Collegiate Ticker - Nov. 24, 2021

The Indiana Tech men and women swept the top spots last weekend at the Bowling Green State Falcon Classic, while the Sam Houston State women put together big scores in the bracket to win the Hawk Classic.

The Falcon Classic was held in Toledo, Ohio, and featured 23 men's varsity teams and 20 women's varsity programs. The format included five traditional games and 12 Baker games, with total pinfall determining the champion in each division.

In the men's division at the Falcon Classic, Indiana Tech built nearly a 200-pin lead over the field during the traditional block. The Warriors averaged nearly 225 as a team during the five-game set, including a 1,264 effort in Game 4.

Concordia challenged Indiana Tech for the top spot moving into the Baker games, averaging more than 215 for the 12-game block. Heading into the final game, Indiana Tech held a seven-pin advantage over Concordia and rolled 236 to hang on for the victory with an 8,035 total.

Concordia finished second with 8,015, and Adrian was third with 7,690.

The top two spots in the men's individual standings went to student-athletes from Indiana Tech. After starting his five-game block with 209 and 193, James Bennett finished with games of 240, 295 and 266 to take top honors with a 1,203 total, a 240.6 average. Marcus McClain claimed second place with a 1,190 total.

Cornerstone's Jonathan Ryan finished third with 1,148, while Adrian teammates Joshua Felcoski (1,134) and Cameron Klein (1,125) rounded out the top five.

Muskingum's Justin Veal connected for 300 during Game 3 of the traditional block on his way to an 18th-place finish with 1,072.

In the women's division, Indiana Tech recorded a wire-to-wire victory, setting the pace in Game 1 of the traditional block with a 1,138 total. The Warriors coasted to the win by nearly 800 pins, finishing with a 7,597 total.

Adrian was second with 6,814, and Spring Arbor took third with 6,785.

Indiana Tech also had three of the top four individual performances. Maryssa Carey rolled a 299 game on her way to a 1,210 total, a 242 average. Kayla Bivens finished second for the Warriors with 1,053, and Lakyn Edwards was fourth with 1,017.

Adrian's Cassandra McCarren was third with 1,034, and Spring Arbor's Mikayla Ponce was fifth with 998.

The Hawk Classic took place at Millsboro Lanes in Millsboro, Delaware, with competition for all three days being broadcast on BowlTV.

The tournament featured five five-game Baker matches Friday and five traditional games Saturday to determine seeding for Sunday's bracket, based on total pinfall. All bracket matches featured a best-of-seven Baker format for the 15-team field.

Sam Houston State and Vanderbilt tied for the top spot after the first two days at the Hawk Classic, both finishing with a 10,169 total to set up a first-round bracket match Sunday.

Sam Houston State took the early advantage, 3-1, but Vanderbilt rallied back with consecutive wins to force a deciding game. In Game 7, Sam Houston State started with eight consecutive strikes on the way to a 276-242 victory to advance to the title match, 4-3.

Fairleigh Dickinson, the No. 3 seed, advanced to the finals to face Sam Houston State by defeating North Carolina A&T (4-2) and Vanderbilt (4-3).

In the title match, Sam Houston State averaged 233 to sweep Fairleigh Dickinson, 4-0. The win marked the second consecutive title at the Hawk Classic for the Bearkats and was their fourth victory in the last five editions of the event.

In the individual standings, Sam Houston State's Elise Chambers and Mount St. Mary's Rebecca Dodson tied for the top pinfall totals, each finishing their five-game block Saturday with a 1,128 total (225.6 average).

Duquesne's Olivia Farwell (1,101), Delaware State's Saralyne Nassberg (1,096) and Sam Houston State's Hayley Connelly (1,082) followed in the individual standings.

In other collegiate action:

- At the Hornet Classic in Montgomery, Alabama, the Louisiana Tech women recorded the bracket win over Alabama State, 4-2.

- At the Clash of the Spartans in St. Charles, Missouri, the Midland men won by more than 350 pins in the all-Baker competition, while the Baker women held on for a six-pin victory.

- At the CSU Lady Eagles Invitational in Baltimore, the Morgan State women finished at the top of the leaderboard in total pinfall.

- At the Southwest Intercollegiate Bowling Conference III and IV in Fort Worth, Texas, the Wichita State men and women rolled for the weekend sweep.

- At the Southeast Match Play Challenge in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah men and Pikeville women were victorious in the bracket.

- At the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference No. 1 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the Medaille women led the way in pinfall after 40 Baker games.

- At the Floria Financial Services Open in Diamond Bar, California, the Arizona State men posted a wire-to-wire win.

- At the Tiger Cup in Rochester, New York, the Rochester Institute of Technology women and men finished at the top of the standings.

- At the Eastern Intercollegiate Bowling Tournament No. 3 in New City, New York, the New Jersey Institute of Technology men captured the win.

- At the Spring Hill Fall Tournament No. 1 in Mobile, Alabama, the Spring Hill men cruised to the top spot.

- At the Spring Hill Fall Tournament No. 2 in Mobile, Alabama, the Florida State men recorded the win in the all-Baker format.

- At the Oak Tree Lanes Open in Diamond Bar, California, the Grand Canyon men finished the weekend with the victory.

For the full schedule of collegiate events, results and more, visit BOWL.com/Collegiate and CollegeBowling.Bowl.com.