HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – USA East, a team featuring Maine bowlers, gained a bye to today’s semifinal round by winning the Ramada Hotel Division in the World Team Candlepin Bowling Championships Friday at Halifax Fairlanes.

USA East finished with an identical 66-22 record with Total Chaos of New Hampshire and Massachusetts but won by total pinfall, 20,540 to 20,481.

The team, which features Brewer’s Shawn Morrison and Charlie Milan III, Bangor’s Chip Carson, Rockland’s Tim Matero and Westbrook’s Nate Nealey, will roll off in a three-game semifinal at noon against the winner of a quarterfinal match between Halifax Fairlanes and Maria’s Sub of Scituate, Mass.

The championship match is at 2 p.m.

Morrison turned in a 388 series Friday with a 139 high single. Nealey contributed with a 373 series and has a tourney average of 128.1 while Morrison has compiled a 125.4. Milan chipped in with a 368 series and Matero added a 350 to bring his game average to 124.1.

The other quarterfinal match features Borrelli’s of Lynn, Mass., against the New Hampshire All-Stars. That winner will take on MacLaughlin’s Truck and Trailer of Halifax, the Coca-Cola Division champ.