Vanier Finishes Sizzling Finals Weekend Adding Singles Title to Team Win
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 2, 2024
WATERFORD — Flint Kearsley boys bowling coach Bart Rutledge had a premonition fairly early about sophomore Jameson Vanier during the Division 2 Singles Bowling Finals.
After Vanier finished as the fifth seed coming out of the qualifying block, Rutledge said he turned to his assistant during the round of 16 match against Sparta junior Josiah Reister and offered this proclamation.
“I told my assistant coach in the second game that he’s going to win (the state title),” Rutledge said.
Rutledge’s instincts proved accurate, as Vanier continued a hot stretch to finish the season by rolling to the individual title.
Vanier was sizzling in the Final, bowling scores of 254 and 235 to earn a 489-362 victory over Madison Heights Lamphere junior Nolan Pepper.
It was easy for Rutledge to believe in Vanier, given that over the final three weeks of the season Vanier averaged around 240 and bowled a 300 game.
“He’s been on fire,” Rutledge said.
Following a 407-322 win over Reister, Vanier went on to beat Carleton Airport senior Colin Peterson in the Quarterfinals (419-388) and Grand Rapids Northview junior Cadyn Pranger in the Semifinals (499-409), rolling a 275 in the second game.
Vanier said when he was in eighth grade, he decided to switch from a one-handed throw to a two-handed method, and it has produced wondrous results.
“I thought I threw the ball a lot better, and I thought my potential was higher,” he said. “I got it right. It was comfort, and I scored a lot higher doing it.”
In the Final, Vanier only had two frames in the first game where he didn’t throw strikes, starting with three in a row and ending with three in a row.
Vanier struggled in the first part of the second game, but caught fire again late, finishing with seven straight strikes and letting out a furious yell after bowling a strike on his final ball in the 10th frame as teammates came to mob him.
Pepper was seeded seventh out of the qualifying block and earned wins over Bay City John Glenn junior Nathan Gwizdala (374-346) in the round of 16, Warren Woods Tower senior Clinton Harris in the Quarterfinals (403-390) and Tecumseh junior Parker Ziemer in the Semifinals (395-344) before running into the buzzsaw that was Vanier in the Final.
It was an unbeaten weekend for Vanier, who was a part of Kearsley’s second-straight team championship as well.
With two more seasons left, Vanier might be a good bet to win another individual title. But for now, the multi-sport athlete will turn his attention to strikes of a different kind as a member of Kearsley’s baseball team.
“It was a strike just about every time,” Vanier said. “I felt good every single time.”
Performance of the Week: Holt's David Schaberg
March 2, 2022
David Schaberg ♦ Holt
Bowling ♦ Senior
Schaberg bowled a six-game 1,530 series that not only won his Division 1 Regional on Saturday but was the highest Regional score in any division last weekend and one of only two above 1,500. He averaged 255 at Royal Scot in Lansing with a pair of 279 high games. He will return to the Singles Final this Saturday at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park after reaching the match play semifinals and falling just four pins shy of advancing to the championship match in 2021.
A two-handed bowler who made the technical change over the last year, Schaberg is averaging 232 during high school competition this season. He bowled his eighth lifetime 300 this winter and has a high two-game high school series of 534. Schaberg also made the Division 1 Final match play as a sophomore, reaching the quarterfinals. He’ll first compete Friday with his team, as the Rams advanced to the Team Final with a third-place finish at the Regional.
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2021-22 Honorees
Feb. 24: Adelaide McRoberts, Kingsford swimming - Report
Feb. 17: Christopher Kavanaugh, Petoskey hockey - Report
Feb. 10: Ira Jenkins, Whitehall wrestling - Report
Feb. 3: Emma Stewart, Salem gymnastics - Report
Jan. 28: Tyler Ray, Pinckney swimming - Report
Jan. 21: Elle Craven, Traverse City Central skiing - Report
Jan. 14: Nevaeh Williams, Mount Clemens basketball - Report
Dec. 2: Lucas Dunn, Chelsea football - Report
Nov. 25: Riley Nugent, Plainwell swimming - Report
Nov. 18: Harper Murray, Ann Arbor Skyline volleyball - Report
Nov. 11: Abby VanderKooi, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian cross country - Report
Nov. 4: Arianne Olson, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Oct. 28: Jack Guggemos, Okemos soccer - Report
Oct. 21: Sachiv Kumar, Northville tennis - Report
Oct. 14: Kate Brody, Grand Blanc golf - Report
Oct. 7: Lilly Nelson, Negaunee tennis - Report
Sept. 30: Stella Chapman, Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming - Report
Sept. 23: Riley Hough, Hartland cross country - Report
Sept. 16: Josie Bloom, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Holt boys bowling program.)