Trailblazers Battle Back for Top-10 Finish at AHBA I
CANTON, Mich. — The Vincennes University Men's Bowling team opened its weekend in Michigan with a strong showing in the American Heartland Bowling Association (AHBA) I tournament Saturday at Super Bowl Lanes, finishing eighth overall with 5,678 total pins in a competitive 20-team field that featured many of the Midwest's top programs.
VU got off to a slow start in the early morning block but steadily found its rhythm through the middle games, climbing from 15th to eighth place by day's end. The Trailblazers totaled 5,678 pins across six team games for a 946.3 team average, highlighted by a tournament-best 1,048 fourth game and strong finishes of 987 and 918 in games five and six.
Freshman Cadyn Coddington led the charge with a 1,247 series (207.8 average), rolling high games of 267, 227, and 199, finishing 11th individually out of more than 130 bowlers. Junior Dakota Waskom was close behind in 13th place, posting a 1,241 total (206.8 average) behind games of 230, 218 twice, and 212. Junior Eli Fromm added a 721 series with a 224 high game, while sophomore Colton Martin (535), junior Nick Gregg (524), and freshman Vincent Murrey (523) all contributed steady three-game sets as part of the team's rotation.
Head Coach Paul LeMond credited his team's perseverance and energy shift after the early frames. "We got off to a slow start this morning, but after about the third game we got back into it," LeMond said. "We were able to grind it out, move up from 15th to eighth, and that's what you want to see—guys fighting through it. Hopefully we can learn from it, make better shots early, and come out sharper in the morning."
Coddington and Waskom's top-15 finishes paced the Trailblazers and marked the second straight event in which both finished among the team's statistical leaders. The pair combined for 2,488 pins, nearly half of VU's total team output. LeMond said their consistency continues to set the tone for the rest of the roster. "Cadyn and Dakota were outstanding again," LeMond said. "Those two have been really steady for us. Now we just need a few more guys to catch fire behind them. Once that happens, we'll be right where we want to be."
VU will return to Super Bowl Lanes on Sunday for the AHBA II event, which features a different format with three traditional games followed by 15 Baker games. "Tomorrow's format will test us in a different way," LeMond said. "If we come out ready to throw good shots early, we can do great things."
Join the Journey
As always, fans can keep up with the Vincennes University Men's Bowling squad all year long through a number of ways:
- X (formerly Twitter): @VUTrailblazers
- Facebook: Vincennes University Athletics
- Instagram: @VincennesUTrailblazers
- Youtube (live & on demand content): BlazerVision
- Website: https://govutrailblazers.com
