garcia 228-188

Semi-Finals

(4) Weber def. (9) Nephew 226-203

(2) Randy Wilde def. (3) Berken 232-225

Championship

(4) Weber def. (2) Randy Wilde 193-182

4 games of qualifying saw Erin Michelfelder lead the pack with a 894 earning her the top qualifier bonus.  Moving into Match Play the 2nd seeded Morgan Stary (833) defeated Valerie Verheyen (7th seed) and Carrie Garcia (4th seed) on her way to the championship where she met Michelfelder and came away with the victory in a close match 195-188.  This is Stary's third Queen's title.

Qualifier Advancers

(1) Erin Michelfelder 894

(2) Morgan Stary 833

(3) Ashley Brunette 806

(4) Carrie Garcia 804

(5) Teal Rosinsky 775

(6) Madison Adams 773

(7) Valerie Verheyen 755

(8) Michelle Moens 746

Match Play

Quarter Finals

(1) Michelfelder def. (8) Moens 199 - 163

(6) Adams def. (3) Brunette 252 - 163
(4) Garcia def. (5) Rosinsky 224 -215
(2) Stary def. (7) Verheyen 247 - 178

Semi Finals

(1) Michelfelder def. (6) Adams 225 - 162
(2) Stary def. (4) Garcia 236 - 202

Championship

(2) Stary def. (1) Michelfelder 195 - 188

80 of the areas top bowlers competed on a tough 1.83:1 sport pattern with 4 games of qualifying with the top 16 bowlers advancing to match play which consisted of 2 game matches.

Qualifying was led by Rick Volhard who averaged 218 with his 875 4 game total with Austin Boex taking the last spot in 16th with a 777.  

Robert Leavy qualified in the 15th seed with a 787 and then defeated 2nd seeded Jake Ziebarth 417 to 362, 7th seed Jim Delvoye Jr 383 to 326, and 11th seed Kevin Olsen 486 to 429 on his way to the Championship match where he defeated past champion Jake Johnson who was the 5th seed 398 to 377.

Match Play Results:

Round of 16

(16) Austin Boex def. (1) Rick Volhard 371-346

(8) Matthew Orvis def. (9) Dylan Shafel 414 - 365
(4) Justin Stephens def. (13) Nick Berken 405 - 362
(5) Jake Johnson def. (12) Ken Kempf 412 -363
(15) Robert Leavy def. (2) Jake Ziebarth 417 - 362
(7) Jim Delvoye Jr def. (10) Steven March 368 - 349
(3) Matt Heesaker def. (14) Nate Becher 496 - 404
(11) Kevin Olsen def. (6) Randy Wilde 406 - 343

Quarter Finals

(8) Orvis def. (16) Boex 388 - 322

(5) Johnson def. (4) Stephens 396 - 384
(15) Leavy def. (7) Delvoye Jr 383 - 326
(11) Olsen def. (3) Heesaker 411 - 404

Semi Finals

(5) Johnson def. (8) Orvis 433 - 344
(15) Leavy def. (11) Olsen 486 - 429

Championship Match
(15) Leavy def. (5) Johnson 398 - 377

The Green Bay Area USBC has announced the 2022 Inductees into the Green Bay Area USBC Hall of Fame.  These candidates will be inducted during the annual Hall of Fame Banquet which is being held on Friday November 4, 2022 at the Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay.

This year’s class includes 2 inductees in the Superior Performance category and one candidate in the Meritorious Service category.  

Our first candidate, being inducted for her Meritorious Service is Sandy Klimek.  Sandy has been a member of the local association for over 50 years and been involved in volunteering her time and talent during many of those years.  She served as a director on the Board of Directors for 9 years, and was delegate to the state annual meeting 9 times.  She served on many committees including City Tournament, State Senior Tournament, Legislative, Budget & Finance, Publicity & Average Book and chaired the Ways & Means and Meyer Committees.  

Sandy is a familiar face volunteering at many tournaments over the years, including local, state, and national tournaments.  She was the hostess coordinator for the 2018 Wisconsin Women’s Championships held in Green Bay and coordinated the trinket corner for the 2018 Midwest Women’s Tournament.    

In addition to her board work, she has been the secretary of the Saturday Nite Odd Couples League at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley for 26 years.  She also participates in the National and State Tournaments each year.

The next candidate, being inducted for Superior Performance is Ryan Nuthals.   Ryan’s competitive resume includes a career average of 214.65 over 4,000+ games with a high average of 227 which he accomplished twice, once in the 2002-03 season at Western Lanes in the Georgia Pacific West league and again in the 2013-14 Rivera 973 at Riviera Lanes.  He has 1 800 to his credit along with 249 series of 700 or more, 7 300 games, 2 299 games, and 3 298 games.

Ryan was a part of two Green Bay Major Championship teams in 1997-98 and 1998-99.  On December 17, 2002 he was part of The Bar team in the Western Central league that set the all time high 5 man team game with a 1374.  He was an honorable mention on the Green Bay Press Gazette All City Team in 1999-2000.    

Our final inductee for the class of 2022 is Beth Polomis, who is also being inducted in the Superior Performance category.    Beth’s career highest average is 220 during the 2010-11 season in the Riv’s Rowdies league at Riviera Lanes.  Beth has rolled 76 series of 700+ and adds another 545 series between 600-699.  She also carries 3 300 games and 2 299 games on her resume. 

Beth’s tournament accomplishments are plentiful, winning the 1999 Women’s City Tournament Division 1 All Events Title, the 2000 Division 2 Women’s State Tournament Team title, the 2020 GBA USBC Queen’s Tournament, and the 2022 Ashwaubenon Top 32 Tournament.

Beth has been on the Green Bay Press Gazette All City 1st Team in 2010-11, 2nd Team in 1999-00, 2013-14 and has been an honorable mention an impressive 11 times.

The class of 2022 will inducted along with last season's tournament and association awards at the banquet. 

If you know of someone who you think would be a great candidate for the Hall of Fame, please submit and application form which can be found on our website at https://greenbaybowling.com/hall-of-fame/

The Green Bay Area USBC provides for 3 $1,000 scholarships every year to recognize those who had a tremendous impact on youth bowling in our area. The scholarships are named after the following individuals, all of whom have had a tremendous impact on youth bowling: Al Salmon, Rose & Maurice Lawyer, and Leo Delvoye.

This year’s scholarship winners were:

Leo Delvoye Memorial Scholarship

Ezekiel Wagner

Zeke is a senior at Pulaski High School and is part of the Wally’s Seymour Bowl Youth Program.   He's been a member for 7 years and has a first place city tournament title to his credit.  He also lettered in bowling as part of the high school program.  

In addition to bowling he participates in FFA, the Gaming Club, and is a member of the National Honor Society.  He volunteers at his parish picnic, the local library and has also helped clean up area roadways, all while holding a 3.792 GPA!

Rose & Maurice Memorial Scholarship

Emmanuel McPherson

Emmanuel is a senior at Green Bay Southwest High School where he holds a 3.4483 GPA.  He is a member of the Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley Youth Program.  He has multiple bowling achievements to his credit including multiple 300 games and a high series of 821.  He was recently featured as part of the Generation Next section of the Bowlers’ Journal Magazine.  He has a top 5 finish in the Wisconsin State Youth Masters along with a top 5 fill percentage ranking in the District 8 High School Program.

In addition to bowling, Emmanuel participates in the Peer Mediation Council, Baseball, Key Club, and the Video Game Club.

Al Salmon Memorial Scholarship

Bryson Straveler

Bryson is a senior at West DePere High School where he holds an impressive 4.3258 GPA.  He has been a member of the Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley Youth Program for 6 years.

His bowling honors include scholarship awards at the 2017, 2018, and 2020 City Tournament, along with qualifying for the State 600 Tournament in 2019, 2020, and 2021.  

Bryson has volunteered with the Salvation Army and is a member of the National Honor Society, French Club, and Sting Cancer Club. He also helps with his school’s food drive.

The Green Bay Area USBC is proud to award these outstanding bowlers with a scholarship to help them pursue their future education. These annual scholarships are in addition to the $5000+ that our association awards at our annual tournaments where youth bowlers of all age groups can compete.