Coast Guard made a one day dash to Cambridge, Massachusetts on Saturday to participate in the annual Beanpot Tournament hosted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a successful effort to maintain ownership of the ceramic trophy.
Team co-captain Seth Strayer made it clear very early that it would be a tough task for any team to pry the title away by posting a 580 in smallbore, just five points off his Academy record of 585 in the event. Co-captain Hunter Blankenship backed him up with a 560. Sophomore Bryce Sturtz followed with a 559 and freshman Rose Reynolds posted a 547 to give the Bears a 103 point lead over MIT going into air rifle.
Strayer tied his Academy air rifle record of 589 to continue to roll up the score. Sturtz contributed a 582 as Blankenship posted a 568. Freshman Berit Bedord just skimmed by classmate Reynolds with a 565 to 564 to fill the last scoring position.
At the end of the day, Coast Guard retained the Beanpot and picked up three conference wins against MIT, John Jay, and Schreiner University.
After a quick turnaround Coast Guard hosted MIT and Schreiner Sunday morning in Chase Hall.
Strayer and Sturtz battled out for the team lead in smallbore with Strayer posting the top score 579 to Sturtz's personal best 578. In the process Sturtz also tied the Academy standing record with a 193. Reynolds shot a 568 and Bedord added her second 555 of the season to give the team a new Academy Record smallbore score of 2280. Dane Harbison shot a personal best in the event.
Sturtz and Strayer switched places in air rifle with Strurtz's personal best 588, a point short of Strayer's Academy record of 589, topping the team. Strayer had a 580. Blankenship put up a 572 and with Bedord's 568 the team combined for a 2308. Freshman Matt Go posted a personal best in air.
With a record smallbore score and a solid air rifle the Bears shot a season high aggregate score of 4588 to defeat MIT and Schreiner.
Coast Guard ended the busy weekend undefeated in conference with an overall 12-7 record. The Bears next see action in two weeks, at Army, for the NCAA Tournament Qualifier.
