Kearsley Girls Return to Top, Divine Child Boys Earn 1st Title
By
Jason Schmitt
Special for MHSAA.com
March 26, 2021
WATERFORD – The journey began a long time ago for the Flint Kearsley girls bowling team.
Nearly 10 years for some of the team’s seniors.
It didn’t begin when they entered high school four years ago. It began with a bus ride from Dowdall Elementary School to Richfield Bowl back in the second grade.
“I definitely started bowling for Kearsley when I was at Dowdall, in second grade,” senior Allison Robbins said. “It was fun. And now it’s my last year (at Kearsley) and it’s going to be hard to leave.”
Richfield offers an after-school bowling program for the Dowdall students. It busses the kids over to the bowling alley and offers the future Hornets a chance to get a head start on the competition. And it definitely has paid off.
Kearsley topped the competition at the Division 2 Finals on Friday at Century Lanes in Waterford, defeating reigning champion Mason, 1,186-1,166, in the title-clinching match. It was the school’s eighth Finals championship since 2012.
“We have the after-school program and a middle school program,” first-year head coach Kevin Shute said. “It really gets the ball rolling. By the time they’re freshmen, they’ve got years of bowling under their belt. They already know what they’re doing. It’s just a matter of going out and executing.”
Shute’s team executed from start to finish Friday afternoon. The Hornets were the top-seeded team out of block qualifying, shooting a 3,440, nearly 300 pins better than second-seeded Mason. They defeated Bay City Western in the round of eight before knocking off St. Clair Shores Lake Shore in the semifinals, 1,321-1,065.
Kearsley led Mason by 55 pins after the two Baker games and rolled a clean first frame (five strikes) to get off to a good start in the regular games. Seniors Megan Timm and Emilea Sturk rolled games of 190 and 188 to help their team hold on for the victory.
“It feels really good, especially beating the team that knocked us out last year,” Robbins said, wiping away tears after winning her third Finals team title in four years. “It’s great to be able to get that redemption and show that we are better bowlers than we were that day.”
Despite trailing after the Baker games, Mason did not give up. The Bulldogs collected marks in their first eight frames of the individual game and were within striking range entering the 10th frame. The 2020 champions were led by senior Grace Ann Whipple, who shot a 237 to lead all bowlers in the championship match.
Mason shot a 3,160 in qualifying and defeated Melvindale and Whitehall en route to the final.
Kearsley will graduate five seniors, all of whom will be bowling in college. Allison Eible will be bowling at Valparaiso University, Rhyan Langdon-Yaklin at Cleary University, Robbins at Tusculum University, Sturk at Florida A&M University and Timm at Trine University.
On the boys side, Dearborn Divine Child rallied past Chelsea to claim its first-ever MHSAA Finals championship. Entering match play as the 3-seed, the Falcons defeated sixth-seeded Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills by 28 pins in the round of eight, then edged out second-seeded Tecumseh by just three pins, 1,385-1,382, in the semifinals.
At that point coach Nick Ploucha’s team was staring at a matchup against fourth-seeded Chelsea, which was fresh off an upset win over top-seeded and reigning champion Jackson Northwest.
The Bulldogs rolled Baker games of 220 and 190 to take a 74-pin lead over Divine Child into the regular games.
“There are a lot of teams that scream and yell, hoot and holler, and we just kind of wait our turn,” Ploucha said. “We knew we were 74 pins down but we were patient and we began chipping away at the lead. The kids were dynamite. You could feel them start to move the locomotive, a little bit every frame, and they finished it.”
Sophomore Andrew Carl bowled a 231 to lead the comeback, while junior Paul Scheuher and senior Noelle Jackson rolled games of 226 and 210 as the Falcons shot a team score of 1,022. Seniors Adam Thompson and Shane Green shot 181 and 174 in their team’s win.
Divine Child shot 3,545 in qualifying play, while Chelsea shot 3,442.
Just six years ago, Ploucha inherited a team that was returning zero bowlers.
“We’ve told the kids over the years to continue to be patient,” Ploucha said. “Last year, we wanted to just make it to the state Finals. We tried to have a good time this year, we wanted to qualify (for match play). Once we qualified, we just said, ‘Let’s see where this takes us.’ ”
Preview: Contenders Old & New Seek to Join Growing Series of Bowling Champs
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 29, 2024
Recent history tells us that perhaps no MHSAA Finals gives us a greater variety of champions than the season-concluding tournaments for girls and boys bowling.
Aside from dominance over the last several seasons by the Flint Kearsley and Bronson girls teams, almost every other division has seen an annual rotation of winners – and we’re guaranteed at least four new singles champions as well this weekend.
Below is a look at possible contenders for all 16 championships, team and singles. Action begins both days at 8:25 a.m. – teams competing Friday and singles Saturday – with Division 1 at Allen Park’s Thunderbowl Lanes, Division 2 at Waterford's Century Bowl, Division 3 at Jackson’s Jax 60 and Division 4 at Muskegon’s Northway Lanes. Find the full list of qualifiers and come back all weekend for coverage from all four Finals sites on MHSAA.com.
Girls Division 1
Team: The last seven seasons have seen seven different champions. Macomb Dakota took the title in 2022 and entered this postseason ranked No. 2, and may be the favorite. The Cougars rolled a 2,989 to win their Regional at Five Star Lanes in Sterling Heights. Reigning Division 1 champion Holt posted the top Division 1 Regional score, however, with a 3,092 at Grand Blanc Lanes, and Utica followed with a winning 3,083 at Century Bowl in Waterford.
Singles: It was easy to anticipate the strength of this field even a year ago as all eight quarterfinalists were either sophomores or juniors. Total, nine of the 16 bowlers who reached match play at last year’s Final will compete again this weekend, headlined by Flushing senior Hannah Reid, the returning runner-up. Novi junior Maddy Gazzarari and Traverse City West senior Taylor Phillips also are back after making the semifinals a year ago. Reid, Phillips and Gazzarari all won Regional titles last week, joined by Utica freshman Ava Mazza, Zeeland senior Rylee Smith, Westland John Glenn junior Tiara Henderson, Macomb L’Anse Creuse North freshman Lauren Zalenski and Lincoln Park senior Brianna Peters.
Boys Division 1
Team: Wayne Memorial made it six different winners in six seasons last year, and it will become seven over seven seasons this weekend as neither Wayne nor any of the previous five champions are in this field. In fact, Dakota and Hudsonville are the only two of the 16-team field to ever win a Finals team title. Jenison and Livonia Churchill did make the semifinals last season, and both were Regional champions last week.
Singles: Reigning champion Brendan Riley is back as a senior for Waterford Mott and Regional runner-up last week, when he finished eight pins behind Utica Eisenhower junior Dylan Harnden – a quarterfinalist last year. Traverse City Central junior Carter Banton also is back after making the semifinals in 2023, and total six of last year’s match play competitors will attempt to contend again. Joining Harnden as Regional champs were Traverse City West senior Cooper Phillips, Portage Central junior Matt Sprau, Walled Lake Northern senior Alex Harwood, Davison junior Joe Merz, Plymouth senior Dakota Law, Macomb Dakota senior Landen Moore and Belleville junior Johnathan Hatcher.
Girls Division 2
Team: Flint Kearsley has won eight of the last 10 Division 2 championships and entered this postseason as the top-ranked team – and should be further motivated after entering match play last season as the top seed but failing to advance. The Hornets were one of three Division 2 Regional champs last week to break 3,000 pins, along with Bay City John Glenn and Tecumseh. Reigning Finals champion Sparta also was a Regional title winner, by 221 pins at Eastbrook Lanes in Grand Rapids, and four of the team’s five regular game bowlers from the 2023 championship match also qualified for singles play this weekend.
Singles: Opposite of the Division 1 scenario, only three of last season’s 16 match play qualifiers are bowling this weekend – Flint Kearsley senior Ava Boggs, Livonia Clarenceville junior Caitlyn Johnson and Goodrich senior Rebekah Muzyk. Boggs and Johnson were Regional champions last week, joined by Bay City John Glenn junior Lacy Jamrog, Tecumseh senior Wendy Ketola, Sparta junior Katelyn VanderWerff, Hudsonville Unity Christian sophomore Jaydan Blouw, St. Clair Shores Lake Shore freshman Sara Augustitus and Sturgis senior Kortnie Matz. Muzyk finished runner-up to Boggs at Richfield Bowl in Flint.
Boys Division 2
Team: Eight teams have won this championship over the last eight seasons, and Division 2 hasn’t seen a repeat since Kearsley did so in 2015 – but the Hornets are in position to achieve the same this weekend. The reigning champ entered this postseason ranked No. 2 and posted last week’s top Regional score in the division, 3,679. Last season’s runner-up New Boston Huron and semifinalist Tecumseh also were among Regional champs last week.
Singles: Reigning Finals champion Zeke Heerema dominated his Regional last week at Spectrum Lanes in Wyoming; the Grand Rapids Christian senior won by 180 pins. Last season’s runner-up Owen Williams also will be back after finishing runner-up to Tecumseh teammate and senior classmate Kaden Salts at their Regional. Heerema and Williams are joined by five more returning from last year’s match play, plus Midland junior Evan Daly who made the Division 1 match play in 2023. Daly won his Division 2 Regional last week as well, joined also by Grand Rapids Northview junior Cadyn Pranger, Kearsley senior Gavin Haack, Madison Heights Lamphere junior Nick Weidenbach, Sturgis senior Lane Malone and Huron junior Bradley Hughes.
Girls Division 3
Team: Flint Powers Catholic last season became the sixth team in six years to win the Division 3 team title, and the Chargers were No. 5 in the latest poll this winter – but did finish 332 pins behind Regional champion Madison Heights Bishop Foley at Richfield Bowl. Last season’s Division 3 runner-up Ishpeming Westwood also will be back, but also was a Regional runner-up this time to Cheboygan at Sparetime Lanes in Cheboygan. Milan was the highest roller at a Division 3 Regional, scoring 3,145 at Flat Rock Lanes to win there by 604 pins.
Singles: Reigning champion Sydney Nichols is back as a senior for Onsted and won her Regional by 91 pins last week at Royal Scot in Lansing. Powers senior Elizabeth Teuber won the Regional at Richfield by 169 pins – and was the Finals champion as a freshman, runner-up as a sophomore and reached match play a year ago. Four more match play qualifiers from last season also are back, and two won Regionals last week as well – Westwood senior Elisa Ketola and Shepherd senior Sarah Montney. Grand Rapids West Catholic sophomore Ashley VanLinden, Three Rivers junior Tayler Mohney, Armada sophomore Reese Cecil and Milan sophomore Maggie Smith also were Regional champs.
Boys Division 3
Team: Only two of last season’s match play qualifiers are back this weekend, 2023 semifinalist Gladwin and quarterfinalist Armada, the latter thanks to winning its Regional. Two other Regional champions broke 3,500 pins – Milan (3,533) at Flat Rock Lanes and Frankenmuth (3,509) at Alert Lanes in Essexville.
Singles: Harvey Zelt was the only non-senior to reach the Division 3 semifinals last season, and the Gladwin now-senior will contend this weekend after finishing second at Sparetime Lanes last week to Standish-Sterling junior Kyler Cook. But Zelt also is one of nine from last season’s match play back in this field, including as well Hopkins junior Charlie Brown III, another Regional champ last week. The other Division 3 Regional winners were Armada senior Jacob Meerschaert, Olivet senior Levi Rigelman, Blissfield junior Blake Terrill, Powers Catholic junior Michael Teuber, Frankenmuth senior Mayson Knop and Central Montcalm junior Paytin Pearson.
Girls Division 4
Team: Reigning champion Taylor Trillium Academy is back after finishing Regional runner-up to Allen Park Cabrini at Ten Pin Alleys in Tecumseh. Bronson last won a Finals title in 2022 and will be seeking a fourth championship in six seasons coming off the Division 4-high Regional score of 2,925 last week at The Bronson Strike Zone. Jonesville and Cabrini made the match play semifinals last season, and Jonesville was another Regional champ last week, by 119 pins at Jax 60 in Jackson.
Singles: Three-time reigning champion Morgan Brunner from Gobles graduated, but a pair of semifinalists from last season will bowl this weekend – New Lothrop senior Isabella Dilts and Trillium senior Abbey Slaven. Five more from last season’s match play also will compete Saturday, including Bronson senior Hadassah Bloom and Burton Atherton junior Reagan Baker coming off Regional championships. They were joined as Regional winners by Dilts, Traverse City Christian senior Gwen Oliver, St. Louis senior Madyson Hartman, Ravenna junior Emma Herremans, Jonesville senior Hallie James and Trillium senior Mackenzie Peplinski, who finished just head of teammate Slaven.
Boys Division 4
Team: Reigning champion Grass Lake competed in Division 3 this season, but 2023 runner-up New Lothrop was a Regional champion last week, as were both of last year’s other semifinalists Bronson and Britton Deerfield. Houghton Lake rolled the division’s highest Regional score, 3,518, to win at Lucky Jacks in Traverse City by 365 pins.
Singles: Reigning champion Alex McCarthy is back as a junior and Regional champion as he and his Saginaw Nouvel teammates took the top three spots and four of the top five last week at Northern Lanes in Sanford. Cabrini junior Bryce Cadaret also is back after finishing 2023 Final runner-up, as are semifinalists Matthew Miller from Burton Atherton and Cole Bradshaw from New Lothrop – those two both seniors this season. Three more from last year’s match play are back as well, including two more Regional champions from last week – Detroit Loyola senior Ryan Champion and Jonesville junior Andrew Sackett. Also winning Regionals were Burr Oak junior Jacob Trennepohl, Atherton junior Michael Demey, Ravenna senior Matt Anton and Traverse City Christian junior Ethan Ehlert.