Finals Preview: A Decade of Pinfalls
February 28, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Beginning with Friday's Team Finals, the MHSAA will cap a decade of bowling as a sponsored sport by awarding 16 champions over a 30-hour period.
On the girls side, a number of previously-successful teams and individuals should contend again. The boys Team Finals in particular should be a little more unpredictable, with two of four 2012 champions not qualifying for this season's field.
All Team Finals are Friday, and Individual Finals are Saturday. Click for the full list of girls qualifies and boys qualifiers, and come back to Second Half all weekend for coverage from all four Finals sites.
Girls Division 1
Team: Reigning champion Davison has been ranked No. 1 in the last two coaches association polls and rolled the highest Regional score, 3,876. Only Macomb Dakota – a Quarterfinalist last season – came within 170 pins of matching the Cardinals last weekend, rolling a 3,865. Second-ranked Muskegon Mona Shores did win its Regional, tallying a 3,683.
Individual: Reigning champion Allison Morris was only a freshman last season when she defeated then-junior Kristen Young of Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 393-354 in the Final. Both are back, along with six more of last season’s match play qualifiers. Davison senior Brooke Wood was a Semifinalist in 2012 and Sterling Heights Stevenson senior Lauren Krywy was an all-state first-team selection. Wood’s 1,310 was 72 pins more than any other Regional score in this division last weekend.
Boys Division 1
Team: There definitely will be a new champion in this division, as 2012 and 2011 winner Macomb Dakota didn’t qualify for Friday’s tournament. Nor did 2012 Semifinalist Davison, although runner-up Canton did get in with a third place at its Regional. Unranked Utica was the fourth Semifinalist last season and posted the division’s highest Regional score of 4,156, followed at its Regional and overall by also-unranked Macomb L’Anse Creuse North (4,144).
Individual: This could be the most unpredictable of the weekend’s events, with none of last season’s Division 1 match play qualifiers back for these Finals. But Division 2 champion Derek Nyenhuis is rolling in this division this season, and was runner-up at his Regional. Another intriguing possibility is Utica senior Josh Pointer, who bowled last year for Dakota’s team champion and threw a 300 in winning his Regional with a 1,392. Only two others – Kalamazoo Loy Norrix junior Zach Brandt (1,371) and Grand Blanc senior Travis Sutherland (1,321) broke 1,300 pins in Division 1 last week.
Girls Division 2
Team: Flint Kearsley claimed its first championship last season by 161 pins over runner-up Tecumseh, and those two plus Semifinalists Jackson Northwest and Charlotte all are back this weekend after claiming Regional championships. Although third-ranked Holly did not qualify for the Finals, No. 4 Bay City Western did by finishing second to Kearsley at their Regional. Jackson Northwest’s 3,934 was the highest Regional score in the division.
Individual: Only four of last season’s match play qualifiers in this division weren't seniors, but three are back at the Finals including reigning champion Jordan Richard. The Tecumseh senior won her Regional by 25 pins over sister Haley, also a senior. Teammate Lauren McKowen, another senior, also is back after making the 2012 match play. Richland Gull Lake senior Samantha Knight rolled a 1,199 for the top Regional score in Division 2 last weekend, and three other 2012 Finals qualifiers also won Regionals.
Boys Division 2
Team: Like in Division 1, there will be a new champ as last year’s winner, Mason, didn't qualify. But Bay City John Glenn lost to the Bulldogs by only three pins last season and won its Regional by 123 with a total of 3,923 to finish ahead of No. 2 Bay City Western and No. 3 Flint Kearsley at their site. Top-ranked Swartz Creek also won its Regional, but the high score in the division went to unranked South Lyon, 4,013.
Individual: With Wyoming’s Nyenhuis now in Division 1, the only match play qualifier coming back in Division 2 is Bay City John Glenn senior Nathan Moszyk, who won his Regional with the second-highest score in his division for the day. The best belonged to Holly senior Andrew Anderson, who rolled a 1,359 to win his Regional by 127 pins.
Girls Division 3
Team: Reigning champion Flat Rock defeated runner-up Richmond by 106 pins in last season’s Final, but with 3,619 was only 10 better than the Blue Devils for top Regional score in Division 3 last weekend. Six of last season’s Quarterfinalists will be back Friday, with unranked Cheboygan one to watch after rolling the third-highest Regional score in this division, 3,550.
Individual: Although seven of last season’s 16 match play qualifiers are back this weekend, this championship could land with any of a number of contenders with only Richmond junior Noelle Scheuer back among 2012 Quarterfinalists. She won her Regional with the third-highest score in D3 last weekend – a 1,202 – while Flat Rock senior Lindsay Risden was first for the weekend with a 1,325 and Alma junior Hannah Chase was second with a 1,297. Chase was the top match play qualifier last season, and Risden missed the group by just 23 pins.
Boys Division 3
Team: Reigning champion Fremont is ranked No. 1 again and qualified second at its Regional behind unranked Hudsonville Unity Christian. Ishpeming and South Haven both will be back as well after making the Semifinals last season. Ishpeming was one of four teams to break 4,000 pins at a D3 Regional, where it finished runner-up to No. 8 Pinconning – the top roller in the division for this round with a score of 4,366.
Individual: Onsted senior Cory Hunt, Unity Christian junior Troy Potgeter and Otsego junior Ryan Lovett all made the Quarterfinals last season, and Hunt won his Regional last weekend. A contender to keep in mind is Essexville-Garber senior Ethan Ayala, who qualified for the Finals last season and threw the best Regional score in Division 3 last weekend of 1,361. Bridgeport senior Oscar Gutierrez was just behind him with a 1,327.
Girls Division 4
Team: All eight of last season’s Quarterfinalists advanced to Friday’s championship tournament again, with reigning champion Sandusky (3,347), runner-up Vandercook Lake (3,618) and three others winning Regionals. One of those, Portland St. Patrick, rolled the division’s highest Regional score of 3,673.
Individual: Vandercook Lake likewise could dominate this competition, with three who made the match play last season back again. Junior Jessica Bunch won her Regional with a 1,233, with teammates Becky Cecil (senior), Malloree Ambs and Kelsea Reichard (both juniors) rounding out the top four – and any of the four would've won two other Regionals with their scores. Watch for Sandusky junior Melissa Sleda, a Finals qualifier in 2012 and the second-highest roller of all Division 4 Regional competitors last weekend with a 1,168.
Boys Division 4
Team: Rogers City is ranked only No. 6, but it’s the reigning champion and won its Regional by 237 pins. But top-ranked Sandusky – a Semifinalist last season – plus No. 2 St. Louis and No. 5 Bad Axe all are in Friday’s field as well. Unranked Ravenna posted the highest Regional score in Division 4, 3,847.
Individual: Only four non-seniors made the 2012 match play, and only Whittemore-Prescott senior Cody Clough is back for Saturday – he advanced to the Quarterfinals last season. Muskegon Western Michigan Christian senior Jacob Bush made Finals weekend last season, and could be a contender after winning his Regional with a Division 4-best score of 1,341.
PHOTO: St. Louis sophomore Zach Fenby hopes to help the Sharks win their first MHSAA team championship this weekend. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Finals Preview: Regulars' Roll Call
February 27, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The boys and girls sides of this weekend’s MHSAA Bowling Finals could follow distinctly different storylines with team competition set to begin Friday.
Regulars like Davison, Tecumseh, Vandercook Lake and Sandusky are among favorites again in the girls competition. The boys tournaments appear much more wide open with a number of unranked teams looking good to make runs at titles.
All Team Finals are Friday, and Singles Finals are Saturday. Click for the full list of girls qualifiers and boys qualifiers, and come back to Second Half all weekend for coverage from all four Finals sites.
Girls Division 1
Team: Davison, the champion the last two seasons and top-ranked this winter, rolled last weekend’s highest Division 1 Regional score of 4,004 – 243 pins better than the next highest contender. Back from last season’s championship team are Singles Finals qualifiers Kailee Tubbs and Brooklyn Greene, but Davison also is bolstered by Regional champ and freshman Taylor Davis, another freshman qualifier in Kalee Johnson and one more qualifier in junior Taylor Brown. Flint Carman-Ainsworth and Sterling Heights Stevenson are ranked Nos. 4 and 3, respectively, in the latest coaches poll, and both cleared 3,700 pins at their Regionals, while No. 2 Macomb Dakota also qualified.
Singles: Dakota senior Nicole Mikaelian ascended from the 16th spot in qualifying at last season’s Final to finish individual runner-up, and she’ll be back among the contenders. Freshman Davis and Canton’s Meghan Macunovich both won Regionals and the latter’s 1,282 the highest individual score in Division 1. Walled Lake Central senior Ashley Bickel and Macomb L’Anse Creuse North sophomore Samantha Gainor joined those two among others in breaking 1,200 to win Regional titles.
Boys Division 1
Team: Top-ranked and reigning champion Salem did not qualify for the Finals, opening up this field considerably. No. 2 Macomb Dakota, the champion in both 2011 and 2012, posted last weekend’s top Regional score regardless of division, 4,341. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley with 4,273 and Sterling Heights Stevenson with 4,272 had the next highest Regional scores in the state – finishing second and third, respectively, behind Dakota at that tournament.
Singles: Last season Quarterfinalists Jack Herndel of Howell and Jacob Kersten of Clarkston are the only ones of that top eight who qualified again this season, Herndel as a Regional champ. Sterling Heights Stevenson junior Anthony Taormina put up the division’s highest score of 1,404, with Flint Carman-Ainsworth senior Jordon Nunn next at 1,375. Nunn made the Finals match play last season.
Girls Division 2
Team: Top-ranked Tecumseh is looking to regain the title after winning three straight from 2008-10. Its score of 4,017 was the best at any Regional, regardless of division, and four seniors qualified for the Singles Final as well with Lauren McKowen’s 1,320 the highest Regional individual score in the state. Flint Kearsley, the 2012 champion, posted last week’s second-highest Regional score of 3,664 and qualified five individuals – all seniors or juniors – for the Singles tournament.
Singles: Reigning champion Jordan Richard, another of the Tecumseh seniors, finished runner-up to her teammate McKowen at the Regional. Both made the individual Semifinals in 2013, as did Kearsley junior Kayla Emmendorfer, who also will return. Only three of the top 14 match play qualifiers last season were seniors, and 10 of those 11 who were not are qualified to bowl this weekend.
Boys Division 2
Team: Reigning champion Sturgis and top-ranked Marysville both won their Regionals last weekend, with Taylor Kennedy – which just missed the Finals Quarterfinals last season – putting up the division’s top Regional score of 4,037. No. 4 Flint Kearsley should be back in the mix after also winning its Regional, but unranked Bay City John Glenn is the most intriguing after winning its Regional with a 3,803 and then qualifying three seniors for the individual tournament.
Singles: John Glenn senior Alex Ouellette helped key that team effort and won the singles Regional title, and he might be the favorite after finishing Finals runner-up in 2013. Only two others in Division 2 posted higher Regional scores – Warren Fitzgerald senior Alec Nunn threw a 1,445 and looks tough after making match play last season, while Dearborn Heights Annapolis senior Leon Hutchcraft rolled a 1,348 to win his Regional.
Girls Division 3
Team: No. 4-ranked Richmond posted the division’s highest Regional score of 3,667 to win a tournament that also included top-ranked Croswell-Lexington, which did qualify as a third-place finisher. Reigning champion Battle Creek Pennfield also qualified as a Regional champion, and unranked Standish-Sterling is an intriguing contender after joining Richmond as the only Division 3 teams to break 3,600 last weekend.
Singles: Alma senior Hannah Chase made the Quarterfinals last season and looks poised to finish an outstanding career with one last run after posting the division’s’ highest Regional score of 1,242. Caro junior Adreanna Jackson and Ishpeming senior Katlynne Carlson, both also Quarterfinalists last weekend, are back. Richmond senior Noelle Scheuer, the best non-senior in last season’s qualifying block, qualified again, a couple spots back of senior teammate Payton Dickson, who put up an impressive 1,225 to win that tournament.
Division 3 boys
Team: Unranked Ishpeming is looking to finish a title run after rolling the best qualifying block at last season’s Final by 100 pins but falling in the championship match by 30. The Hematites won their Regional with the second-highest score in Division 3, 4,085. The top score in Division 3 belonged to another unranked team, Corunna, which rolled a 4,174 to win its Regional by 473 pins over top-ranked Armada.
Singles: All but four of last season’s 16 match play participants were seniors, but Fremont junior Sam Brandt is back after making the Semifinals last season, while senior teammate Jeremy Pikaart won last weekend’s Regional after making the Quarterfinals in 2013 and Ishpeming senior Matt Kilberg qualified again after also making last year’s quarters. Five Division 3 qualifiers broke 1,300 at Regionals, led by Pinconning senior Calvin Kerr at 1,374.
Division 4 girls
Team: Reigning champion Vandercook Lake and reigning runner-up Sandusky have finished some combination of first and second each of the last three seasons. So of course they are ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, again. Sandusky posted the division’s best Regional score of 3,716, with Vandercook Lake one pin off at 3,715 – so another classic could be inevitable. Unranked Ravenna, another Regional champion rolling 3,399, is an intriguing possibility to join the favorites.
Singles: Vandercook Lake senior Malloree Ambs defeated Oscoda junior Paige Huebel by only 14 pins in last season’s Final, and both are back – Ambs as a Regional champion with a score of 1,244, 98 pins better than the next best in Division 4. Rogers City junior Rebecca Bannasch also was a Semifinalist last season, and she won her Regional by 21 pins.
Division 4 boys
Team: Reigning champion Riverview Gabriel Richard was one of eight Davison 4 teams that broke 3,700 pins at Regionals – but Gabriel Richard finished only second to Jonesville, which rolled 3,788. No. 6 Ithaca and unranked Kent City were the only teams to break 3,800 pins as both won their Regionals. Neither of those two nor Jonesville qualified for the Finals in 2013.
Singles: A pair of freshmen rolled off in last season’s championship match, with Rogers City’s Bailey Budnik the eventual victor. He’s back this season, with another sophomore – Lakeview's Ryan Finup – bowling the division’s best Regional score of 1,231. Three freshmen – St. Charles' Kyle Tuttle, Sandusky’s Cody Johnston and Hanover-Horton’s Zach White – also won Regional titles.
PHOTO: Vandercook Lake’s Malloree Ambs watches one of her shots during last season's Division 4 Singles Final. She’s back in an attempt to repeat as champion. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)