Melissa Danks won her way in to the New Mexico Open this August 16-18, beating an otherwise all male field at Tenpins & More on Sunday.

BOWLING UPDATE
From Tenpins & More

* Melissa Danks won her way in to the New Mexico Open this August 16-18, beating an otherwise all male field at Tenpins & More on Sunday.

Danks had only one blemish in her six games then finished with a strike-filled 241 to hold off big closing games from Jason Schindwolf 235 and Matthew Vargas 239 to win by eight and 14 pins respectively from her two main opponents.

The next roll-off for aspirants is this Saturday (June 15) at 1.30pm.

Meanwhile the field for the 20th renewal of the state’s richest bowling tournament is taking shape with defending champion, two-time US Open winner, Francois Lavoie of Wichita, Kansas declaring, along with previous winners here including Vernon Peterson of Lake Wales, Florida, Chris Klerk of Chandler, Arizona and national Hall-of-Famer, Andrew Cain of Phoenix.

Last year’s third and fourth place finishers Fero Williams of Baltimore and Steven Novak from Louisville, Kentucky are also early entries in the $ 76,000 event.

* Brother-and-sister, Sebastian (13) and Mia Medina (15) of Rio Rancho qualified Sunday for the New Mexico squad to bowl against seven visiting Australian youth traveling here from Brisbane in September.

Sebastian, off a 165 average, bowled 180, 183, 155 and 191 for a handicap-added 905, while his sister, entering on 185, shot 182, 214, 149 and 229 for an adjusted 898.

* Calendar:
Sat 15: NM Open Win-A-Spot at 1.30pm
Sun 16: Dads bowl free open play (with paying guests) 9am-5pm, then 8pm-close
Fri 21-Sun 23: 13th Summer Games (teams, doubles & singles) at various times