After Regional Run, Paw Paw Rolling Again
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
February 17, 2021
PAW PAW — Ethan Van Der Slik has some definite goals in mind when it comes to bowling.
The Paw Paw junior is aiming to break personal records set by his mentor and grandfather, Rich Van Der Slik.
“When I heard that I said, ‘Good for you. Beat this old man,” his grandpa said.
The younger bowler has plenty of time to catch up.
His grandfather started bowling at age 20, had his first of two 300s at age 51 and threw an 810 series at age 59.
So far, Ethan has one 700 series. But there are plenty of opportunities ahead – both for individual achievements and as part of a Paw Paw varsity with experience from last season and aspirations to finish this one even better.
Van Der Slik is the youngest on a senior-laden Paw Paw team that won its Regional last year and is 2-0 this young Southwest Michigan High School Bowling Conference season.
However, after dominating performances at the local level last year, the boys underwent an eye-opening experience at state competition.
Bowling was one of the few winter sports that actually competed through the Finals during the 2019-20 winter season, and the Red Wolves hope to build on that experience if they return to the MHSAA Division 3 Finals this March 26-27. At last year’s Finals, Paw Paw missed the team match play by 148 pins during qualifying despite showing potential with an 852 regular game and high Baker of 187.
“Competition is a lot harder outside our little town,” said Derek Ballard, one of five seniors on the team. “You can’t get nervous; you have to keep striking. You can’t get away from what you do just because you’re in a bigger town.
“The important thing is, if you’re nervous, you’re going to miss your mark. You’ve got to keep steady and if you keep steady, your shots are going to look good.”
Lifetime Sport
“I bowled for 44 years and quit when my shoulder said it didn’t want to do it anymore,” Rich Van Der Slik said. Now he spends his time at bowling centers working with his grandson.
“He’s a good kid and very coachable,” Rich Van Der Slik said. “He listens and he tries.
“He’s thinking ahead. He knows when it’s time to make his ball changes.”
Trying to best his grandfather “pushes me to be better,” said Van Der Slik, who has a few warmup routines before his Saturday high school matches.
He and his grandfather go to breakfast, then he shoots splits and strikes at Continental Lanes when the high school match is not there.
Although baseball is his other sport, Van Der Slik also throws a football before matches, an exercise he learned from Scott Brunner, who has the pro shop at Continental.
“It helps me get my hand through the (bowling) ball better; shows me the spin,” Van Der Slik said.
Paw Paw bowling brings together the Zolp family as well.
Boys coach Chuck Zolp is in his 22nd season. His daughter, Jessica, coaches the girls and “I’ve been working (at Rainbow Lanes) since 1972 and bought the place in 1979,” Zolp said.
That is a big advantage for both teams since they do not have to worry about scheduling practice time. While the Red Wolves boys are an experienced contender, they are relying on a new anchor, Ballard, after the team graduated Michael Hiestand last spring.
Hiestand was the team’s top singles roller at last year’s Regional, just missing the Finals with a 13th place. Van Der Slik was 24th and Ballard 25th.
“(Derek) helps with the rest of the team, coaches them in-between matches and in practice,” said Chuck Zolp, in his 22nd year coaching the team. “He’s very consistent. He brings a lot to the team.”
The other seniors on the team are Peyton Long, Zach Dooley, Christian Johnson and Vaughn Stiglich. Long, Dooley and Stiglich all bowled during last season’s Singles Regional as well.
Although he has not thrown a 700 series yet, Ballard’s top score is 277.
He started bowling at a young age.
“There was a youth sign up out here (at Rainbow) and I asked my dad (Doug) if I could join and I never stopped,” he said.
Making Adjustments
The biggest differences for bowlers this year are wearing masks and having no spectators. However, MHSAA guidelines allow them to drop the masks at the approach.
“It’s kind of hot after a few games, but it’s not bad,” Ballard said. “We can take it down on the approach, but I usually don’t because it’s annoying to pull it down. I have no problem with it.”
Van Der Slik, who also has no problem with the mask, is aware of his role on the team.
“Being the young guy, I’m going to be the only one here next year so I’ve got to do what I can to make the team better,” he said.
“I see myself as almost the middle man, trying to keep everyone happy and doing the best I can.”
The lack of spectators also does not bother Van Der Slik at all.
“It’s actually not as bad as you would think because I’m a very loud person,” he said. “Everyone hearing me, it’s definitely a scary thing for them but fun for us.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Paw Paw’s Ethan Van Der Slik begins his approach during a recent practice. (Middle) Senior Derek Ballard lines up his next shot. (Below) Clockwise from top left: Red Wolves boys bowling coach Chuck Zolp, Ballard, Rich Van Der Slik and Ethan Van Der Slik. (Photos by Pam Shebest.)
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MHSAA Winter Sports Start with Extended Basketball Schedules, New Wrestling Weights
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
December 13, 2022
The addition of two games to basketball regular-season schedules and a new series of wrestling weight classes are likely the most noticeable Winter 2022-23 changes as an estimated 65,000 athletes statewide take part in 13 sports for which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors postseason tournaments.
Girls gymnastics and boys ice hockey teams were able to begin practice Oct. 31, with the rest of those sports beginning in November – including also girls and boys basketball, girls and boys bowling, girls competitive cheer, girls and boys skiing, Upper Peninsula girls and boys and Lower Peninsula boys swimming & diving, and girls and boys wrestling.
A variety of changes are in effect for winter sports this season, including a several that will be noteworthy and noticeable to teams and spectators alike.
Basketball remains the most-participated winter sport for MHSAA member schools with 33,000 athletes taking part last season, and for the first time, basketball teams may play up to 22 regular-season games. This increase from the previous 20-game schedule allows more games for teams at every high school level – varsity, junior varsity and freshman.
Another significant change has been made in wrestling, as the majority of boys wrestling weight classes have been adjusted for this season in anticipation of a national change coming in 2023-24. The updated boys weight classes are 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215 and 285 pounds. Only 215 and 285 remain from the previous lineup. There is also one change to girls weight classes, with the 255 class replaced by 235 to also align with national high school standards.
A series of notable changes will affect how competition takes place at the MHSAA Tournament levels. In hockey, in addition to a new classification process that spread cooperative and single-school programs evenly throughout the three playoff divisions, the MHSAA Tournament will employ two changes. The Michigan Power Ratings (MPR) will be used to seed the entire Regional round, not just the top two teams, and prior to the start of Semifinals, a seeding committee will reseed the remaining four teams in each division with the top seed in each then facing the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed facing No. 3.
Bowling also will see an MHSAA Tournament change, as the Team Regional format will mirror the long-standing Team Final with teams playing eight Baker games and two regular games at both levels. And as also applied during the fall girls season, there is a new qualification process for divers seeking to advance to Lower Peninsula Boys Swimming & Diving Finals. In each of the three divisions, each Regional will be guaranteed 10 qualifiers for the Finals, with six more “floating” qualifier entries to be distributed to the Regionals that have one of the previous year’s top six returning Finals divers in their fields. If a team changes division from the previous season, any floating top-six spots are added to the six already allowed in the school’s new division.
A gymnastics rules change provides an opportunity for additional scoring during the floor exercise. A dance passage requirement was added in place of the former dance series requirement to encourage creativity and a more artistic use of dance. The dance passage requires gymnasts to include two Group 1 elements – one a leap with legs in cross or side split position, the other a superior element.
In competitive cheer, the penalty for going over the time limit in each round was adjusted to one penalty point for every second over the time limit, not to exceed 15 points. The new time limit rule is more lenient than the past penalty, which subtracted points based on ranges of time over the limit.
The 2022-23 Winter campaign culminates with postseason tournaments, as the championship schedule begins with the Upper Peninsula Girls & Boys Swimming & Diving Finals on Feb. 18 and wraps up with the Boys Basketball Finals on March 25. Here is a complete list of winter tournament dates:
Boys Basketball
Districts – March 6, 8, 10
Regionals – March 13, 15
Quarterfinals – March 21
Semifinals – March 23-24
Finals – March 25
Girls Basketball
Districts – Feb. 27, March 1, 3
Regionals – March 7, 9
Quarterfinals – March 14
Semifinals – March 16-17
Finals – March 18
Bowling
Regionals – Feb. 24-25
Finals – March 3-4
Competitive Cheer
District – Feb. 17-18
Regionals – Feb. 25
Finals – March 2-3
Gymnastics
Regionals – March 4
Finals – March 10-11
Ice Hockey
Regionals – Feb. 20-March 1
Quarterfinals – March 4
Semifinals – March 9-10
Finals – March 11
Skiing
Regionals – Feb. 13-17
Finals – Feb. 27
Swimming & Diving
Upper Peninsula Girls/Boys Finals – Feb. 18
Lower Peninsula Boys Diving Regionals – March 2
Lower Peninsula Boys Finals – March 10-11
Wrestling – Team
Districts – Feb. 8-9
Regionals – Feb. 15
Finals – Feb. 24-25
Wrestling – Individual
Districts – Feb. 11
Regionals – Feb. 18
Finals – March 3-4
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.3 million spectators each year.