Boys Singles Finals: No Pins to Spare
March 4, 2012
BATTLE CREEK – No one said becoming the first-ever two-time boys MHSAA Singles champ would be easy.
But after the winning the Division 1 title as a sophomore, Davison senior Taylor Greene took home top honors for the second time by defeating Lake Orion senior Kevin Yang on Saturday at M-66 Bowl in a match that came down to the last frame.
Greene almost didn’t have a chance to get that coveted second title after struggling in the first four games of qualifying. Standing 70 pins short of the cut line and in 40th place, he rolled games of 223 and 235 just to get into a roll-off for the 16th and final afternoon match play spot.
But Greene stayed hot, and a 256 roll-off score sent him to the match play and started a run to the championship match.
“The lanes kind of opened up, and I knew I had the shot to do it,” Greene said. “I was one of the few that were able to go that deep and turn it a lot.”
Greene opened the championship match with a 258, but Yang kept pace with a 229. When Yang failed to double in the 10th frame of Game 2, the door was open for Greene – a mark and eight would seal the win.
“I knew I just needed a mark to beat him,” Greene said. “I was hoping it wasn’t a 10-pin because I missed one before that.”
In fact, it was a 10-pin. But this time, Greene promptly buried it and followed up with a strike to seal the historic championship, 438-435.
“Wow, it means a lot. That’s crazy. I never thought I would,” Greene said of adding his second title. “Last year, I had a good run at it. I dominated the field, but bowled bad after the re-oil.
"But this year, I’m glad I got to redeem myself.”
Division 2 at Century Lanes
WATEFORD – Let Wyoming Rogers junior Derek Nyenhuis stand as the example for any bowler who squeaks into the final spot of match play at an MHSAA Final.
Your run might be just beginning.
Nyenhuis made the Division 2 match play Saturday by a mere nine pins. But he proceeded to down the top seed by 18, his Quarterfinal opponent by 70 and eventually New Boston Huron’s Terry Bonner 426-340 in the Final.
"It feels awesome. I just worked hard through this whole thing,” Nyenhuis said.
“To tell you the truth, the seeding I don't think is a big deal. It just depends on how good the bowler is at the end."
He nearly fell into another slow start in the championship match before finding his shot.
"The first game I started off bad and made a ball adjustment and then threw seven in a row,” Nyenhuis said. “So I was up 60, but I just kept telling myself we were tied."
Division 3 at Airport Lanes
JACKSON – This already had been a memorable season for Grand Rapids West Catholic. But Trent Clark added a finishing stroke Saturday.
Clark pulled off arguably the gutsiest run of the Singles Finals, winning his first three matches by four, eight and 11 pins before downing Caro’s Jarred Pretzer 376-324 in the finale.
“This is the best group of kids you could ask for. Trent Clark did an amazing job this season,” West Catholic coach Mike Hall said. “He finished with a 220 average for the season and a high game of 289. He works every day on his game and strives to be the best.
“West Catholic won their conference for the first time in school history, and now Trent is the first to become state champ in school history.”
Division 4 at Century Lanes
WATERFORD – Sandusky senior Tyler Johnston qualified for the MHSAA Singles Finals all four of his high school seasons. One more day wasn't going to keep him from winning the Division 4 title.
Johnston also made the match play for the fourth time Sunday, and survived two and four-pin wins before defeating Rogers City's Zach Hazel 424-371 in the Final.
"The brown out yesterday was a very long day," said Sandusky coach and Tyler's dad Jeremy Johnston, noting the power outage at Sunnybrook Lanes that moved Division 4 competition back one day and to a different center. "I know all three of my boys that qualified for singles did not bowl well Friday and were happy to hear the tournament was moved, even though it was a long wait.
"We have only bowled at Century Lanes once, and didn't know what to expect. But it worked out well for Tyler."
PHOTO of Taylor Greene receiving his championship medal at the Division 1 Final. Click for detailed results from all MHSAA Singles Finals.
Johnson, Cantrell Rally for D4 Victories
March 3, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
BATTLE CREEK – MacKenzie Johnson wanted to thank Vandercook Lake girls coach Todd Reichard for making her into a championship bowler. And she wanted to thank assistant Kenla Kelly, her “emotional coach.”
But after feeling her spirits dive with a 125 game to start match play at Saturday’s Division 4 Singles Finals, she needed a little more help.
“I said to myself, what would Dad say to me, because freshman year he passed away four days after this event,” Johnson said. “And he’d tell me to calm down and really just be myself, and if I was myself, I could beat anyone.
“I just became myself, I made my shots, I calmed down and I let my emotions go.”
Brad Johnson died after a fight with inoperable brain cancer March 9, 2016. Just under two years later, his daughter came back to average 186 over her final seven match play games at M-66 Bowl and win this season’s championship.
“He’d say he’s very proud,” Johnson said. “This is all he ever wanted for me, to give it my best, and today I gave it my all.”
Johnson defeated Beaverton senior Victoria Ivey 410-323 in their championship match, rolling a match play-best 231 in her final game.
On the boys side, Genesee senior Luke Cantrell claimed the title with a 356-354 win over Vandercook Lake senior Keegan Campbell.
Campbell led the match 204-157 after the first of the two-game series. But Cantrell improved 42 pins over his final 10 frames for a second straight close finish – he also won his semifinal by just 10 pins.
Cantrell closed his career with four Finals singles appearances and had finished runner-up to St. Charles’ three-time champion Kyle Tuttle in 2016.
“I struggled, but I picked myself up,” Cantrell said. “In the qualifying (I) shot a couple 170s that kinda hurt me. My coaches helped a lot. I made a couple ball changes, and controlled my speed a little bit more.
“(I) just throw the ball good and never give up. In the ninth frame I had a really good feeling, and it came my way I guess.”
Johnson rolled her team’s high regular game as the Jayhawks won the team championship match Friday against Brown City.
She’d clinched the singles victory by the 10th frame Saturday, but still banged through three strikes to finish the day.
“I couldn’t believe our team did it yesterday; we all did it as one. Today, I surprised myself by doing this,” Johnson said. “At any point I could’ve opened, and she could’ve got me. It wasn’t over until that third shot in the 10th frame.
“I never count myself out, but I never count myself in until it’s done, either.”
Click for full girls results and boys results.