Gobles' Brunner Closes with 3rd Title, Nouvel's McCarthy Locks Up No. 1
By
Tim Robinson
Special for MHSAA.com
March 4, 2023
BATTLE CREEK — A few minutes after making history, Gobles senior Morgan Brunner was calm.
No loud celebration, just smiles all around Saturday after becoming the first competitor in the 20-year history of MHSAA girls bowling to win three Singles Finals titles in a row.
“She’s very even-keeled,” said her mother and coach, Karrie Brunner. “She knows she’s got a job to do, and she comes to do it. But she comes to have fun. That was a big part of today. She relaxed and had fun.”
Morgan Brunner rolled to the title, taking first in qualifying and defeating Traverse City Christian’s Brooke Smith 415-303 in the Division 4 final.
But that’s not to say she was expecting an easy time of it.
“I clinched it early, but I was definitely nervous,” she said. “I was nervous all day.”
Brunner dealt with the nerves by concentrating on the task at hand.
“I just tried to stay calm and make my best shots,” she said.
Brunner helped organize the Gobles program, and Saturday’s third-straight title was the latest achievement in a journey that began when she was 2 years old.
“As soon as she could walk,” Karrie Brunner said. "She was pushing the ball down there. I don’t know how many strikes she threw, but she was knocking pins down.”
Morgan hasn’t stopped since.
In the moments after the feat was accomplished, she said it felt like a weight off her shoulders.
“I don’t think it’s going to set in for a while,” she said of her accomplishment. “But it's nice to win.”
Saginaw Nouvel sophomore Alex McCarthy, meanwhile, jumped for joy as he threw the final ball of his boys match.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said afterward. “It’s hard to put it into words right now.”
McCarthy defeated Bryce Cadaret of Allen Park Cabrini, another sophomore, 433-393 in the final.
McCarthy finished 10th in qualifying, then won two matches before meeting Cadaret in the championship.
Cadaret came out hot, starting the match by rolling three strikes in a row.
“It got me back in the match mentally,” McCarthy said.
After a conversation with coach Brian Montini, McCarthy found his groove and never looked back, right through the final ball, which knocked down six pins as he celebrated.
“I had all these thoughts of my coach and all the other coaches and all the hard work I put in through the years,” he said.
Montini, for his part. wasn’t entirely surprised.
“The experience last year helped him,” Montini said, noting McCarthy’s quarterfinal run as a freshman. “We had it in our minds that he was going to do this. And he pulled through.”
Zeeland Girls Rally to Win Final 2 Games, Claim 2nd Division 1 Title
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2024
ALLEN PARK – Brianna Fortney burst into tears after she missed a spare in the deciding fifth game Friday during the MHSAA Division 1 Final at Thunderbowl Lanes.
But they weren’t tears of frustration. Zeeland had locked up the championship, and she was so overcome with joy she couldn’t hold back before her team finished a closing 158-137 win over South Lyon.
“A lot of people thought we couldn’t do it,’’ said Fortney, a senior. “My sister left, and we had another bowler leave. This is so special. I’m just so glad we were able to do this.’’
Zeeland – a cooperative program of West and East high schools, coached by Tony DiLaura – won the first game 185-176. South Lyon rebounded to win the second 149-147 and then the third 193-144. But Zeeland managed to pull out a 150-149 thriller to force a fifth game.
“We had a couple of bowlers out sick, and they weren’t even able to practice until Thursday,’’ said DiLaura. “We pulled out the fourth game, and I thought we had a chance. This means so much for our program.’’
The Team Bowling Finals went to a new format this season with five Baker games determining the champion.
The championship was Zeeland's second, joining the Division 1 title won in 2020.
Utica’s freshman core created the most excitement on the way to the championship match. Freshman Ava Mazza struck in the fourth game of her team’s Semifinal against Zeeland to force Game 5 with her team down 2½ to 1½. Utica proceeded to win the fifth game to force a five-frame roll-off – won by Zeeland 94-92.
South Lyon advanced to the championship match by eliminating Oxford in three games.
Utica, with three freshmen in the lineup, surged during the qualifying block to claim the top spot in match play at 3,197. South Lyon was second at 3,192 and Macomb Dakota third at 3,103, one pin better than Zeeland. Holt, Oxford, Grand Blanc and Grand Haven rounded out the match play field.
Oxford swept Dakota in the Quarterfinals to face South Lyon, which had downed Grand Blanc 3-1. Utica advanced with a 3-2 win over Grand Haven to face Zeeland, which edged Holt 3-2 in their Quarterfinal.