Boys Bowling: Final Knockdown
March 2, 2012
BATTLE CREEK – Macomb Dakota’s Division 1 championship defense got off to a slow start Friday at M-66 Bowl.
So slow, that it looked like the Cougars might not survive the qualifying round.
But once they found their groove, the favorites began to fall.
Dakota, ranked No. 5 at the end of the regular season, qualified fifth of eight teams to move on to match play. The Cougars then topped No. 7 ranked Detroit Catholic Central and top-ranked Davison before beating unranked Canton in the championship match 1,305-1,105.
“It’s unbelievable. I never expected it. I can event describe it,” Dakota senior Nick Mikaelian said. “We started out bad, but we figured out where to play the lanes. Everybody just moved together, and it gave us the best chance.”
Mikaelian, also a member of the 2011 champion team, bowled a 206 in Friday’s Final. Teammates Mike Jachcinski and Justin Taylor teamed to roll a 216.
It was the third straight season Dakota advanced to the championship match. The Cougars beat Westland John Glenn last season, but finished runner-up to Detroit Catholic Central in 2010.
Click for full Division 1 results.
Division 2 at Century Lanes
WATERFORD – This was not supposed to be Mason’s season to win an MHSAA championship.
The Bulldogs traditionally are strong – and had made the Finals four years running heading into this winter.
But they had graduated five from last season’s semifinalist team. And they entered the postseason unranked in the state Division 2 poll.
Mason didn’t bowl like a team with four starters competing their first MHSAA Final. Despite qualifying just seventh for match play, the Bulldogs cruised through a Quarterfinal win, won their Semifinal by just 46 pins, and then squeaked past No. 8 Bay City John Glenn 1,216-1,213 in the championship match.
“Being a senior, this state title means a great deal to me,” Mason’s David Smithern said. “For four years, my team made it to the state finals and could never quite prove just how good of a team we were. This year was different. We came and threw every shot like the state title depended on it, and ended up victorious.”
Smithern rolled a 189 in the Final to lead Mason, with teammate Nick Carl adding a 185. Nathan Moszyk rolled a 182 for John Glenn, and Alex Ouillette had a 181.
The teams split the Baker games, and the final result remained in doubt until the end.
“I didn’t know we’d won until I saw the score sheet,” Mason coach Jim Valentine said.
“This was won with four new starting bowlers. We graduated five seniors last year. That group made states every year. This group won it all. I’m very proud of them.”
Click for full Division 2 results.
Division 3 at Airport Lanes
JACKSON – Fremont could feel its run at an MHSAA championship about to end early as it began the final game of qualifying Friday.
Then something clicked. And just in time.
Fremont rolled a 934 in the final block of qualifying to move from nearly missing the cut to fifth heading into match play. From there, the Packers seemed to get only stronger in winning their three matches by an average of 84 pins – including a 1,297-1,241 victory over Corunna in the Final.
"Today we didn't start off too well. But in the last game of the qualifiers we realized that we had to pick it up and bowl,” Fremont junior Ethan Brummel said. “After we bowled that final game, we were shocked that we were fifth seed. We had been eighth place and on the edge of the cut.
“The (Semifinal) round went well, and we were amazed that we beat the first seed team. After that, we really didn't care if we placed first or second, but we were ecstatic that we won. It was a great way to end the season."
Mike Margol bowled a 214 to lead Fremont, followed by Brummel’s 195. Austin Mowinski had a 205 for Corunna.
Fremont previously finished Division 2 runner-up in 2006.
Click for full Division 3 results.
Division 4 at Sunnybrook Lanes
STERLING HEIGHTS – Rogers City left no question which team was the best in Division 4 on Friday – and arguably the best at any MHSAA Final.
The Hurons finished first in qualifying by 119 pins. They won their Quarterfinal by 149 and eliminated No. 1-ranked Sandusky in the Semifinal with an 80-pin victory. Rogers City then finished the day off with a 1,462-1,351 win over Jonesville in the Final.
All five Rogers City bowlers rolled at least 182, led by Zach Hazel with a 258, Ken Wirgan with a 221 and Justin Hazel with a 200.
Jonesville also had three roll more than 200 in the Final: Reed Baker with a 231, Wyatt Tolbert with a 212 and Trevor Haas with a 206.
Lessons from Last Time Serve D2 Champs
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 2, 2019
WATERFORD – On the right forearm of Adrian bowler Jacob Harvey is a tattoo of a samurai, which he said is a tribute to his Japanese heritage.
“I’m a quarter Japanese, and it represents bravery and courage,” Harvey said.
Harvey certainly showed some of both during the Division 2 Singles Bowling Finals with that same right forearm, using it to best a typically competitive field and clinch the title.
A muscularly-built senior who was a two-way lineman for Adrian’s football team last fall, Harvey ended his day with a terrific performance in the championship match, knocking off New Boston Huron senior Zach Wyszynski 428-321.
Harvey bowled a 204 in the first game to take a 63-pin lead over Wyszynski heading into the second, then quickly served notice that there wouldn’t be a letdown.
Harvey finished off Wyszynski, who struggled with splits throughout the championship match, by bowling strikes in his first five frames of the second game.
“When we started the tournament, I kind of struggled to find a starting line that worked for me comfortably,” Harvey said. “During match play, I tried something different and it worked out really well for me and carried me through.”
Harvey previously qualified for the Finals as a sophomore and said there were a few lessons learned from that experience that served him well in his second opportunity.
“Spares are everything,” Harvey said. “Consistency is everything. Other than that, just keep a level head. Having the experience under my belt really helped me.”
Also benefitting from a previous experience at the Finals was Cedar Springs junior Omani Morales.
In the championship match, she defeated Escanaba senior Lindsey Juhl by a score of 416-328, taking charge in the later frames of the first game and then putting away Juhl with a strong start to the second.
Morales failed to advance out of the qualifying block at last year’s tournament, but like Harvey applied the lessons she learned to win it all this time around.
“I told myself that I’m here for a reason,” Morales said. “I just kept my head up and kept bowling. Maturity-wise, I just grew from the experience. There are a lot of people here, so last year, I was more nervous.”
Seeded 10th out of the qualifying block, Morales beat Adrian senior Shayleen Helf in the round of 16 (432-393), Carly Snyder of Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg in a quarterfinal (418-401) and then Muskegon Reeths-Puffer freshman Karli VanDuinen in a semifinal (388-318).
“I hit my mark every time and I just figured myself out,” said Morales, who will get a week off from athletics before starting practice for her other high school sport, softball.
Harvey also caught fire in match play after qualifying as the No. 14 seed, beating Owosso senior Thomas Trecha in the round of 16 (388-359), New Boston Huron senior Zach Taylor in a quarterfinal (346-322) and then Cadillac senior Brandon Foster in a semifinal (385-328).
Runner-up Wyszynski and Taylor were two of four bowlers from the New Boston Huron boys, who won the team title Friday, to advance out of the qualifying block.
Sophomore Sam Hughes and junior Joey Devita also advanced and fell in the round of 16 during what proved to be a memorable weekend for their program.
Click for full girls results and full boys results.