Taylor Trillium Girls Hoist 1st Title Trophy, Grass Lake Boys Add to Collection

By Tim Robinson
Special for MHSAA.com

March 4, 2023

BATTLE  CREEK — Joe Slaven had a good idea his girls bowling team could do something special in Friday’s Division 4 team championship at M-66 Bowl.

“I talked to our athletic director, and I told her I noticed we don’t have a trophy case,” he said. “She said, ‘If you win a state title, we’ll build you one.’”

As of Friday afternoon, Trillium AD Deanna Doede has another item on her to-do list after Trillium bested Beaverton 1,074-1,051 to win the school’s first state championship.

It wasn’t easy. After finishing first in qualifying, Trillium eked past Allen Park Cabrini by two pins, 1,016-1,014, to get to the final, and trailed Beaverton by 13 pins after Baker play.

The final was closely contested for six frames before it all came together.

“Their adrenaline kicked in for the first five frames of the final,” Slaven said. “But around the seventh frame, they settled in.”

Slaven had scheduled his team so it would be ready for tournament pressure.

“I got them in tournaments with Division 1 schools, and we won some of those tournaments, came in second. came in fourth. I wanted them to see the big picture, the big dance. and they showed up today.”

His daughter, Abbey, didn’t celebrate until the last pin fell. 

“You never know in bowling,” she said. “We’ve been down a lot in other matches, or it seemed like it, and then we come back and perform our best. So you never really know in bowling.”

Joe Slaven, meanwhile, extols both his team’s talent, but also their demeanor.

“What I’m most proud of is, yes, we won a state championship, but I’m most proud of is the way they represent their school, and the way they represent themselves.” he said. “These girls are so coachable, so athletic, so smart.”

And likely to contend again, too: Most of Trillium’s bowlers should be back next year. 

Alivia Schmer led Trillium with a 179, while Emily Yagley rolled a 172.

Ellie Minkin paced Beaverton with a 176.

Grass Lake celebrates its Division 4 championship Friday.

If winning a title was a first for Trillium’s girls, it was more of the same for the Grass Lake boys, who won for the third time in four years Friday, defeating New Lothrop 1,253-1,123.

Grass Lake was the Division 4 runner-up last season, won the Division 3 title in 2021 and took the Division 4 crown in 2020.

And it’s not inconceivable to think they’ll be back next year, with just one senior on this season’s roster.

In fact, Warriors coach Jeff Wyers was so confident in his team’s overall talent that he gave sophomore Tyler Paul his first varsity start Friday. 

“These kids work their butts off,” the fifth-year mentor said. “These kids, the camaraderie they have, they work together and they never give up. If one guy is off, the others pick him up. These guys are amazing.”

The Warriors had their challenges during the day, but won all three matches by comfortable margins, including the final, taking a 73-pin lead after Baker play and never looking back.

“It feels great knowing we have a buffer,” co-captain Cayden Dewitt said. “So if we miss, we miss. And (if) we win, it feels amazing.”

Grass Lake also has a strong team chemistry.

"Our coach does a really good job of projecting a good positive environment onto everything,” co-captain Brice Sandoval said. "Even in practice or just open bowling with no coaches, there’s good vibes, good energy, and we seem to turn it on when we need it most, and it works out for us.”

Sandoval led Grass Lake with a 198, while Dewitt rolled a 193. Cole Bradshaw led New Lothrop with a 204.

Division 4 Final Results - Boys | Girls  

Performance of the Week: Holt's David Schaberg

March 2, 2022

David SchabergDavid Schaberg ♦ Holt
Bowling ♦ Senior

Schaberg bowled a six-game 1,530 series that not only won his Division 1 Regional on Saturday but was the highest Regional score in any division last weekend and one of only two above 1,500. He averaged 255 at Royal Scot in Lansing with a pair of 279 high games. He will return to the Singles Final this Saturday at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park after reaching the match play semifinals and falling just four pins shy of advancing to the championship match in 2021.

A two-handed bowler who made the technical change over the last year, Schaberg is averaging 232 during high school competition this season. He bowled his eighth lifetime 300 this winter and has a high two-game high school series of 534. Schaberg also made the Division 1 Final match play as a sophomore, reaching the quarterfinals. He’ll first compete Friday with his team, as the Rams advanced to the Team Final with a third-place finish at the Regional.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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2021-22 Honorees

Feb. 24: Adelaide McRoberts, Kingsford swimming - Report
Feb. 17:
Christopher Kavanaugh, Petoskey hockey - Report
Feb. 10:
Ira Jenkins, Whitehall wrestling - Report

Feb. 3: Emma Stewart, Salem gymnastics - Report
Jan. 28:
Tyler Ray, Pinckney swimming - Report
Jan. 21:
Elle Craven, Traverse City Central skiing - Report
Jan. 14:
Nevaeh Williams, Mount Clemens basketball - Report
Dec. 2:
Lucas Dunn, Chelsea football - Report
Nov. 25:
Riley Nugent, Plainwell swimming - Report
Nov. 18:
Harper Murray, Ann Arbor Skyline volleyball - Report
Nov. 11:
Abby VanderKooi, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian cross country - Report
Nov. 4:
Arianne Olson, Holland West Ottawa cross country - Report
Oct. 28:
Jack Guggemos, Okemos soccer - Report
Oct. 21:
Sachiv Kumar, Northville tennis - Report
Oct. 14:
Kate Brody, Grand Blanc golf - Report
Oct. 7:
Lilly Nelson, Negaunee tennis - Report
Sept. 30:
Stella Chapman, Ann Arbor Pioneer swimming - Report
Sept. 23:
Riley Hough, Hartland cross country - Report
Sept. 16:
Josie Bloom, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Holt boys bowling program.)