Gilroy youth bowlers strong in numbers at Pepsi Youth
Championships district finals; Pinheiro advances to state
finals
Gilroy – Gilroy Bowl may only have 10 lanes, but it’s got a mighty junior bowling league.

At the Northern California district finals of the California Pepsi USBC Youth Championships in Fremont March 18, the Gilroy group had the highest representation out of all Northern California teams. Forty-seven bowlers from the Garlic City participated and one advanced to the state finals.

Sixteen-year-old Justin Pinheiro bowled games of 183, 196 and 136 to advance to next month’s state finals in Fresno in the boys’ 12-and-over division.

Another Gilroy bowler, Roberto Landaverde, qualified for a college tuition scholarship for his performance at the tournament.

For Pinheiro, the son of Gilroy mayor Al Pinheiro, the Pepsi tournament was his first competition ever. The Gilroy High sophomore wasn’t even supposed to compete, but got in because another bowler was disqualified.

“I was really surprised I made it,” said Pinheiro about qualifying for the state finals. His first two scores were well above his average, which Pinheiro said is between 140 and 150.

Pinheiro was introduced to bowling a year ago by his friend Devin Rottler, a fellow GHS sophomore, who also helped him learn the game.

“(She) just asked me to go bowling and I’ve loved it ever since,” Pinheiro said. Now he spends as many as three days a week at Gilroy Bowl. Pinheiro also credits former Gilroy Bowl employee Al Rozal (who left Gilroy to open his own bowling alley in Sacramento) and Gilroy Bowl youth league director Joyce Milla with helping him improve his game.

At the state tournament, Pinheiro would like to bowl a 200 game. He’s reached the mark before – once twice in a row while bowling by himself one day. He followed the pair up with a 196. His highest game score ever is a 275.

“My mom doesn’t believe me,” Pinheiro said about the high score. “But I have proof.”

Pinheiro isn’t the only Gilroy junior bowler accomplishing impressive feats. Since Gilroy Bowl opened in 1958, only five bowlers have picked up a 7-10 split. One of them is 17-year-old Brian Morrison, who accomplished it last month.

Morrison and Pinheiro are just two of 70 bowlers ages eight to 17 who participate in Gilroy Bowl’s Saturday youth leagues. Many of them also participate in the junior travel league that competes at different bowling alleys in the San Jose area and beyond once a month. At many of the tournaments, the junior bowlers can win scholarships.

“The kids are bowling good scores,” said Milla, who oversees the youth leagues. “They’re averaging between 120, 130 to 170. And those are high scores and averages for kids.”

For more information about the junior leagues, contact Gilroy Bowl at 842-5300.

Saturday Jr. League Highlights

Instructional, 8-14 years old

Brandon Porria

113 avg. Bowled 522 series.

Daniel Cariglis

11 avg. Bowled 413 series.

Ruben Magana

107 avg. Bowled 431 series.

Dan Grattan

107 avg. Bowled 447 series.

Advanced, 11-17 years old

Dennis Rathi

142 avg. Bowled a 256 and 204, 112 pins over his average. 590 series.

Evan Morris

134 avg. Bowled a 209 game.

Greg Seamons

159 avg. Bowled a 233 game.

Daniel Crocker

135 avg. Bowled a 219 game with a 516 series.

Jennifer Alexander

154 avg. 542 series.

Gilroy Bowl Adult League High Scores

Men G Srs

Vic Corez 278

Brian Wall 259

Craig Payne 257

Omar Lara 279 728

Jody Baty 279 747

Mark Filice 257 677

Tom Alegre 249 673

Larry Gallego 234 605

Women G Srs

Linda White 246 589

Meghan Spencer 256

Denice Michalek 221 572

Louise Wadge 232 567

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