Muskie Men Fire Perfect 300 At Roto Grip Raider Classic

The Muskingum men's bowlers were back in action Saturday and Sunday as they competed against a 21-team field at the Roto Grip Raiders Classic hosted by Wright State University at Beaver-Vu Lanes in Beavercreek, Ohio. Saturday's competition was 4-team games, and the Muskies put in a solid performance, led by freshman leadoff Jacob Moravcik, who used an 852 series (213 average) to finish 18th individually. All five Muskie starters averaged over 200, with Jacob Lehn 207.8, Jacob Willard 204.5, Caelan Guthrie 202.3, Brody Wildenmann 200.8, and Alex Smith logged 181. 

The biggest highlight for the Muskies came in game two as the team rallied for a 1,100 game led by Wildenmann 255 and Lehn 233. Saturday ended with Muskingum in 9th heading into the 16 Baker games on Sunday. "We were grinding all day to get consistency in ball reaction," Coach Jones said of his team's performance. "Every lane presented a different look, and getting the ball to see friction was a challenge. I was very pleased with our spare shooting up and down the lineup". 

As the tournament rolled into day two, the Muskies started to grind their way up in the standings. An 820 opening 4-game block pushed the Muskies up to 7th, where they stayed through blocks 2 and 3. Entering the 4th and final 4-game block, the deficit was 243 pins out of 4th place, that's when Jones shuffled his lineup around. "We needed some momentum. We were executing good shots but couldn't string anything together". Jones subbed in junior Talon Newton, who sat out day one with stomach issues for Moravcik. "Jacob was solid all day but was losing ball reaction, and Talon is very good at keeping the shot in front of him".  

The lineup change started to pay off immediately as Lehn moved to leadoff and Newton moved into the 3rd spot in the order, as the team shot 225 and 236 in games 13 and 14. "I went from throwing up to throwing strike," Newton reflected jokingly.  

Then came game 15. Another order change found sophomore Caelan Guthrie leading off on a new lane. Guthrie got the game started off with a crushing strike, Lehn and Newton followed suit, and Wildenmann answered by slapping out both the 7 and 10. Willard left no doubt in the fifth as the pins exploded. One by one, the Muskies went through the order again, strike after strike. In the ninth frame, it was Wildenmann with the ball in his hands on 8 in a row. "Brody threw great shots all day but couldn't carry strikes," Jones said of his senior.  

"I was just thinking about how I just need to throw a good shot and hopefully they all fall down," Wildenmann reflected. That was exactly what he did, and for the second time in the game, he left nothing standing. 

Nine frames, nine strikes, and junior Jacob Willard needing 3 more in the 10th to secure the first baker 300 in program history. This was the second time Willard was in this exact position. Just 8 months earlier, at the ITC National tournament, he struck on the first shot before leaving a two-pin for, at the time, a program record 289.  

On his teammates setting him up with the front nine, Willard said, "I was just wanting to keep the energy up throughout those 3 shots in the 10th. I was wanting to make the best shots I could to give us a chance at program history." 

The excitement continued to grow as strike numbers 10 and 11 went up on the board. 

With his teammates stationed on the edge of the approach, the 2-hander from New York delivered the 12th and final strike of the first baker 300 in Muskingum history. "That was the first time I was nervous for a tenth frame in a long time so seeing all ten go down I was ecstatic to say the least. Knowing what we have worked on as a team, it was so rewarding to see our work finally pay off."

The 300 game helped the Muskies roar back to finish 5th overall, only 54 pins from making the top 4 eliminator finals. 

"It's one thing to have one bowler get hot and be able to throw 12 strikes in a row, getting 5 guys to do it is special," Jones said on his team's accomplishment. 

When asked where this moment ranked in the many milestones as a Muskie he's been a part of, Willard commented, "This is definitely a top 3 experience for me. It's hard to beat two trips to Nationals and having a chance at 300 at the National stage was more exciting for me personally. But shooting 300 with the team you're around all year, it's definitely up there in my most memorable moments. 

The Muskies close out the first half of the season next Saturday with OBC 2 at the Columbus Square Bowling Palace at 10 am.