Brighton's Campbell On a Roll
February 6, 2012
Marissa Campbell had plans to become an incredible volleyball player.
But that was just the start of Campbell’s journey toward becoming one of Michigan’s top high school bowlers.
Campbell played basketball and soccer, swam and did gymnastics growing up before settling on volleyball as her sport of choice entering high school. She tried out for Brighton’s freshman team that first fall – but was cut.
“My mom said try bowling. I thought it would just be something fun,” Campbell said. “I loved it. I could never imagine just stopping.”
That won’t be a problem over at least the next four years. Despite starting in the sport basically from scratch as a freshman, Campbell has become the top bowler for one of the state’s top teams – and earned a scholarship with Alabama A&M, NCAA national runner-up as recently as 2006. She's earned one of this week's MHSAA High 5s with her performances this season.
Campbell is averaging 197 pins per game this season, and the Bulldogs are ranked No. 10 in Division 1 with Regionals three weeks away. Her high game of 268 this winter is tied for ninth on the statewide list compiled by the Michigan High School Interscholastic Bowling Coaches Association. Her high series of 470 is tied for 20th on the MHSIBCA’s list.
Solid numbers, obviously. But absolutely incredible considering her starting point.
To clarify, Campbell didn’t come into high school bowling having never rolled a ball. She’d bowled in a couple leagues during middle school – but with little training, breaking 100 was a highlight.
“It was kinda a little bit out of nowhere, her jumping into the sport freshman year,” Brighton coach Shawn Kind said.
But he also saw something more.
“Obviously, I recognized the passion right away. Just how much she really liked the sport right off the bat, how willing she was (to work),” Kind added. “I actually told her parents some time during her freshman year, you’ll think I’m crazy, but if she continues with this passion and work ethic, she has a chance at a scholarship."
“And I was like, ‘Are you serious?’” Campbell countered.
Her average jumped into the 130s by the end of that first season. She pushed it into the 170s as a sophomore and became a consistent part of the lineup as Brighton fell just short of advancing to the MHSAA Finals. And last season, her average rose to 198.
That’s when she really started to get it, understand differences in lanes and oil patterns, and started making more friends not just on her team but others.
Kind, who will step down after 10 seasons next month, has had his share of talented bowlers come through the program. He’s most impressed with Campbell’s spare game and especially her mental fortitude and ability to hang in tough situations.
He expects that to show through later this month. Campbell has some MHSAA Finals experience, with Brighton as a team in 2011 and as an individual in 2010. Kind expects another strong finish, with a push for a berth in Finals match play the first weekend of March at Battle Creek’s M-66 Bowl.
“I honestly think it’s just been the support from friends and family, and just listening to my coach. Even though I was skeptical, I believed in him,” Campbell said. “It’s hard for me. I feel sometimes, when I’m not doing as good, I feel bad about myself and almost put myself down because everyone else is so good. I wish I’d started when I was 5 years old.
“But then I look at the times when I do do good, and I’m thankful to be where I am after just a few years.”
PHOTO courtesy of Shi Lessner Photography.
Legacies Created, Grow with D2 Winners
March 7, 2015
By Sarah Jaeger
Special for Second Half
WATERFORD – Flint Kearsley can add another championship to its school bowling history. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer can add its first.
After Kearsley won its second Finals team title in as many years Friday, junior Chad Stephens took home the singles title Saturday at Century Lanes in Waterford. Reeths-Puffer senior Kayleigh Gonzalez, meanwhile, claimed her school’s first bowling title in her first Singles Finals appearance.
"It's pretty great, back-to-back titles as a team and coming back and winning singles," Stephens said. "It's pretty incredible."
To claim his second championship of the weekend, Stephens in the Final faced Charlotte senior Collin Fox, no stranger to competing for an MHSAA title.
"I think he's a great quality bowler," said Charlotte coach David Jackson. "He finished third last year. I think he was in the final eight the year before. I kind of thought he'd go all the way today."
However, Stephens jumped to an early lead with a 226 to Fox's 179. While Fox came back with a 207, Stephens finished the set with a 187 to win with a total of 413 to Fox's 386.
While the end result may not have been to Fox's liking, he will take with him a memorable moment from the 2015 Singles Finals. "Picking up the 7-10," said Fox. "That's probably the highlight. I guess it's a good way to end senior year."
"I'm sorry to lose him," Jackson added. " I kept telling him to fail some test so he could come back and bowl some more. He wouldn't listen."
The toughest match for Stephens may not have been the Final but rather the Semifinal, where he had to take on his teammate, Kearsley senior Anthony Kelley.
"I don't really like facing a teammate," said Stephens, "but on the lanes it's just business. You have to work hard for this game no matter who you're bowling."
"I had to continually remind them to take it seriously because after this you've got one more match to bowl somebody," said Flint Kearsley coach Bart Rutledge. "So you can't let up and let the emotion go."
Emotions were high in the girls singles competition as well. The final match pinned Muskegon Reeths-Puffer’s Gonzalez against Tecumseh junior Kayla Wild.
While both left some open frames during the first game, Gonzales was able to put a string of strikes together and take the lead 210 to 175.
"I knew that I had a little bit of an advantage because I had a 210 the first game," said Gonzalez. "So as long as I kept at a steady pace with her, I knew I was ok."
Pace she did. Gonzalez finished with a 182 while Wild had trouble covering some of her spares, throwing a 175 for her last game.
"I thought I bowled well all day," Wild said. "I was surprised when I missed that many spares the last game. I know my thumb started to hurt, but that's not an excuse. I could have got them."
While she may have appeared calm after claiming the Division 2 singles championship, Gonzalez was in shock.
"I was kind of surprised," said Gonzalez, who will attend Muskegon Community College next year and bowl for the Jayhawks. "I didn't think I'd actually win. I was just happy to get into the top 16."
"This was the third year in a row we were able to come for Team (Finals)," said Reeths-Puffer assistant coach, Marc Vanderstelt, also Gonzalez's stepdad, "but the first chance for Kayleigh as an individual in the three years she's been on the team. She just did a phenomenal job."
As for the runner-up, Wild, this was only her third year bowling. Being a junior, she is poised to come back stronger for her senior year.
"You know when you get to that top 16 anything can happen," said Tecumseh coach Ken Richard. "We'll work on her spare shooting and the mental game to pull it off."
Wild's hope is to do what Kearsley's Stephen did this year: "A state championship, either team or individual, or both would work."
Click for full girls results and full boys results.