The pressure only continues to build at the 2026 Junior Gold Championships in the Minneapolis area as three of the four qualifying rounds are now complete, leaving one final four-game block to determine who will continue chasing a national championship.
For Harrisburg’s Dalton Wheeler, the path to the Advancer Round looks increasingly promising.
The standout continued his impressive week Wednesday, putting together one of the best performances by any area bowler. Competing in the Under-16 Boys division, Wheeler rolled a 964 four-game block for a 219 average, highlighted by a blistering 277 game. The performance moved him into 13th place overall with just one day of qualifying remaining, leaving him comfortably inside the top 101 who will advance.
While Wheeler has put himself in excellent position, several Salem and Mt. Vernon bowlers enter Thursday with plenty to bowl for.
In the Under-18 Boys division, Salem’s Dylan Kuhns finds himself in one of the tournament’s most dramatic positions. Kuhns sits exactly where every bowler wants to avoid—130th place, with only the top 131 advancing. After shooting an 828 block for a 201 average Wednesday, including a high game of 228, every frame Thursday could determine whether his Junior Gold journey continues.
Mt. Vernon’s contingent in the division will also look to finish strong as Travin Elliott is 408th, Trace Elliott 465th, Brody Elliott 627th and Sam Klimek 630th.
Salem also has another bowler currently on the right side of the cut line in the Under-16 Boys division. Nicholi Marhanka used an 835 block, averaging 204 over four games, to climb into 79th place, giving himself a solid opportunity to advance.
Teammate Kellen Nix remains within striking distance after posting an 818 block for a 198 average. Nix enters the final day in 140th place knowing one big block could vault him into the top 101. Fellow Wildcat Carter Shanafelt is 215th after shooting a 770 block.
Mt. Vernon is still alive in the Under-14 Boys division as Jaesun Mann sits just 11 spots outside the advancing field in 66th place. With only the top 55 moving on, Mann will need a strong closing round to earn a berth. Teammate Charles Rutherford is 189th.
On the girls’ side, Shobonier’s Macy Jones continues to lead the area’s Under-18 Girls bowlers, holding 46th place with 52 advancing. Smithton’s Miranda Duff remains within striking distance in 64th, while Bonnie’s Briley Dent is 105th.
The Under-14 Girls division features two local bowlers currently in position to advance as Reese Renth of Aviston sits 12th and Belleville’s Sophia Walter is 16th. East Alton’s Kaylee Bertoletti is just three spots outside the cut in 29th.
In the Under-16 Girls division, Collinsville’s Kellen Stephens continues to shine, sitting ninth overall, while Alton’s Jillian Dwiggins is also comfortably inside the advancing field in 14th.
With one final qualifying round remaining Thursday, the margin for error has disappeared. For those safely above the cut line, the goal is to stay there. For everyone chasing, one hot four-game block could be enough to keep their Junior Gold championship dreams alive.
Local Standings After Three Qualifying Rounds
U18 Girls: Macy Jones (Shobonier) 46th, Miranda Duff (Smithton) 64th, Briley Dent (Bonnie) 105th, Abigail Parry (Taylorville) 129th, Isabella Skipper (Belleville) 258th.
U18 Boys: Dylan Kuhns (Salem) 130th, Travin Elliott (Mt. Vernon) 408th, Korbyn Breeze (Bonnie) 411th, Sam Breitwiser (Waterloo) 430th, Travis Young Jr. (Belleville) 440th, Trace Elliott (Mt. Vernon) 465th, Ethan Zirkelbach (Marion) 503rd, Thomas Whitmore (Mascoutah) 522nd, Jermaine Ferguson (Shiloh) 593rd, Marcellus Goodknecht (Belleville) 607th, Aaron Hughes (Jerseyville) 611th, Brody Elliott (Mt. Vernon) 627th, Sam Klimek (Mt. Vernon) 630th, Parker Schmidt (Belleville) 632nd, Garrett Pryor (Highland) 674th, Chase Koppenhofer (Dupo) 749th, Matthew Eller (Waterloo) 858th.
U14 Boys: Jaesun Mann (Mt. Vernon) 66th, Lukas Pilkey (Shiloh) 70th, Charles Rutherford (Mt. Vernon) 189th.
U14 Girls: Reese Renth (Aviston) 12th, Sophia Walter (Belleville) 16th, Kaylee Bertoletti (East Alton) 29th, Riley Poggi (Mascoutah) 40th, Alexis Bellemey (Aviston) 51st, Sophie Orris (O’Fallon) 74th, Izabel Andrews (Opdyke) 77th, Rachel Eller (Waterloo) 80th, Quinn Collier (O’Fallon) 117th, Hadleigh Johnson (Bonnie) 133rd, Mollie Jo McGraw (Mt. Vernon) 147th.
U16 Boys: Dalton Wheeler (Harrisburg) 13th, Blake Lane (Columbia) 47th, Nicholi Marhanka (Salem) 79th, Tyler Babcock (O’Fallon) 118th, Kellen Nix (Salem) 140th, Tobias Kirchner (Waterloo) 148th, Carter Shanafelt (Salem) 215th, Ryan Lotz (O’Fallon) 242nd, Alex Loughary (Waterloo) 257th, Sam Beck (Waterloo) 297th, Brenden Phillips (Breese) 327th, Colton McKee (Carbondale) 347th, Drew Millen (O’Fallon) 401st, Khalil Sutton (Metropolis) 438th, Hudson Dulle (Bartelso) 504th, Kolby Eugea (Cahokia) 516th, Brody Zotz (New Baden) 531st, Jackson Robbins (Mascoutah) 545th, Zach Ritter (Aviston) 636th, Brayden Drevicki (Smithton) 648th, Gabe Gartzke (Columbia) 694th, Cooper Bradley (Harrisburg) 707th.
U16 Girls: Kellen Stephens (Collinsville) 9th, Jillian Dwiggins (Alton) 14th, Taylor Rose (Columbia) 169th, Peyton Darnstaedt (Belleville) 271st, Teiryn Andrews (Opdyke) 316th.
U12 Boys: Camden Howard (Collinsville) 95th.
