D3 Champs Earn Teams' 1st Singles Titles

By Jeff Bleiler
Special for MHSAA.com

March 7, 2020

JACKSON — Make no mistake: Logan Teubert's cool demeanor masks a competitive fire that rages within. 

Consider that when he got ahold of the bracket for the Division 3 Singles Bowling Finals at JAX 60, he had his mom fill out his name all the way to the championship.

It proved prophetic as the Jonesville junior rolled out to a 48-pin advantage in the first game of the Final and withstood a midgame rally by Capac junior Kaden Braun in the second game to win 369-349.

Teubert was the first Jonesville boy to win an individual title and the first Comet to claim one since 2011 when Lynsey Molinaro, who remains on the coaching staff, won.

“It’s awesome. I’ve been waiting for this, I finally got to do it and I did it,” Teubert said. “Today I had a rough couple games, got back in the cut and just started throwing strikes.”

Teubert shot 204 in the first game of the Final, his only open frame a missed 10-pin in the fifth after three straight strikes. He clawed his way to a 165 in the second game that included back-to-back splits in the eighth and ninth frames.

Braun struggled to find traction and had three open frames for a 156 in the first game, but pounded a four-bagger in the third through sixth frames of the second game to get Teubert’s attention. A split in the ninth thwarted the comeback, and Braun finished with 193.

Teubert appeared undaunted throughout the Finals, calmly adjusting his glasses in between shots.

“Don’t let his outward appearance fool you; he’s pretty confident,” Jonesville coach Matt Molinaro said. “He stayed focus, he stayed hungry, but he tried to let it slip away because he bowled not to lose instead of bowling to win. So then we got him regrouped, refocused and then he shut the door.”

He had a decided advantage in support, as his backers turned JAX 60 into a 60-lane version of his 12-lane home house of L&J Lanes. It also helped that Teubert has bowled at JAX 60 frequently in tournaments and for matches in the Cascades Conference.

“(The fan support was) awesome. It helps so much,” Teubert said. “The lanes were different today than any other day, but it didn’t affect my performance that much.”

Teubert qualified 10th after the six-game qualifying round with 1,201, a score boosted by games of 242 and 255. He beat Boyne City senior Jack Wicker 391-343, then dispatched Cheboygan senior Dawson Campbell 403-393 thanks to a double in the 10th of the second game for 234. In the semifinals, he turned away Hudsonville Unity Christian senior Kurtis Montsma 370-358.

Teubert praised the Jonesville coaching staff afterward.

“They’re awesome. I couldn’t get any better coaches,” he said. “They’ve made me who I am today.”

The admiration is mutual.

“He’s a phenomenal bowler and he’s worked very hard on his game, so I’m not too surprised that (he won),” Jonesville assistant coach Matt Davis said. “He’s been calling himself a state champion since the beginning of the year.”

Will he be calling himself a two-time champion after next season?

“I guess we’ll find out,” Teubert said.

On the girls side, Big Rapids senior Hope Thebo surprised herself and her coach with a Finals victory in defeating Caro senior Baylee Hutchinson 406-378.

Big Rapids coach David Nawrot said Thebo averaged about 160 in Central State Athletics Association play.

“During Regionals, she was just steadfast. Top game was 167, bottom game was 157,” Nawrot said of Thebo, who qualified for the Girls Golf Finals all four years of her high school career. “I think her golf background helps. Being in that tournament definitely helps with this.”

Thebo rolled eight strikes in the first game of the Final, including seven of the last eight shots, for a 223 opener to Hutchinson’s 155. Hutchinson answered with her own 223 that included a five-bagger, while Thebo battled some timing issues that she said were the result of the positive start in the first game.

“Coming in, I was just trying to qualify and do the best I could from there,” said Thebo, who finished with a 183 game. “After I slowed myself down, I was good.”

Thebo played basketball as a freshman, finished 42nd in the Regional two years ago and was 12th last season before claiming Big Rapids’ first individual Finals trophy.

Thebo qualified eighth with a six-game score of 1,142. Over her four matches, she cleared 200 in five of the eight games. She beat Flat Rock senior Jasmine Carroll in the opener 372-348, then defeated top seed Karissa Manifold of Hillsdale 437-401 before coming back to top Livonia Clarenceville senior Madilynn Kieling 350-328.

Click for full girls results and boys results.

Grand Rapids Christian's Heerema, Charlotte's Portillo Arrive with 1st Finals Wins

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

March 4, 2023

WATERFORD – Sometimes, being young and oblivious to surroundings has its advantages.

Such was certainly the case for Charlotte’s Savannah Portillo at the Division 2 Singles Bowling Finals on Saturday.

Just a freshman, it was Portillo’s first time competing at an MHSAA Finals tournament. But the thought of going up against more experienced upperclassmen didn’t deter her when she walked into Century Bowl. 

“The seniors and the juniors, they have so much pressure,” she said. “I didn’t have any. If I didn’t win, I had next year.” 

If Portillo is back at the tournament next year, she’ll return trying to repeat after winning the individual title with a 413-384 victory over Fruitport senior Brynna Hanson in the final. 

Winning as a freshman brought about some facetious comments – that Portillo should just retire from high school bowling now that she has already reached the pinnacle – but she had a good response for those jokes. 

“I can just come back and win next year,” she said. 

Portillo finished sixth out of the qualifying block, and then started her run with a 450-359 win over Flint Kearsley senior Sara Ritchie in the round of 16. 

Portillo then defeated Dearborn Divine Child senior Amber Ligenza in the quarterfinals (405-263) and Cedar Springs senior Chloe Fisk in the semifinals (437-296) to set up the championship match with Hanson.

Portillo bowled a 242 in the first game to take a healthy 48-pin lead into the second, and did enough in the second game to hold on.

Four matches against seniors, four wins for the freshman. 

Portillo said her family owns a bowling alley in her hometown, so she has been around the sport since she was a toddler. 

Charlotte head coach Pat Landry said he saw Portillo’s development during her years before high school and was anxiously awaiting her arrival in the program.

The entire state now knows why. 

“We’ve seen her coming up through the stages,” Landry said. “She bowls a lot of youth tournaments in the state and out of the state.”

On the boys side, Grand Rapids Christian junior Zeke Heerema won a close championship match over Tecumseh junior Owen Williams, prevailing by six pins, 388-382.

Heerema held a five-pin lead after the first game, and entered the final frame of the second game needing at least a mark to preserve his lead.

Admittedly nervous for the shot, Heerema let go of the ball and essentially said “uh-oh.”

“I threw it pretty bad, and I thought I was going to get a split because I threw it pretty high,” Heerema said. 

But the No. 9 pin fell forward in between the No. 6 and No. 7 pins, knocking them both down and giving him an unorthodox strike. 

Heerema then knocked down nine pins on his next ball to clinch the title. 

“We’ve been working toward this all year,” Grand Rapids Christian head coach Dan VanderPloeg said. “He’s just got nerves of steel and is so focused.” 

Heerema finished second out of the qualifying block, and started his run in the round of 16 with a 435-369 win over Gibraltar Carlson sophomore Jordon Bryson.

Heerema then defeated Waterford Kettering senior Cole Peters in the quarterfinals (503-484) and Howie Hammond of Flint Kearsley in the semifinals by a score of 483-457. 

Heerema advanced out of the qualifying block at last year’s tournament, but lost in the round of 16 because he wasn’t as familiar with match play. 

He was more ready for it this time around. 

“I learned how to deal with the pressure, shut everything else out and make the shots,” he said.

Division 2 Final Results - Boys | Girls