BREWER – He’s a familiar face in Maine candlepin bowling circles, but now he’s competiting for a Massachusetts-based team.

Chip Carson of Bangor, a longtime bowler at the Bangor-Brewer Lanes and a former member of the Maine Heat team, is bowling for Canal Lanes of Massachusetts in the 12th World Team Tournament, which started Tuesday.

Carson joined the Canal Lanes squad last year as the members of the Maine Heat were trying to figure out their future.

“Everyone wants to go their own way if the team doesn’t win,” Carson said. “They feel that if they break up, they may have a chance.”

Although the Heat are back together, Carson sought another team.

“I was looking for a pretty consistent team that would stick together year after year,” Carson added. “That’s why I decided to bowl with this team.”

Another veteran team, Exeter Lanes of Exeter, N.H., is looking for its seventh tournament title as it leads the Bangor Savings division.

“We’ve had the same core of guys bowling for a while,” said Joe Ashline of the Exeter team. “And they’re all very competitive.”

Although pleased with its early showing, Exeter is in a tough division and looking to stay within the top three places, which guarantees the team a quarterfinal berth on Friday afternoon.

“We want to win the division,” Ashline said. “We have a very strong division. Anybody can beat anybody.”

Scoring during the first day of the tournament was low, Carson said, meaning a lot of close contests.

“We’ve had to grind out a lot of matches,” Carson said.

Rick’s Raptors of New Brunswick leads the Holiday Inn or Left Division of the 24-team tournament with a 20-4 mark, followed by Carson’s Canal Lanes team at 18-6. Hanging and Banging of Scarborough is third at 16-8.

Exeter Lanes was tied for first along with Sunnyside Lanes of Massachusetts in the Bangor Savings Bank division with a 20-4 record. O’Loughlin Construction of Massachusetts, which won the title in 1989, was tied for third with Maria’s Sub at 18-6.

The Maine Heat, featuring local bowlers such as Charles Milan IV, Russ Nealey and Singles Knockout winner Jerry Scott, were tied for sixth in the division with a 14-10 mark.

Round-robin competition continues in the tournament through Friday morning, with the top three teams advancing to playoff action starting Friday afternoon.

Candlepin tourney AT BANGOR-BREWER LANES World Candlepin Championship Team Standings

Division Left: 1. Rick’s Raptors (New Brunswick), 20-4, 5489 total pinfall; 2. Canal Lanes (Massachusetts), 18-6, 5377; 3. Hanging and Banging (Maine), 16-8, 5332; 4. Kingswood Lanes, (NB), 15-9, 5301; 5. Vacationland Bowling (Maine), 14-10, 5241; 6. New Hampshire All-Stars, 14-10, 5229.

Division right: Exeter Lanes (New Hampshire), 20-4, 5604; 2. Sunnyside Lanes (Mass.), 20-4, 5421; 3. O’Loughlin Construction (Mass.), 18-6, 5627; 4. Maria’s Sub (Mass.), 18-6, 5556; 5. MacLaughlin Repair (Nova Scotia), 16-8, 5761, 6. Cape Breton Hydraulics (NS) 14-10, 5412, 7. Maine Heat (Maine), 14-10, 5266.

Team high single: Crowell Bowl (Mass.) 698; high total: MacLaughlin Repair 2001.

Individual high single: Rich Halas, Crowell Bowl, 198; high series: John Lang, Maria’s Sub, 439; high averages: Mike Cuccia, O’Laughlin Construction, 137.55; John Lang, Maria’s Sub, 136.33; Jeff Atkins, Exeter Lanes, 132.77; Steve Webb, MacLaughlin Repair, 132.37; Jamie Wood, Rick’s Raptors, and Sean O’Flaherty, MacLaughlin Repair, 132