By Brian Metz '15
The competitors stood silently as they anticipated the reading of the official score. Pat Scott (’14), the O’Malley Cup’s reigning commissioner, gave a Seacrest-like pause before announcing the results of round two of the bowling event.
The second-years had won a close battle in the opening game—the first in a best-of-three match-up—by a score of 101.652 to 101.235. The first-years were looking to push the O’Malley Cup’s second event of the year to a winner-take-all third game. The day had seen its share of ups and downs for both teams.
In the first game Brent “Big Canada” Miller (’15) scored a game high 161. But embarrassing low scores from Sam Morgan (’15) and Brian Metz (’15) (both of whom were supremely adept at getting only the back left pin) ultimately hurt the first-years’ chances of capturing the opening game. Early in the competition many first-years seemed more focused on creating awesome handshakes than on knocking down pins.
For the second-years, MSA-exclusive Ian Braucksieker used the metal chute usually reserved for handicapped bowlers to score a respectable 117. Despite repeated calls by first-years for some sort of penalty against Braucksieker and his chute—which he named “Timmy”—no such penalty was assessed.
In the second game, Pat Scott—a second-year and the O’Malley commissioner—scored an event high 173. After hearing his score (which Scott report to the official score keeper (himself) which was then recorded on the official computer (his own)), several first years respectfully asked for a recount. No such recount was granted.
The lane conditions proved to be rough at times. Repeated computer malfunctions kept the pace of the game slow in several lanes, but Scott consistently came to the rescue and manually typed in scores. Vocal first-year Grace Dawson Beatty (’15) requested some sort of bi-partisan oversight. No such oversight was implemented.
It should be noted that there were some questionable wardrobe choices as well. While second-years Ethan Shapiro and Ryan O’Connor wore matching green and white zebra print zubaz shorts and the ever-fashionable Joe deGuzman (’14) sported the same tight jean shorts he wore for corn hole, it was quickly pointed out by several individuals that after five weeks in Athens the first-years still don’t have O’Malley uniforms.
Yet after all the scrappy, hard-nosed (and stylin’) bowling the competitors held their collective breath as Pat Scott—O’Malley commissioner, official score keeper, bowling computer fixer, and member of the class of 2014—made the final announcement. Even the gentleman in the howling wolf t-shirt in lane 16 was quiet. Scott announced with a score of 111.478 to 103.353 the second years had swept the O’Malley Cup’s second event and spared the first-years from further embarrassment. After totally sportsmanlike celebrating by winning second-years the entire cohort paused for a picture, pretending for a moment to like each other.
The teams return to action at Noon, Sunday, September 29th, at Bird Arena for the third event of the 2013-2014 O’Malley Cup: broomball. May the best team win.
