James Campbell Wins First Title in 2025 USBC Super Senior Classic
Las Vegas, Nevada – Never give up, trust the process and fill your frames. Those are the main lessons James Campbell taught the men’s bowling team at Tennessee Wesleyan University and everyone else on Sunday during the stepladder finals of the 2025 USBC Super Senior Classic.
Campbell started the tournament in a tie for 118th place after the first day of qualifying on Thursday. “I just bowled bad. I was upright and trying to throw it too hard and not executing. I then started hooking the ball a little bit, which is more my ‘A’ game,” Campbell said. “After the first day, I looked at my notes from last year’s tournament and I didn’t bowl well on the fresh either. I took the same ball I used last year and used it in all six games on the burn and had an unbelievable look. It was unbelievable what I did. I was 200-over the next day. I was 50-pins out of 12th, but when the field is averaging 230, you’ve got to be 10 pins over that and luckily, I was able to do that.”
He averaged 236 over six games on Friday to move into 20th place after the qualifying rounds were complete. He stepped it up even more, averaging 240.67 in the casher’s round to climb into 10th place. “I used the same ball again for 12 games that day,” he said. “I think because of my slower ball speed I could make urethane work.”
As the format moved into group play, he posted a 3-3 match play record to get to third place in the Group B stepladder. His Sunday morning started as he defeated Amleto Monacelli 214-197 then Carlos Denot 222-180 to earn the No. 4 seed in the stepladder finals inside Sam’s Town Bowling Center. From there, he defeated 11-time PBA50 Tour champion Parker Bohn III, one-time PBA50 winner John Burkett then 14-time PBA50 Tour champ Pete Weber to earn his first national title.
“It feels amazing. I told Pete every time I make a show I have to bowl him, Parker or Amleto and now I had to beat all three of them in the same day,” he said, laughing. “When I got a good reaction, I was able to repeat shots. I had a really good look the first game. The front nine, the second game was amazing. I had such a good look that I wanted to just keep going.”
In the championship match, Campbell started with a strike followed by three straight spares, as No. 1 seed Pete Weber began with strike, spare, strike, spare before throwing a double in the fifth and sixth frames. Campbell struck in the fifth and converted his third 10-pin of the game in the sixth frame. In the seventh, Campbell’s shot appeared to be a bit slow resulting in the 3-6-7-10 split. The tall right-hander released the ball and started to run it out as he converted the split in style. “It kept me in the match, and it told Pete Weber; I'm not going away,” Campbell said.
Weber gave him a high-five then missed a flat 10-pin of his own in the seventh followed by a strike. “The crowd told me what he did. I wasn’t watching at all,” Campbell said. “I looked up and thought he just gave me a chance.”
Campbell doubled in the eighth and ninth frames as Weber stepped up to finish the match first. Needing a double and seven to shut out Campbell, Weber struck in the ninth then left the 4-10 split for an open in the 10th with 193. Campbell continued to stick to his process, taking a little extra time knowing he only needed a mark for his first title. He left another 10-pin.
“Just told myself to do what I have done for the entire tournament. I have been working on my spare game and approach because out here you have to make spares,” he said. As soon as he released the ball, he raised his hands above his head in celebration. He then got nine on his final shot for 201.
In the opening match, No. 3 seed Parker Bohn III started off with five straight strikes. Campbell went spare, double then another spare before throwing four straight strikes. He earned his first lead of the match in the seventh frame. Bohn III followed up his string of strikes with a spare and strike but then had back-to-back open frames in the eighth and ninth frames. Campbell struck out earning the 248-224 win.
In the second match, Campbell came out firing as No. 2 seed John Burkett had just two strikes and five spares in his first seven frames. Campbell had nothing but strikes in his first nine shots before leaving a 3-pin on his first shot in the 10th. He picked up the spare and struck again for the 279-214 win.
Next up for the PBA50 Tour is the 2025 USBC Senior Masters, which begins at Sam’s Town Bowling Center on Tuesday.
Championship Round Scores
Match 1: Campbell def. Bohn III, 248-224
Match 2: Campbell def. Burkett, 279-214
Championship match: Campbell def. Weber, 201-193
Final Standings
- James Campbell, $8,000
- Pete Weber, $6,550
- John Burkett, $5,250
- Parker Bohn III, $4,000