RedTail Bowling Battles Through Challenges at Stout Open

The RedTail Bowling teams traveled to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this past weekend to compete in the Stout Open, where both squads faced their share of challenges. Between tough oil conditions and a unique tournament format, the event tested the teams' focus, consistency, and ability to adapt under pressure.

Despite the ups and downs, the RedTail Men came together and showed strong energy throughout the weekend. The team hovered between fourth, fifth, and sixth place for much of the competition before ultimately finishing sixth overall.

"We came together really well, feeding off of the energy that we all put out there," the team shared. "There were times of a lack of focus that prevented us from staying within the top four for bracket play. We would have liked to have finished higher, but all in all, sixth is a good place right now. Knowing how close we were will hopefully light a bit of a fire for next time."

Leading the way for the Men was Isaiah Sample, who continued his impressive start to the season. Sample rolled a high game of 268 to secure a 2nd-place individual finish and earn his second straight All-Tournament Team appearance.

On the women's side, Callie Smedley paced the RedTails, averaging 150 across her five games to finish 16th individually. The women's team also placed sixth overall in the competition.

Assistant Coach Emily Barth praised the women's effort but emphasized the importance of bringing their team chemistry to the lanes.

"I continue to see potential in this team to be able to compete and place higher at events," Barth said. "Right now, we're struggling with staying focused, intentional shot making, and a team mindset. This group has great chemistry off the lanes, but we need to bring that same connection onto the lanes and trust each other during competition."

Barth added that the team's ability to stay mentally sharp through long competition days will be key moving forward.

"The team has potential as coaches, we're seeing it," she continued. "Now it's up to the athletes to want to improve their game and compete not just for themselves, but for their team as well."

The RedTails will look to build on their progress and carry their lessons from Eau Claire into their upcoming tournaments as they continue their fall season.