Columbia Academy may have stumbled early in the week, but by Thursday, the Bulldogs looked every bit like defending state champions.
After a tough outing in the Division II individual state tournament on Wednesday, where both sophomore Beckett Ransom and senior Frazier Isenburg fell short of the ladder match finals, Columbia Academy regrouped and roared back in the team competition. The early-week adversity might’ve been exactly what they needed.
Neither Ransom nor Isenburg cracked the top six in the individual standings-Ransom averaged 163.3 over six games for 20th place, while Isenburg posted a 169.5 average to finish 17th. The cutline to advance was a 195 average. But instead of letting the disappointment linger, the two turned the page and came out firing in Thursday’s team quarterfinal against Father Ryan.
And they didn’t just bounce back-they made a statement.
Ransom caught fire with games of 243 and 266, while Isenburg and fellow senior Jaksen Brooks each rolled a 212. The result? A dominant 25-2 win over their Middle Region rival, punching Columbia Academy’s ticket to the state semifinals.
“I think (Wednesday) helped them get some nerves out, and motivated them a little,” head coach Derek Ransom said. That much was clear on the lanes.
The Bulldogs didn’t need to bowl again Thursday, which sets them up nicely for Friday’s final push. They’ll face St.
Benedict in the morning semifinal after St. Benedict took down Boyd Buchanan 17.5-9.5 in their quarterfinal.
Coach Ransom acknowledged the unusual rhythm of the schedule but sees the upside. “You’ve got to bowl three total games to win (the tournament).
I think I’d rather bowl two on the second day,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to come in cold on championship day.”
Columbia Academy also got key contributions from the rest of the lineup. Senior Colton Robbins chipped in with a 166, and sophomore Kaden Suzdak added a strong 198. It was a total team effort-exactly what you want to see from a squad with championship aspirations.
“All our seniors did well,” Ransom said. “Our spare shooting was great. We need to try to keep that same energy (Friday).”
If the Bulldogs can keep that momentum rolling, they’ll have a shot at their third Division II title in four seasons. They previously won it all in 2023 and finished as runners-up in 2024.
A semifinal win Friday morning would set up a noon showdown with the winner of Christian Brothers vs. Pope John Paul II.
Christian Brothers advanced with a 17-10 win over Friendship Christian, while JPII edged McCallie 16-11.
Columbia Academy knows what it takes to win on the big stage. Now, they’re just two matches away from doing it again.