BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- After wrapping up the regular season a couple of weeks ago, the Midway men's bowling team began postseason play this past weekend in Bowling Green, Ky. as they competed in the Mid-South Conference Championship.
The championship went for three days beginning on Thursday (Feb. 10) before wrapping up on Saturday (Feb. 12) at Southern Lanes in Bowling Green.
The MSC Singles and Doubles Championships took place on Thursday afternoon, while the championship wrapped up with the team competition on Friday and Saturday. The team competition was a double elimination bracket featuring a best of seven baker style games, meaning the first team to win four baker games advanced to the next round.
MSC Singles & Doubles Championship Recap
The Singles and Doubles Championships saw Michael Hall's squad get off to a terrific start as they swept both championships on Thursday.
Leading the charge in the doubles competition was the All-Conference duo of Caleb Marshall (Sevierville, Tenn.) and Austin Hensley (Lexington, Ky.). The two bowled a 511 in the first game as they catapulted to the top of the leaderboard.
Following a 415 in the second game and a 452 in the third, the two sat in second place. The two then bowled a 450 in the fourth game and a 508 in the fifth and final game to bring home the MSC Doubles Championship after knocking down a total of 2,336 pins.
Marshall and Hensley both then competed in the singles championship where they each finished inside the top 10. Marshall compiled 1,228 total pins as he knocked down over 200 pins in each of his five games including a high game of a 263 in his first game.
In the championship match, Marshall went head-to-head with Devean Littlejohn of Tennessee Wesleyan. Marshall – who was named the MSC Freshman of the Year – made it a Midway sweep as he won the MSC Singles Championship after defeating Littlejohn, 188-169.
Hensley, meanwhile, finished in ninth place out of 112 bowlers after carding 1,108 total pins including a high game of a 266 in his fifth and final game.
Other finishes in the singles championship include Zach Dickerson (Bardstown, Ky.) with 922 pins, Jackson Ryan (Croydon, Pa.) with 904 pins, Zack Halstead (Minot, N.D.) with 898 pins, Lewis Vice (Lexington, Ky.) with 885 pins, Troy Lund Jr. (Plain City, Utah) with 840 pins and Patrick Harmon (Corbin, Ky.) with 822 pins.
In the doubles championship, Dickerson and Halstead teamed together and carded 1,820 total pins, Ryan teamed with Vice to record 1,789 pins, while Lund Jr. and Harmon carded 1,662 pins.
MSC Team Championship Recap
Midway carried over the momentum from the MSC Singles and Doubles Championships into the team event where they entered as the No. 6 overall seed.
In their first-round matchup, Midway battled the No. 11 seed, Blue Mountain (Miss.). The Eagles needed just five games to dispatch of the Toppers as they won 4-1 to advance to the second round where they battled No. 3 seed, the Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots.
Holding a two games to one lead, the Eagles won the fourth and fifth games by scores of 232-179 and 210-135, respectively, to seal the 4-1 victory as they advanced to the semifinals of the winners bracket where they battled No. 2 overall seed, Pikeville (Ky.).
After the Bears won the first game by a score of 172-154, the Eagles won the next three games by scores of 205-177, 178-132 and 218-203 as they took a commanding 3-1 lead. Pikeville won the fifth game, but Midway clinched the 4-2 victory following a 216-189 win in the sixth game.
With the win, the Eagles advanced to the finals of the winners bracket where they battled the top seed, Tennessee Southern. Coach Hall couldn't have asked for a better start as his team soared to a 3-0 lead after winning the opening three games – 221-180, 203-192, 218-185.
Tennessee Southern – who won the regular season – came storming back bowling games of 233, 257, 193 and 241 to win the final four games securing the thrilling 4-3 victory.
Following the loss, Midway dropped to the consolation bracket where they would once again battle Pikeville. The Eagles tied the match at two games apiece after winning the fourth game, but the Bears won the final two games to seal the 4-2 victory ending Midway's magical run.
UP NEXT: The Eagles will now away to see if they earn a berth to ITC Sectionals for just the second time in program history.
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