The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Bowling Federation completed its trials for the selection for the 2014 Lee Evans Tournament of Americas over the weekend at Mario’s Bowling and Entertainment Palace.

The 52nd version of the tournament will take place at the Strikers Lanes, Sunrise, Great Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from July 27 to August 2.

Following the federation’s trails that wrapped up on Sunday, Alcondo Hepburn, Leonardo ‘Lee’ Davis, Sonith Lockhart, Greg Taylor, Philip ‘Grease’ Bethel and Alfred ‘Deuce City’ Burrows all secured their spots on the men’s side. So far, the ladies who have booked their trip are Janice Hoyte, Jonice ‘Joy’ Lockhart, Xynea Johnson and Camille Burnside.

According to federation treasurer and public relations officer Clayton Gardiner, the trials were quite interesting.

“The men’s team for the Tournament of Americas is clear cut,” said Gardiner, following the trials. “The ladies are also clear cut, but we didn’t have any participants in the super senior division, so the federation may have to make a determination on how we will select that team.

“But we have some work to do because when you look at the scores, we’re not completely satisfied. I don’t think those scores will hold up, especially on the ladies’ side in an international tournament. When you’re looking at the international competition, you have to be around 200-210 for the men and at least 199-200 for the ladies. So we have a lot of work to do.”

Hepburn emerged as the winner of the men’s trials after he posted a total pinfall of 3,444 for an average of 191.33 from 18 games. He will be joined on the men’s adult team of 50-and-under by Davis, who had 3,363 pins for his average of 186.53.

Lockhart took the top spot on the senior team for players over 50 with a 181.61 average with 3,269 pins for third overall in the standings. Taylor, a long-time executive of the Bahamas Cricket Association, finished fifth overall and second on the senior team with 3,309 pins and an average of 183.83.

And in the super senior division for players 65 years and over, Philip Bethel came in 11th overall to lead the two-man team with his pins of 3.065 and average of 170.28, the same scores produced by Alfred Bethel for the last spot with the identical scores as Bethel for 12th place.

On the ladies’ side, Janice Hoyte took the top spot with her 4,104 pins and 171.00 average, just ahead of Joy Lockhart, who had 4,081 pins and a 170.04 average. What’s interesting to note is the fact that they will both represent the senior division.

Representing the adult division are Xynea Johnson and Camille Burnside. They came in third and fourth overall. Johnson produced an average of 161.17 with her pins of 3,868, while Burnside followed with 3,815 pins and an average of 158.96.

Only nine women participated in the trials and none were in the super senior division.

The team selection followed that of the team that will be going to the Central American and Caribbean Games, scheduled for November 15-30 in Veracruz, Mexico.

The team selected is as follows:

They are the following:

Men’s team - David Slatter, Leonardo ‘Lee’ Davis, Byron McClain, Johann Pyfrom, Sonith Lockhart, Marion ‘Hawk’ Brown, Yule Hoyte and Ken Brathwaite.

Ladies team - Driskell Rolle, Janice ‘Joy’ Lockhart, Camille Burnside, Xynea Johnson, Marina McClain, Joanne Woodside-Powell, Angela Smith and Tara Johnson.

Also, by virtue of winning the federation’s National Bowling Championships, Xynea Johnson and Leonardo Davis have clinched their berth in the QuebicaAMF World Cup that is set for November 1-9 in Wroclaw, Poland. Last year, Driskell Rolle and Sonith Lokhart carried the Bahamian flag as the representatives in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.