By DONOVAN GRUBAUGH
USBC Communications
The 2023-2024 United States Bowling Congress Collegiate season had 13 events happening last weekend, highlighted by Tier I competition at the Bowlero Southern Classic in Marietta, Ga..
The event featured 29 men’s varsity teams and 21 women’s varsity teams as they bowled six traditional games and 20 Baker games, with total pinfall determining the winner.
Day 1 saw the Emmanuel men lead the field with a 6,319 total, with team games of 1,067, 1,034, 1,056, 1,043, 1,037 and 1,082. Pikeville rolled 1,293 in the final traditional game to stay right behind Emmanuel going into Day 2, finishing at 6,298.
Emmanuel’s Tristin Davis led the men’s field with a 1,410 total, shooting games of 288, 244, 164, 227, 253 and 234. Milligan’s Bryant Griffith (1,385), McKendree’s Connor Brink (1,355), Pikeville’s Bryce Oliver (1,347), a Cuyahoga Falls resident and winner during the AMF Hall of Fame Summer Series, and Webber’s Brandon Bohn (1,336) all joined Davis on the all-tournament team.
The scores would stay high during Day 2, and Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah made a run for the title, posting a 4,346 Baker total that included the program’s first Baker 300 game. However, Pikeville would hold off SCAD-Savannah by 133 pins to win their first Tier I title of the season, finishing with a 10,597 total.
On the women’s side, SCAD-Savannah started the traditional set at the top with a 1,061 team total, and the Bees never relinquished the lead, finishing over 370 pins ahead of second place with an overall total of 10,107.
SCAD-Savannah had three players on the all-tournament team, as Yumi Yuzuriha led all women with games of 235, 175, 222, 200, 252 and 204 for a 1,288 total. Addy Nelson placed third with 1,266, and Lara Kurt placed fourth with 1,265. McKendree’s Rhian Dobinson, second at 1,280, and Pikeville’s Kristina Catoe, fifth at 1,264, would join the three SCAD-Savannah athletes on the all-tournament team.
In other collegiate action:
* At the American Heartland Bowling Association (AHBA)- Event 3 in Columbus, the Wright State men and Davenport women collected conference wins. Notre Dame College took second in the women’s varsity division, while Kent State was seventh. In the men’s division, Walsh finished fifth, 137 pins behind the Raiders. Brighton Lucas of Vincennes (Ind.) was the top individual with 1,208 over five games, 24 pins ahead of Jonathon Mong of Bowling Green. Ryan Hanzak was Walsh’s top finisher with 1,073, followed by Robert Koslosi with 1,070. Notre Dame’s Hannah Klein led the women’s division with 1,070, 12 pins ahead of Davenport’s Karine Bouchard. See complete individual results below. See more information also at the conference’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanHeartlandBowl
* At the Bobcat Baker Classic in Monroeville, Pa., the Saint Vincent women led the field with a 7,699 total and left with a win.
* At the Bronco Open in Hastings, Neb., the Ottawa-Kansas men and women swept the weekend.
– At the Track Kat Klash in Houston, the Louisiana Tech women claimed the bracket win in the title match over Sam Houston State, 4-2. The Bulldogs, who include Wooster’s Allie and Abbie Leiendecker, finished the weekend 11-2 and 3-0 in match play.
*At the Titan Invitational in Menasha, Wis., the Rock Valley men and Wisconsin-Madison women fought their way through the bracket to win the tournament.
*- At the Virginia Union Invitational in Midlothian, Va., the Delaware State women swept Alabama A&M to collect the win.
* At the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Grand Rapids Classic in Comstock Park, Mich., the Lawrence Tech men and Lindenwood women took home conference wins. Joseph Devita of Michigan-Dearborn also had a 300 game during Game 3 of individuals.
* The WHAC Great Lakes Open in Comstock Park, Mich., saw the Indiana Tech men and women sweep the event.
* At the Brunswick Fall Open in Kenmore, N.Y., the Niagara women beat out Mount St. Mary’s in six games for the win.
* At the Seahawk Invite in Staten Island, N.Y., the Long Island women left with a win.
– At the SLO Rollers tournament in Santa Maria, Calif., the California State- Fresno men and San Jose State women won. During Game 5 of individuals, Jason Gee of California- Davis shot 300.
* At the SLO Town Showdown in Santa Maria, Calif., the Arizona State men and San Jose State women left with the title. Spencer Norvell of California State- Fresno also shot 300 during Game 4 of individuals.
