BOWLING

The Forester bowling teams finished up conference season with the Crossroads League championship tournament held at Chippewa Bowl in South Bend, Ind. The tournament format was best of seven double elimination matches. Both programs were seeded third headed into the weekend with the men finishing as expected and the women taking second.

Up against Mount Vernon in round one, the HU men swept the Cougars 4-0, 244-158, 209-135, 215-188, 234-187. Against 2nd-seeded Spring Arbor in the next match, it stretched to seven games with the Foresters coming up short, 168-213, 204-199, 171-173, 247-181, 193-168, 172-235, 174-225. The loss sent Shockey’s crew to the loser’s bracket where they beat Indiana Wesleyan in four, 176-164, 205-189, 159-136, 244-174.

It was a rematch with Mount Vernon after that with the same outcome, a four-game sweep, 235-196, 220-181, 169-155, 234-173, to send Huntington to the semifinals against SAU for a second matchup with the Cougars. This time around, it took an overtime, tie-breaking eighth game eventually favoring Spring Arbor, 266-195, 164-200, 237-237, 191-207, 202-192, 189-170, 181-190, 177-181.

“The men finished in third place for the tournament but bowled by far the most games of any team in the men’s bracket,” said Coach Mike Shockey. “We fought hard and came up a little short.

“I’m really proud of the effort and the determination the guys showed all day long. It turned into a long day and the guys proved they are ready capable for the long days ahead at sectionals.”

The Huntington women also topped Mount Vernon in four in round one, 160-115, 167-133, 170-127, 179-116. The next round was an intense match against Marian that tilted in favor of the Knights in seven, 155-171, 166-213, 195-171, 185-171, 197-211, 211-199, 175-206.

The loss sent the Foresters into the consolation bracket to make for a long but rewarding day of bowling as they scratched and clawed their way to the championship match. The road to the finals including knocking Bethel out of the tourney, 4-1, 138-106, 138-112, 123-125, 169-129, 220-111, and then Indiana Wesleyan in four, 204-159, 156-142, 165-121, 165-145.

It landed Huntington in the semis where they picked off top-seeded Spring Arbor, 4-3 (189-188, 154-236, 192-183, 153-180, 214-197, 189-190, 216-180). A rematch with Marian awaited the Foresters and it turned into a marathon. In order to claim the title, Huntington needed to beat Marian twice and they quickly disposed of the Knights in five, 198-176, 174-163, 137-189, 231-159, 180-173, to set up the rubber match. It came down to the last ball of the seventh game with the Knights squeaking out the win, 153-189, 204-126, 201-160, 186-237, 179-178, 154-191, 169-171.

“The women finished in second place but found that something extra in their drive to not lose,” said Shockey. “Their confidence and the intensity were at a different level the whole day.”

Next up for HU is ITC Sectionals in Addison, Ill.