All four Youngstown State bowlers competing in the Under-20 Division at the 2023 Junior Gold Championships qualified for the advancers round in an impressive overall performance this week in Indianapolis.

Sophomore Hope Bunk had the best tournament among Penguin bowlers as she was one of the final eight remaining in match play. Bunk was eighth after 26 games of qualifying to advance to match play, and she fought through two elimination matches before seeing her run for the title end on Thursday morning.

Bunk averaged 197 in qualifying, and she was in the top 30 out of the 76 bowlers in the U20 Division after each round. She was 27th after the opening round on Monday, and she averaged better than 200 in each of her three blocks on Tuesday to move up to 10th. Bunk and teammates Kirsten Moore, Lyndsay Ennis and Hannah Miller all bowled well enough to qualify for the Advancers Round of 46, and Bunk and Moore moved on through the next cut to the Final Advancers group of 24. Bunk was eighth after the Final Advancers Round, and Moore missed the cut for match play by 15 pins.

Bunk finished in a tie for seventh, and Moore placed 19th. Ennis was 12th after two rounds and finished in 39th, and Miller averaged 200.8 in her final block to move up 12 spots and qualify for the Advancers Round. Her final placing was 46th.

Incoming YSU freshman Amanda Granata will compete in the U18 Division starting on Monday at 11:30 a.m.