Special Olympics Indiana Unified Bowling Teams Win National Titles in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — Two Special Olympics Indiana foursomes and four doubles teams brought home gold medals from the 2024 National Unified Bowling championships last week at South Point Bowling Stadium in Las Vegas.

In all, 67 Indiana bowlers from Indiana took part among the 550 athletes who qualified for the national tournament by advancing from their state tournaments.

Unified Bowling is part of the Special Olympics Unified Sports program that combines athletes with and without intellectual disabilities on the same teams, promoting social inclusion, training and competition.

Delaware County

The 4 Amigos of Hancock County and Indiana Flamingos of Delaware County earned first-place finishes within the team competitions.

The 4 Amigos (Paul Daugherty, William Glover, Ross Bennett, Jeff Pennington) combined to roll 1,863 over three games to finish atop their pool. The Indiana Flamingos (Madison Cooper, Barb Cox, John Blackburn, Gary Cooper) scored 1,536 pins to win their grouping.

Teams were divided into pools based on their handicaps.

Hancock County

Earning titles in the doubles competition were the Rock and Rollers #2 of Porter County (Nathan Michel, Diana Sowers) with 876 pins in three games; the Pin Strikers #2 of Clark-Floyd County (Callen Robinson, Travis Robinson) with 773 pins; the Gutter Guards #1 of Porter County (Sal Sanchez, Norma Sanchez) with 695 pins); and the Lucky Strikers of Delaware County (Madison Cooper, Barb Cox) with  654 pins.

***

2024 National Unified Bowling Competition Results

Lake County

• 4 Amigos, Hancock County, Eric (Paul) Daugherty, Tim (William) Glover, Ross Bennett, Jeff Pennington, first place, 1863 pins
• Indiana Flamingos, Delaware County, Madison Cooper, Barb Cox, John Blackburn, Gary Cooper, first place, 1,536 pins
• Astros, Clark-Floyd County, Kristi Yarbrough, Don Gatz, Callen Robinson, Travis Robinson, second place, 1440 pins
• Porter County, Porter County, Sal Sanchez, Norma Sanchez, Wayne Koontz, Manny Sanchez, second place, 1,358 pins
• Brandon and His Crew, Porter County, Nik Smardzija, Stephanie Smardzija, Brandon Napiwocki, Tony Napiwoki, third place, 1,577 pins

Porter County

• Gutter Guards, Porter County, Sal Sanchez, Norma Sanchez, Wayne Koontz, Manny Sanchez, second place, 1358 pins
• Kemper Kingpins, Delaware County, Mallory Kemper, Mindy Kemper, Payton Kemper, Tom Kemper, 1480 pins, fourth place
• Pin Pushers, Porter County, Eric Thorstad, Denise Miller, Kris Scifres, Scott Miller, 1399 pins, fourth place
• Ten Pin Tigers #1, Lake County, Tevin Allen, Michael Petruska, Christopher (C.T.) Holmes, Theresa Petruska, fourth place, 1512 pins
• Bowling Thunder, Porter County, Jake Simon, Danielle, Simon, Jackson Simon, Angie Mackenzie, 1444 pins, fifth place
• Blakely’s, Porter County, Kayla Blakely, Lisa Blakely, Justin Blakely, Brian Blakely, 1362 pins, fifth place
• Rock and Rollers, Porter County, Dale Lindstrom, Candace, Lindstrom, Nathan Michel, Diana Sowers, fifth place, 1476 pins
• Bowling Stones, Porter County, Andy Petrovich, Kathy Petrovich, Courtney Hendle, Terri Hendle, sixth place, 1049 pins
• Jets, Clark-Floyd County, Doug Barney, Becky Warren, Robin Zipperle, Dori Zipperle, sixth place, 1,269 pins

Doubles competition

• Lucky Strikers, Delaware County, Madison Cooper, Barb Cox, first place, 654 pins
• Gutter Guards #1, Porter County, Sal Sanchez, Norma Sanchez, first place, 695 pins
• Pin Strikers #2, Clark-Floyd County, Callen Robinson, Travis Robinson, first place, 773 pins
• Rock and Rollers #2, Porter County, Nathan Michel, Diana Sowers, first place, 876 pins
• Bowler Coasters, Delaware County, John Blackburn, Gary Cooper, second place, 829 pins
• Brandon and His Crew #2, Porter County, Nik Smardzija, Stephanie Smardzija, second place, 863 pins
• Nutter Gutters, Delaware County, Mallory Kemper, Mindy Kemper, second place, 828 pins
• Rock and Rollers #1, Porter County, Dale Lindstrom, Candace Lindstom, second place, 801 pins
• 2 Pin Strikers #1, Clark-Floyd County, Kristi Yarbrough, Don Gatz, third place, 662 pins
• Bowling Chicks #1, Porter County, Andrea Frank, Michele Pickering, third place, 789 pins
• Brandon and His Crew #3, Brandon Napiwoki, Tony Napiwocki, third place, 819 pins
• Gutter Guards #2, Porter County, Wayne Koontz, Manny Sanchez, third place, 707 pins
• Hancock City 2 Angels, Hancock County, Ross Bennett, Jeff Pennington, fourth place, 941 pins
• Pin Pushers #1, Porter County, Eric Thorstad, Denise Miller, fourth place, 620 pins.
• Pin Strikers #1, Clark-Floyd County, Doug Barney, Becky Warren, fourth place, 766 pins
• Bowling Stones #2, Porter County, Courtney Hendle, Terri Hendle, fifth place, 427
• Bowling Thunder #1, Porter County, Jake Simon, Danielle Simon, fifth place, 591 pins
• Team Squatch, Delaware County, Payton Kemper, Tom Kemper, fifth place, 743 pins
• Ten Pin Tigers No. 2, Lake County, Tevin Allen, Michael Petruska, fifth place, 734 pins
• Blakely’s #1, Porter County, Kayla Blakely, Lisas Blakely, sixth place, 686 pins
• Blakely’s #2, Porter County, Justin Blakely, Brian Blakely, sixth place, 652 pins
• Bowling Chicks #2, Porter County, Kim Szelinski, Loretta Frank, sixth place, 579 pins
• Bowling Stones #1, Porter County, Andy Petrovich, Kathy Petrovich, sixth place, 532 pins
• Bowling Thunder #2, Porter County, Jackson Simon, Angie Mackenzie, sixth place, 707 pins
• Hancock City Masons, Hancock County, Eric (Paul) Daugherty, Tim (William) Glover, sixth place, 763 pins
• Pin Pushers #2, Porter County, Kris Scrifes, Scott Miller, sixth place, 670 pins