Performance of the Week: Warren Woods-Tower's Kayla Tafanelli
January 20, 2023
Kayla Tafanelli ♦ Warren Woods-Tower
Senior ♦ Bowling
Tafanelli became the first repeat singles champion at the Macomb County Invitational when she rolled a 289 to defeat Utica Ford’s Grace Polega in last weekend’s championship match. Tafanelli threw 10 straight strikes to open the finale, just missing a perfect game. She topped qualifying that morning and threw a 267 in her semifinal to advance to the title decider.
The Woods-Tower ace is averaging 215 during high school season and made the Division 1 all-state first team last winter after winning a Regional championship and reaching the Singles Semifinals. She also won her Division 2 Regional as a sophomore and reached the Division 2 Singles Semifinals as a freshman. Tafanelli previously played volleyball for two years at Woods-Tower and has signed to continue her academic and bowling careers at Spring Arbor.
@mhsaasports 🎳POW: Kayla Tafanelli #performanceoftheweek #bowling #invitechamp #champ #backtoback #titans #warrenwoodstower #MHSAA #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #TikTok #mistudentaid #fyp ♬ Beat Automotivo Tan Tan Tan Viral - WZ Beat
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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
2022-23 Honorees
Dec. 20: Brenden Paden, Riverview Gabriel Richard hockey - Report
Dec. 16: Tuff Scott, Holton bowling - Report
Dec. 9: Macey Fegan, Standish-Sterling basketball - Report
Dec. 2: Treyton Siegert, Gladwin football - Report
Nov. 24: Lily Witte, Dexter diving - Report
Nov. 17: Navea Gauthier, Shelby volleyball - Report
Nov. 10: Derek Huisman, Holland Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3: Thomas Westphal, New Baltimore Anchor Bay cross country - Report
Oct. 27: Justin Wickey, Colon football - Report
Oct. 20: Owen DeMuth, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood tennis - Report
Oct. 13: Mia Melendez, Ann Arbor Greenhills golf - Report
Oct. 6: Shawn Foster, Grand Ledge football - Report
Sept. 30: Hannah Smith, Temperance Bedford swimming - Report
Sept. 22: Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Sept. 15: Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8: Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1: Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
(Photos courtesy of Kayla Tafanelli and the Metro Detroit USBC Association.)
Performance of the Week: Vestaburg's Owen Patton
April 27, 2023
Owen Patton ♦ Vestaburg
Junior ♦ Track & Field
Patton is continuing this season to establish himself as one of the state’s top small-school distance runners, as he cut 12 seconds from his previous personal record – and school record – in the 3,200 meters at last week’s Lakeview Invitational in posting a runner-up 9:55.39. Patton runs in Lower Peninsula Division 4 and finished second at Lakeview to Owen Westerkamp from Division 2 Big Rapids.
Patton also finished second at last season’s LPD4 Final in the 1,600 – less than a second behind champion Lezawe Osterink of Wyoming Potter’s House Christian – plus eighth in the 800 and 22nd in the 3,200. Patton is the reigning Mid-State Activities Conference champion in the 800 and 1,600 and won the latter at this season’s first league jamboree. Patton also is coming off an eighth place at the LPD4 Cross Country Final, having improved from 28th in that race as a sophomore.
@mhsaasports 🏃POW: Owen Patton #performanceoftheweek #track #field #running #distance #3200m #2mile #record #schoolrecord #vestaburg #cardinals #MHSAA #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #TikTok #mistudentaid #fyp @owen_pattonxc ♬ Beat Automotivo Tan Tan Tan Viral - WZ Beat
Follow the MHSAA on TikTok.
MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
2022-23 Honorees
April 20: Lilly Damm, Millington softball - Report
April 13: Larissa Huffman, Mackinaw City track & field - Report
April 6: Darius Acuff, Detroit Cass Tech basketball - Report
March 23: Regan Finkbeiner, Hemlock basketball - Report
March 16: Alaina Yaney, Grand Ledge gymnastics - Report
March 9: Braeden Davis, Dundee wrestling - Report
March 2: Gabriel Sanchez-Burks, Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming - Report
Feb. 23: Grace Sobczak, Marquette swimming - Report
Feb. 16: Kaitlynn Demers, Gibraltar Carlson competitive cheer - Report
Feb. 9: Indya Davis, West Bloomfield basketball - Report
Feb. 2: Braydon Sorenson, Onekama skiing - Report
Jan. 26: Shayna Hruska, Iron Mountain wrestling - Report
Jan. 19: Kayla Tafanelli, Warren Woods-Tower bowling - Report
Dec. 20: Brenden Paden, Riverview Gabriel Richard hockey - Report
Dec. 16: Tuff Scott, Holton bowling - Report
Dec. 9: Macey Fegan, Standish-Sterling basketball - Report
Dec. 2: Treyton Siegert, Gladwin football - Report
Nov. 24: Lily Witte, Dexter diving - Report
Nov. 17: Navea Gauthier, Shelby volleyball - Report
Nov. 10: Derek Huisman, Holland Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3: Thomas Westphal, New Baltimore Anchor Bay cross country - Report
Oct. 27: Justin Wickey, Colon football - Report
Oct. 20: Owen DeMuth, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood tennis - Report
Oct. 13: Mia Melendez, Ann Arbor Greenhills golf - Report
Oct. 6: Shawn Foster, Grand Ledge football - Report
Sept. 30: Hannah Smith, Temperance Bedford swimming - Report
Sept. 22: Helen Sachs, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Sept. 15: Nina Horning, Lake Orion volleyball - Report
Sept 8: Arturo Romero, Muskegon Oakridge soccer - Report
Sept. 1: Austin King, Midland Dow tennis - Report
Aug. 25: Olivia Hemmila, Troy Athens golf - Report
PHOTOS courtesy of the Vestaburg boys track & field program.