YOUTH NEW MEXICO OPEN

champs and finalists

        Jaxon Witt and Donald Gallegos got the new JBT Mountain Conference season off to an exciting start, capturing titles at the 2024 Youth New Mexico Open, hosted and sponsored by Tenpins & More @ Rio Rancho.

        Witt climbed a tough stepladder to capture the scratch title, beginning with a win over early-round leader Rowdy Twarogowski, who had by far the high game of the tournament with a 297 during qualifying.  Defending All-Conference Bowler of the Year Nathan Harnit then got off to a hot start in the semifinal, but Witt countered with a late six-bagger to squeeze out the match and advance to the final.

         Top seed John Green took over the lead in matchplay, and was eager to avenge a runner-up finisher in this event last season.  Both bowled very well on the extremely demanding pattern that both the adult and youth versions of the NMO is known for, and when Green struck out from the ninth for 205, Jaxon needed strike-spare to win.  Witt instead went 9-spare, but flushed the fill ball for a 205 tie.  Green elected to go first in the one-shot rolloff and got 9, and Jaxon responded with a strike to swipe the title, his first, and the $600 top scholarship prize.

        The handicap finals featured an international flavor, as two Australians of the seven who entered (all of whom made the first cut) reached the stepladder.  However, Australia ran into Artesia there, in the form of Ashlyn McIntire.  She won a close round one over Renee Kyte, and then stopped Izzy Leonard in a low-scoring but one-pin finish, to advance to the title match.  Top seed Donald Gallegos loves Tenpins, as he won his only other title here, and led comfortably for most of the event.  Rookie McIntire (Brent's sister) struggled in the final, and Gallegos took advantage, rolling another good game to earn his second career JBT title, and first singles victory.

        Kendall Bollea won her second consecutive Girls Scratch title in dramatic fashion, doubling for a one-pin win over Mia Medina.  U17 was won for the first time by Amarillo's Andrew Zubia, with a win over Nathan Harnit during matchplay.  Three balls were awarded thanks to title sponsor the Brands of Brunswick, won by Jayden McSmith, Peyton DeMerritt, and Skyler Chaney.

        JBT was flattered to have the YNMO be the wrapup event to a three week visit from the Australian contingent.  The talented youth team also earlier won the International Challenge Cup against a Tenpins-organized team, for which they will take home a very nice trophy, and hopefully all the Vegemite.

        Big thanks as always to Steve Mackie and the Tenpins crew for a great job hosting JBT events, and whose sponsorship pushed the scholarship total awarded to just shy of the $5,000 mark.  Want in on all this fun for all ages, skill levels, and hemispheres?  Just check out our upcoming schedule and come on down!

Date: Saturday & Sunday September 21-22, 2024  (This is ONE tournament that is two days long, open to anyone age 21 & under as of 8/1/24). 

Start Time: Qualifying squads at 9 AM, 1 PM, and 5 PM Saturday.

Re-entries?:  Unlimited re-entries as space permits, with first-time bowlers having priority.  If you make the cut at 9 or 1, you may choose to re-enter to try and improve your score (scores do carry forward into Sunday).  Your qualifying score is protected, you can't go lower than that score.  Re-entrants scores do not factor in to that round's cut score.

Reservations:  Please email director@bowljbt.com to reserve a spot.  You can prepay (not required) at the 'Prepaying' section of this website.  Reservations (paid or unpaid) must check in no later than 15 minutes before start time.  At that time, all bowlers will be taken on a first come, first serve basis until the field is full.

Format: 5 game qualifying rounds at 9 AM Saturday, 1 PM Saturday, and 5 PM Saturday.  In each squad, the top 25% of the field (excluding bowlers already qualified in squads 1 or 2) advance to Sunday's semifinals.  Semifinals are 5 additional games of matchplay, with the top 4 bowling a stepladder final.

Divisions/ Averages:  Scratch or handicap.  It is the bowlers' choice of division.  Also, everyone age 16 or under as of 8/1/24 is automatically entered in the U-17 side event.   Also, every female is automatically entered in the Girls Scratch side event.   If this is your first JBT event this season, we will be asking for average info.  In most cases, your highest average from any current form of organized competition of at least 15 games is what we need.  If you bowl in multiple leagues / clubs, bring everything and we'll sort it out for you.  If you don't have 15+ games in any organized competition this season, we need your finishing 23-24 average, and any 2024 summer averages.  After your first JBT event, your average is re-rated before every JBT event according to JBT rules.  Please see JBT Rule 13 for complete details.

Points:  This event counts for double Mountain and All-Conference points.  Points qualify you for the big money season-ending Invitationals and Touring Players Championship, so get all you can.  Visit the 'statistics' section of the website to check on your points.  At the end of the season, the top 40 in Mountain points, plus anyone who had TWO top-5 finishes in Mountain events this season, advance to their respective Invitationals.

Entry fee: $60 first entry; $50 re-entries.  Scholarship brackets are available for $2 each.  Raffle tickets for bowling balls from the brands of Brunswick, and our PowerBowl and '28' jackpots, are available on-site. 

Sponsor Incentive bonuses:  1) IAM Bowling: Bowlers making the final match of an event (scratch or handicap) wearing an IAM patch (good), any IAM shirt (better), or an IAM JBT shirt (best) earn point bonuses towards a $5,000 IAM incentive jackpot.  (The IAM patch is requested to be worn by all bowlers).   2) Virtue Bowling: Bowlers making the final match of an event (scratch or handicap, win or lose), using a Virtue Bowling shirt or patch, and a Virtue drilled ball, earn a $25 Virtue gift card.  (These sponsorships are pending final renewal for the new season.)

Scholarships: 1:6 in each division earn scholarships, scratch and handicap.  Minimum prizes are $300, $150, $100, $60.  Bowlers must finish in the top 5 twice this season in that conference to qualify for that conference's Invitational, which features $1,000 for first place.  Bowlers who finish in the top 20 in a conference's points race, or the top 120 in all-conference points, qualify for the Touring Players Championship, featuring $2,900 for first.

Lane conditions: conditions vary from event to event, and are not posted prior to the event (unless otherwise announced).  Some events do not post the pattern until after qualifying, or even at all.  Be ready for anything- it makes you a better bowler!  Check out previous patterns and corresponding cut scores at the 'lane conditions' section of this website.

Dress code:  Anything goes EXCEPT tank tops, gym shorts, clothing promoting alcohol, drugs, or firearms, or excessively ripped or short clothing, subject solely to the director's discretion.  However, bowlers wearing slacks or dress shorts/skirts, and a 'name shirt' or PBA-style 'dye-sub' shirt, or college or high school team shirt, earn an extra 10 points on their season-long points total.  If you're not sure about dress code, check with us.  If you're new to us, the vast majority of the bowlers do dress in the 'bonus' dress code, and those points become very important, so plan accordingly.

RESERVED BOWLERS:

This reservation is an expectation that you will be bowling.  PLEASE do not forget to contact us if you need to cancel or adjust your reservation.  Repeated 'no-shows' may result in you not being able to reserve a spot.  This list may not be updated after the Friday of the event as we travel, etc.  However, walk-ins / late entries are still gladly accepted as space permits.  There is generally plenty of room for walk-ins / late entries, and we'll  post here clearly if an event is nearing sellout or sold out.