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Area team hits No. 2 on all-time bowling list ALBUQUERQUE, N.M . -- They come from every metropolis and just about every backwoods bowling alley. For 97 years, the nation's bowlers -- some with unbelievable averages and others with numbers they'd just as soon not see in print -- have competed in the American Bowling Congress Championships. This year, more than 53,000 competitors will take their turn at the Albuquerque Convention Center between Feb. 12 and June 19. A team from Southern Oregon set the bar just a little higher for the remaining thousands on Sunday, when it fashioned the second-highest score produced in ABC history. Jason Bieghler and Greg Hafner of Medford, Greg Newtson of Klamath Falls and Allan Reyes and Steve Mead of Ashland combined for a 3,513 score, rolling three games apiece. Team 8 Ball, as the Southern Oregon contingent is known, overtook Dunham Sporting Goods No. 2 of Franklin, Wis., for the top spot. Dunham rolled a 3,476 on March 24. "We believe this is the pinnacle in team competition and that's the way we approach this tournament," said Newtson. "We came with the attitude to win, and it was obviously reflected in our performance." Hafner topped the Oregon squad with a 755 series, Newtson was second at 747, Mead weighed in at 714, Bieghler had a 655 and Reyes tossed a 642. The all-time mark is 3,537 by Bruegger's Bagels of Albany, N.Y., in 1993 in Tulsa, Okla. The previous second-best score was 3,481 by Chilton vending of Wichita, Kan., in 1989. The team came in bent on making up for a poor performance last year. "We just didn't click together," said Mead. "We were pretty disappointed." They almost were disappointed again due to traveling problems. Reyes, filling in for team captain Pat Douglas, who had to back out of the tournament, ran into problems getting to Albuquerque. A ticket mixup at the Rogue Valley International Airport forced him to miss his flight. "We thought everything was taken care of," said Newtson, "but it wasn't for whatever reason. We ended up having to buy another ticket for Allan on a flight the next day to get him here. We didn't know what was going to happen for a while. "On top of that, they lost his luggage and bowling equipment, so he had to get new equipment." A representative of a bowling equipment company outfitted Reyes. Interestingly, it was nearly a month ago that Reyes, also using a ball that had been drilled for him just moments earlier, equalled the all-time best series in the Rogue Valley Bowling Association with an 844. From Bangor, Maine, to El Centro, Calif., bowlers will aim for Team 8 Ball as it begins the 2-month wait to see if it becomes the first Oregon team to capture the ABC crown. "There's a lot of talent yet to bowl," said Newtson, "but we feel we have a good chance. We'll be crushed if it doesn't win, but our hats will be off to anyone who can beat it." Last year's winning performance of 3,336 was posted in early March by Zawadski's Jewelers from Lackawana, N.Y. The top Oregon finisher was Valley Lanes of Beaverton; it placed 25th with a 3,167 total. In addition to the team success, Mead moved into sixth place in the all-events standings on Monday. The 45-year-old media consultant rolled a 701 in doubles and a 702 in singles to go with his team series for a 2,117 total. The all-event leader is Lennie Boresch Jr. of Kenosha, Wis., with a 2,168. Mead, bowling in his fifth national tournament, had only two open frames in his nine games. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA