The A squad of Oberlin’s Intercollegiate Bowling Team fell one pin short of the championship in the sixth annual Oberlin College Unconventional tournament at College Lanes last Saturday. It was Oberlin’s fourth second-place finish in the event in the past five years. Kent State University won the title for the sixth time.

Oberlin’s A squad began Baker-style match play as the second seed after the initial rounds when the team’s players averaged 189 per game. In the first round of the Baker-style play, Oberlin’s A squad met the B squad, where each member of the opposing teams rolled two frames of the single game’s score.

The B team jumped out to a quick start with consecutive strikes by junior Tom Hartman and sophomore Andrew Meister, and held onto a narrow lead through six frames. The A squad roared back with strikes in the seventh through ninth frames by seniors Colin Smith, Adam Czernikowski and Andrew Falk to take a 193-188 lead after the first game.

The A squad then rolled eight strikes and four spares for a 228 second game to advance to the title match.

Kent State used an opening six-bagger to take a seemingly insurmountable 246-183 lead after one game of the final frame. Oberlin’s A squad scratched and clawed their way back into it, though, rolling four consecutive strikes by Czernikowski, senior Justin Heiman, Falk and junior Jon Gillam early in the second game while Kent State failed to strike or spare in three of the first five frames.

Heiman struck again in the ninth frame, and Falk put Oberlin in a position to win the title by following with his ninth straight strike before leaving an 8-pin on his second shot of the final frame.

The pressure then rested on the shoulders of Kent’s Kevin Kommel, who needed at least a spare to avoid defeat. Kommel’s first shot hit the headpin very lightly, leaving the 2- and 5-pins standing. His spare attempt was heavy on the 2-pin, but managed to carry the 5 as well. Needing eight pins to tie and nine to win, his last shot again hit the headpin lightly, resulting in several teetering pins. Eventually, though, everything but the 2-pin toppled and Kent won by a single pin, 406-405.

Kommel earlier paced all bowlers through the preliminary rounds with a 1,207 total (241 average) and 278 high game. Heiman was second overall with 1,097 (219 average), while Falk was fifth with 1,057 (211 average).

Sophomore Todd Ares of Oberlin’s B team rolled nine consecutive strikes en route to a 257 opening game, the second highest single score of the tournament. Senior Clare Cira of Oberlin B paced all women in the event with an 850 total (170 average) and 205 high game.

The Intercollegiate Bowling Team’s next event will be a match during Commencement weekend against former team members who have returned for reunions.