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.
D3 Champs Make Work Pay Off in Close Clinchers
By
Jeff Bleiler
Special for MHSAA.com
March 6, 2020
JACKSON — History was made Friday, and it brought Jim Tesner to tears.
Never before in the history of sports at Essexville Garber High School had a team won an MHSAA Finals championship.
That changed when the girls bowling team won three matches, including a whisker-close Finals match against Clare at JAX 60, to put the first Division 3 Finals trophy in the Essexville Garber case.
And that history was not lost on Tesner.
“I keep repeating this: I always want them to only focus on what’s in front of them and not what’s behind them,” he said. “But there are exceptions, like this trophy we’re going to get. That’s behind us, but it matters.”
After taking a 34-pin lead after the two Baker games at 353-319, Garber used a clean ninth and 10th frame in the regular game to stave off Clare’s comeback. Clare shot 858 in the team game to Garber’s 829, but the Dukes did enough to win 1,182-1,177.
The Finals win provided a fitting end to the Dukes’ season that included an undefeated Tri-Valley Conference record, a conference tournament victory and a Regional championship.
“I don’t know, I’m at a loss for words,” said an emotional Tesner, who has made a couple different stops during his 30-year coaching career but has been with the Dukes for the past decade. “They bought into the system. Last year we missed going to states by 42 pins. We finished fifth (at the Regional). I just kept hammering that and hammering that. We missed so many spares, and this year we stepped up our spare game.”
Those spares came in handy in the Final. With Clare junior Sydney Swartz shooting 210 and senior Jenna Betts tossing 209 in the team game, the Dukes needed every mark. Tesner said Brittany Rohde’s 175 that included just one open frame was critical.
“I don’t know where she came (from), but she dug down,” Tesner said.
Rohde said making school history was the result of hard work.
“Everything we put into our games and practice, it pays off,” Rohde said. “Usually I get down on myself if I don’t do well, but I didn’t get down on myself and I kept my energy up.”
Garber qualified fourth after eight Baker games and two team games and downed Jonesville, 1,173-1,105, in the quarterfinals and then top-seeded Coloma — which shot a 288 Baker game during qualifying — 1,157-1,145 to reach the Final.
Clare qualified second then won its quarterfinal by one pin over Armada, 1,086-1,085, and beat third-seeded Caro, 1,131-1,110.
For the boys, Armada won its second Finals trophy and first since 2015 by getting out to a huge lead after the Baker games and holding its breath in the team game while Boyne City mounted a comeback.
In the end, Armada had enough in the tank for a 1,230-1,215 victory.
“It means a lot. It’s awesome to work with people for so long and have something like this happen,” said coach Jim Carl, who started the program in 2003. “It just shows that all of our hard work paid off.”
Armada struggled through qualifying, squeezing in as the eighth seed, then got into a 93-pin crater after the Baker games against top-seeded Cheboygan in the quarterfinals. The Tigers righted the ship just in time to post a 1,039 team game and get past Cheboygan, 1,355-1,304.
They beat Birch Run by 173 pins in the semifinals and darted out to an 82-pin lead on Boyne City after throwing six strikes in each Baker game to go up 394-312.
Boyne City was undaunted during the first portion of the team game, essentially tying things up around the sixth frame, but Dylan Malinowski threw six of seven strikes between the fourth and the 10th frames to create some breathing room.
“It feels really amazing. It’s my first year coming to states, so it’s a really exciting moment for me,” Malinowski said. “I just step up to the line, clear my mind and do my thing.”
Boyne City’s Mike Deming shot 219 in the team game, which the Ramblers won 903-836. The Ramblers, who made their first Finals appearance, qualified second then beat Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 1,207-1,187, and Sanford Meridian, 1,310-1,200.
Click for full girls results and boys results.