Skip to content

Earnest wins two Team USA medals

Vandalia native Josie Earnest added to her collection of bowling awards by taking the individual bronze medal for Team USA in a tournament this past week.

Bowling at the international PABCON Adult Championships in Henderson, Nev., Earnest finished third in the Master’s Division all-events on Saturday by averaging nearly 220 pins per game throughout the week-long tournament.

The all-events pin totals included games bowled earlier in the week as an individual and those bowled with a team.

Earnest came into the final day in fifth place, but bowled better than 225 – including a 279 – in five of her six games on the final day to move up to third place. Women’s bowling Hall of Famer Liz Johnson just squeaked by Earnest in the championship semifinals, 216-214.

Those two also battled at the USBC Queens in April, when Johnson defeated Earnest, 268-223, during the TV finals of that event.

Earnest, the youngest member of Team USA, also captured a gold medal in team competition, joining Johnson, Diandra Asbaty, Leanne Hulensburg and Stephanie Nation last Friday.

In the first two events of the tournament, Earnest narrowly missed medaling, twice placing fourth.

On Day 2 last Tuesday, Earnest teamed with Nation in doubles and tied for fourth, with a 217 average.

A day later, Earnest, Asbaty and Hulsenberg were 14 pins short of the medal stand in the trio competition. The three averaged 215.44 in six games.

Including her appearances with Junior Team USA, Earnest now has seven medals from Team USA events.

Josie Earnest

Leave a Comment