BREWER – The members of USA East got by four-time defending champion MacLaughlin’s Truck & Trailer with a little help from their friends Friday in the World Team Candlepin Bowling Championships at Bangor-Brewer Bowling Lanes.

The task for USA East was straightforward, but monumental: Win all six strings AND knock down more pins than its opponent in both matches to win a maximum 16 points AND hope someone can steal a string from MacLaughlin’s.

If that happened, USA East would leapfrog MacLaughlin’s into first place and secure the coveted bye through the quarterfinals awarded to the top team in each of the tourney’s two divisions.

USA East had the high team average of the day with 635, victories in both matches, and a perfect 16-point output to take care of its end while Midcoast Maine of Rockland not only won a string against MacLaughlin’s, it also won total pinfall to steal four points away from the veteran championship squad and allow USA East to finish ahead by two points – 72-70.

“I don’t think it was so much that we got all 16 points that was surprising,” said USA East team member Nate Nealey of Westbrook. “The most surprising thing to me was the fact they lost to Midcoast. I’m surprised they lost any points at all to them, and they lost four.”

That’s not to say Midcoast is a slouch, but it was among the 14 teams knocked out of the tournament after finishing 11th in the 12-team Holiday Inn division with a 27-61 (points) record.

They may not have qualified for the playoffs, but Midcoast’s members were in no hurry to leave as the guys from USA East were lining up to take care of their bar tab after opening-round play concluded early Friday afternoon.

“Well, let’s just say they weren’t paying for their own drinks after that match,” said USA East’s Mike Morgan of Lynn, Mass.

Although MacLaughlin’s members were clearly disappointed by the rapid reversal of fortune, they didn’t let it knock them off balance in the opening round of the playoffs.

The champs from Halifax, Nova Scotia, eliminated TNT-Funtime of Massachusetts, the fifth seed of the Varney GMC division, by winning all three strings (613-589, 601-582, and 656-535).

“We were gunning for the bye, but didn’t get it so we have to step it up like we did in this match and get it in the end,” said MacLaughlin’s member Chris Hollett.

Neither USA East nor MacLaughlin’s is treating the playoff like a done deal, despite the bye. Both have won the title without benefit of a bye. In fact, it was only a year ago when MacLaughlin’s came back to beat the current members of the USA East team (who were called Maine Heat last year) and win the title after losing to Maine Heat in the first round of the tournament.

Hollett hopes history repeats itself.

“That’s the plan. That’s what we’re hoping to do,” said Hollett. “We’ve seen years where teams win byes and then lose immediately coming off the bye, so it can work both ways.”

USA East’s team members remember all too well how a bye can stop momentum if you let it.

“I think the bye is key because we can sit out the afternoon match today and the morning one Saturday,” said Nealey. “I think we’ll be refreshed with some rest, but we certainly won’t be looking past anyone.”

Other qualifying round playoff winners Friday were Halifax Fairlanes, which defeated Vacationland Bowling Center of Saco, 1,992 pins to 1758 (won all three strings 659-598, 645-592 and 688-568); Maria’s Sub of Scituate, Mass., which downed Total Chaos of Brentwood, N.H. 1950 to 1817 (won 662-591, lost 642-641, and won 647-584); and the New Hampshire All-Stars, which eliminated Moncton Fairlanes 1894 to 1828 (651-598, 639-632, 604-598).

MacLaughlin’s meets Halifax Fairlanes and Maria’s takes on the New Hampshire All-Stars at 9 a.m. today and the winners face USA East and Stateside Lanes of Bedford, N.H. – the top seed of the Varney GMC division with a 76-12 points record – at noon. The championship match begins at 2:30 p.m.

Bowling

CANDLEPIN

22nd World Team Championships

At Bangor-Brewer Bowling Lanes

Day Four

Holiday Inn Division

1. USA East 72-16, 2. MacLaughlin T&T 70-18, 3. Halifax Fairlanes 64-24, 4. NH All Stars 57-31, 5. Total Chaos 47-41, 6. Beazley’s Lanes 42-46, 7. Line M Up 40-48, 8. Fenway Painters/PPL 35-53, 9. Fat Boy’s/Speedy’s 35-53, 10. Irving Big Stop 32-56, 11. Mid Coast Maine 27-61, 12. Short & Curly’s 7-81

Friday’s team high series: USA East 1978; high game: NH All Stars 692; high average: USA East 635

Friday’s individual high series: Shawn Morrison (USA East) 444; game: Shawn Morrisno 175

Tournament high series: Halifax Fairlanes 1994; game: NH All Stars 724; average: Matt McPhee (Halifax Fairlanes) 134.28

Varney GMC Division

1. Stateside 76-12, 2. Maria’s Sub 62-26, 3. Moncton Fairlanes 60-28, 4. Vacationland BC 46-42, 5. TNT/Funtime 44-44, 6. Colonial Bowling Center 42-46, 7. Woodstock/Kingswood 42-46, 8. Maine Heat 37-51, 9. Saint John Vipers 34-54, 10. Town Delivery 34-54, 11. Team USA 28-60, 12. Moncton Gunz 23-65

Friday’s team high series: Stateside 1922; game: Maine Heat 697; average: Stateside 652

Friday’s individual high series: John Zappi (Maria’s Sub) 442; game: John Zappi 174

Tournament high series: Maria’s Sub 1971; game: Stateside 714; average: Chris Sargent (Stateside) 138.58

Playoffs

Friday’s First Round

No. 2 MacLaughlin T&T (Holiday Inn) def. No. 5 TNT/Funtime (Varney GMC), 1870-1706; match scores: 613-589, 601-582, 656-535

No. 3 Halifax Fairlanes (HI) def. No. 4 Vacationland (V), 1992-1758; match scores: 659-598, 645-592, 688-568

No. 2 Maria’s Sub (V) def. No. 5 Total Chaos (HI), 1950-1817; match scores: 662-591, 641-642, 647-584

No. 4 NH All Stars (HI) def. No. 3 Moncton Fairlanes, 1894-1828; match scores: 651-598, 639-632, 604-598

Saturday’s Schedule

Quarterfinals, 9 a.m.

Match E: MacLaughlin T&T vs. Halifax Fairlanes

Match F: Maria’s Sub vs. NH All Stars

Semifinals, noon

Match E winner vs. USA East

Match F winner vs. Stateside

Final Match, 2:30 p.m.

Semifinal winners