Utica United Completes Championship Run with Narrow Final Victory
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
February 28, 2025
ALLEN PARK – A first-time participant in the MHSAA Division 1 Boys Bowling Final at Thunderbowl Lanes, football powerhouse Belleville attempted to add a championship trophy in a different sport.
But Utica United did not allow that to happen Friday.
The Utica team – a cooperative made up of bowlers from Eisenhower and Utica High – was more consistent and prevailed 3-1, winning the deciding game 174-169.
The lineup of Zachary Kukuk, Evan Cicotte, Marco Mazza, Kingston Corpuz and Dylan Harnden proved too much.
“To win a singles and now a team title is great,’’ said Harnden, last year’s Division 1 Singles Final winner. “I thought the guys bowled great today. We knew all the teams here were good. We knew Belleville was going to be good and Wayne Memorial.
“We stayed focused. Being a senior makes this extra special.’’
Belleville dominated Livonia Churchill in the semifinal, advancing to the with a sweep. It took Utica United five games to dispose of Wayne Memorial.
Utica then opened the final with a 212-203 win to take Game 1 and kept the pressure on with a 216-182 victory in game 2.
“The fresh oil in the finals was a challenge, but we stayed consistent,’’ Mazza said.
The Tigers finally broke through in Game 3, prevailing 223-213. But Utica then finished the match with the narrow victory in Game 4.
Coach Phil Roberts completed his 15th and last season leading the Tigers.
“I’ll be 81 before the start of next season, so it’s time,’’ he said.
Grandville edged Davison 3,715 to 3,714 during qualifying to claim the top seed heading into match play. Utica was third at 3,707 and Belleville fourth at 3,486.
Grandville’s bracket run was short-lived. After winning the first game of their first match, the Bulldogs dropped the final three and were eliminated by Livonia Churchill.
Davison also fell in its bracket opener, losing the first two games to Wayne Memorial, rallying to tie the match but then losing the decider.
Utica stopped Jenison, 3-2, in another quarterfinal to set up a showdown with Wayne Memorial. Belleville defeated Hudsonville 3-1, setting up a semifinal with Churchill.
Wayne's Derrick Powers Past Reigning Champ to Clinch Division 1 Title
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2025
ALLEN PARK – All Dylan Harnden could do was shake his head.
In attempt to repeat as Division 1 singles champion Saturday at Thunderbowl Lanes, he ran into a buzzsaw named Lyman Derrick III.
The Wayne Memorial sophomore, standing just 5-foot-3, couldn’t miss. His two-handed style produced games of 257-233 and he emerged as champion over Harnden, who shot 444.
“He had the front seven and the front six; there was nothing I could do,’’ admitted Harnden.
Said Derrick: “I would describe my style as unusual.’’
Derrick broke 200 pins in 11 of his 14 games Saturday. His dad, Lynam Derrick Jr., saw this coming.
“He has been bowling since he was 4,’’ said Derrick Jr. “At 6 he almost threw a 300. My friends won’t even bowl with him anymore.
“He has put in a ton of work. So proud of him.’’
Said former PBA pro John Mazza: “He is amazing.’’
Derek Kern of Muskegon Mona Shores shot a 300 in the second game of qualifying. He eventually finished as the ninth qualifier at 1,320.
The top spot went to Haden Hebel of Hartland at 1,372, followed by Davison’s Joe Merz at 1,366, Jenison’s Benjamin Slagter at 1,355 and Matt Sprau of Portage Central with a score of 1,351. Harnden was seventh at 1,331.
Hebel advanced against Cole Rogus of Macomb Dakota, 459-453 to face Andrew Fsadni of Salem, who had knocked out Kern, 401-385.
Merz eliminated Johnathan Hatcher of Belleville, 466-453, then took on Harnden, who had defeated Jacob Kondratyev of Troy, 450-383.
Slagter also moved on by defeating Noah VanderVelde of Zeeland West, 435-424, but Sprau was defeated by Andy Folks of Belleville 439-344 to move on against Derrick. Derrick had downed Devin Harris of Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 385-339
Feeling right at home, Harnden moved past Merz to reach the semifinals with a 477-402 victory. Derrick advanced to the semifinals, besting Folks 428-361 with top seed Hebel then in the way. Hebel advanced with a 459-452 thriller over Fsadni.
Slagter joined him in the semis with a 482-420 victory over Roberts, which included a 277 game, and squared off against Harnden, who won 435-383. Derrick ended the top seed’s run, eliminating Hebel, 390-369.