After a less than ideal placement in the 48th Annual Hoosier Classic, the Baker bowling team must now focus on making a statement during Sectionals.

The Wildcats placed 31st out of 68 teams that competed in Indianapolis, Indiana, in what senior bowler Allyson Ware calls “one of the hardest tournaments” the Wildcats had been in this year.

“As a team, we struggled a bit more than any other tournament this season,” Ware said. “Individually, we also kind of struggled in that aspect.”

One of the causes for those struggles was the use of a new type of oil on the lanes.

“We had never seen this type of oil before or bowled on it before,” Ware said.

Ware led the team with a 60th-place finish overall, followed by Brittney Crittenden, who finished 69th, and Sydney Johnson, who finished 79th.

For many of the BU seniors this would be their last regular-season tournament. Before the National Anthem was played in the bowling alley, all the graduating seniors were recognized.

“That definitely caught me off guard there for a second, but we still have the NAIA Championship and Sectionals to go to, so are still looking forward to that,” Ware said.

The team will now prepare to head to Sectionals in Louisville, Kentucky, March 10-12.

Ware believes the Hoosier Classic was able to show the team that they can come together in times of difficulty.

“We can pick each other up if someone isn’t in a good mood or just struggling with bowling,” Ware said.