Franklin Finishes Title Sweep, Davison Adds Individual Win to Team Runner-up
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 5, 2022
ALLEN PARK – Emma Siekierski kept doing just enough to advance at Saturday’s Division 1 Singles Finals, until she put up a 279 game to move to the championship by eliminating Bailey Tomlin of New Baltimore Anchor Bay.
The Davison senior then prevailed in the final, winning 430-374 over Alyssa Fortney of Zeeland.
“I wanted a state team title badly,’’ said Siekierski, whose team finished runner-up the day before. “We struggled Friday. In our gym we have so many team title banners, but now at least I get to go into the gym and see my name for the individual singles title. It’s something I’ll always cherish. I trusted my shot today.’’
In the boys, division Livonia Franklin made it a sweep in the team and individual titles as junior Ian Wright edged Jared Musser of Davison, 400-391, in the championship match.
“I really didn’t think I’d get here,’’ said Wright. “The goal was the team title. We waited a long time for that.’’
“I struggled in the main,’’ added Wright of the multiple competition areas at Allen Park’s Thunderbowl Lanes. “We got to the arena, and I was able to make some adjustments.’’
Holt senior David Schaberg was the top male qualifier at 1,439 followed by Warren Woods Tower’s Zach McMichael (1,416) and Caledonia’s Alec Bisterfeldt (1,365). The Ians from team champion Livonia Franklin – Cain and Wright – made the top six, while Davison also had two in the final 16: Jared Musser and Shane Gagnon. Caledonia’s Ayden Sulzener also made the top 16 at 1,288.
Cain came out firing in the quarterfinal with a 300 game to dispose of Dylan Jablonski of Canton 485-304. He eventually cooled off and lost to Musser, who had ACL surgery in his right leg two years ago, 451-357, in the quarterfinal. Musser is a one-step, two-handed bowler.
Musser had eliminated Nate VanderBeek of Wyoming, 441-395.
Schaberg advanced by beating Matthew Starbenz of Brownstown Woodhaven, 420-390. His next opponent was Carson Hommes of Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, who had beaten Shane Gibson of Waterford Kettering, 378-311. Schaberg eliminated Hommes, 408-395, to advance to the semifinal against Musser, who prevailed 458-388.
Wright moved on by beating Sulzener 469-416. He took on Gagnon, who had eliminated Bisterfeldt, 442-416, and eliminated Gagnon (469-356) to move onto the semifinal.
Macomb Area Conference stars Carter Milasinovich of Utica Eisenhower and Connor Rogus of Dakota had to face each other in quarterfinal matchup after Milasinovich beat Tony DeLuccia of Rockford and Rogus downed McMichael, 467-387. Milasinovich won the friendly rivalry, 409-405, but eventually lost to Wright, 419-376 while Musser eliminated top seed Schaberg, 458-388.
Woods Tower’s Kayla Tafanelli was the top girls qualifier at 1,370, followed by Siekierski at 1,310. Three Zeeland bowlers made the top six: Fortney 1,231, senior Morgan Smith (1,227) and freshman Hayden Pompey-Oshinski (1,224).
New Baltimore Anchor Bay placed two in the top 16 – senior Melanie Straub and senior Bailey Tomlin – as did Hartland with Calie Mitchell and Morgan Maliszewski.
Tafanelli served notice she would be a force to be reckoned with, beating sophomore Samantha Mason, 545-348 with games of 268 and 277.
She faced Ava Crumley, who had defeated New Baltimore Anchor Bay’s Melanie Struab by one pin, 398-397 in the Round of 16.
Zeeland teammates Smith and Fortney faced each other in the quarterfinals after downing Calie Mitchell of Hartland and Hudsonville’s Morgan Blouw, respectively.
Fortney prevailed, 410-393 and upset Tafanelli, 439-422, in the semifinals to advance to the championship.
Nataleigh Eagle of Monroe beat Angelita Mireles of Holt, 332-320. She then squared off against Tomlin, who had finished off Pompey-Oshinski, 397-311.
The other quarterfinal had Maliszewski, who had defeated Aubree Clark of Utica (408-378), taking on Siekierski, who had eliminated Karley Chouinard of Westland John Glenn, 361-322.
PHOTOS (Top) Davison's Emma Siekierski rolls during Saturday's Division 1 Singles Final at Thunderbowl Lanes. (Middle) Franklin's Ian Wright lines up his shot during his championship match against Davison's Jared Musser. (Click for more from Champions Photography.)
Holt's Cadwell Completes 58-Pin Comeback to Claim Singles Title
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 2, 2024
ALLEN PARK – Facing a 58-pin deficit heading into Game 2 of Saturday’s Division 1 singles championship match, Holt sophomore Emma Cadwell needed some help if she was going to catch and Flushing’s Hannah Reid.
Reid – the 2023 Division 1 runner-up – had won the first game of the Final 216-158.
But while Reid struggled in the second game, Cadwell rallied – and prevailed with a two-game 362-359 win at Thunderbowl Lanes.
“I just tried to stay focused,’’ said Cadwell. “I really didn’t see this happening my sophomore year. We went with a ball change in the second game, and it paid off. I kind of felt the momentum change early in the second game. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I just tried to execute my shots.’’
Reid, after dispatching Utica freshman Ava Mazza in the Semifinals, 418-387, found herself in the championship match for the second-straight season.
But in nearly a reversal of the first game, Cadwell emerged with a 204-143 advantage in the second to lock up the title.
Rockford freshman Sofia DeLuccia was the top qualifier for match play at 1,338 pins, five more than Reid.
She was eliminated in the first round by 16th seed Haley Streatmans, from Macomb L’Anse Creuse North, 339-338. Streatmans advanced to face Cadwell, who had bested Amber Spicer of Belleville, 316-290.
Caldwell moved on to the Semifinals by defeating Streatmans, 365-359, and then eliminated Zeeland’s Brianna Fortney, 332-326, to reach the Final.
Reid held serve at the two-seed, defeating Holt’s Madison Rue, 356-287, to face Grace Polega from Utica Ford, a 428-366 winner over Lauren Zalenski from L’Anse Creuse North. Reid continued her march to the Final with a 364-362 victory over Polega.
Livonia Franklin’s Brooklyn Hannah was third in qualifying at 1,296 pins, and Traverse City West’s Alyssa Tanner was fourth at 1,264. Macomb Dakota’s Haylie Patterson jumped into the field with games of 223, 241 and 193 to jump to the 14th seed and a showdown with Livonia Franklin’s Brooklyn Hannah.
Fortney, who helped Zeeland to the team title Friday, qualified 12th at 1,172. She had to face teammate and senior classmate Rylee Smith in the opening round. Tied at 359, the two had a roll-off with Fortney advancing 49-18. Fortney moved on to take on Tanner, who had won 398-331 over Sophia Matheson of Utica Eisenhower. Fortney jumped ahead early and prevailed, 474-370 to face Caldwell.
Mazza, the daughter of former Professional Bowlers Association star John Mazza, qualified sixth at 1,261. She then eliminated Samantha Mason of Southfield Arts & Technology 407-361 to take on Patterson, who had raced past Hannah, 401-340. Mazza was good, ending Patterson’s run 410-361.