INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – McKendree Men's bowling started the 2026-2027 season with a great showing, finishing sixth at the Western Shootout this past weekend.
The team bowled six traditional games to start the first day of the tournament. Junior Xavier Newell came out and shot a perfect game in the first game and finished with an average of 209.6 for five games. Senior Zach Vanderpool led the team finishing 18th out of a field of 326 scoring opponents with an average of 218.3 and a high game of 245. Senior Trevor Pense and Nathan Bassford also bowled all six games finishing 52nd and 84th with averages of 208 and 199.3 respectively.
Rounding out the individual scoring for the Bearcats was sophomore Connor Lunning who had four accredited games and averaged 202; junior Bradon West finished with three accredited games and had an average of 194.3.
On day two the team bowled 16 baker games and had four games over 240 and finished with a total pinfall of 3,456, averaging 216. This helped them move up in the rankings where they ended in sixth place with a total pinfall of 9,649.
The junior varsity team also bowled in the tournament where they finished 11th out of 17 teams with a total pinfall of 8,823. Freshman Blake Hortsman was the only bowler to bowl all six games and had an average of 180.8. Sophomore Alex Thompson had five accredited games with an average of 198.8. Sophomore Joshua McPhearson, senior Jacob Podunajec and sophomore Daniel Wilde all had four accredited games averaging 200.5, 188, 175.8 respectively.
Senior Seth Gort finished with an 187.7 average for three accredited games. Finishing the scoring was the Freshman pair of Raymond Andrews and Trace Elliott who had two games for averages of 203 and 198.5 respectively.
The team will be bowling next week October 17th and 18th in the Mid States Championship in Wichita, Kansas at Bowlero Northrock.
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