Title IX at 50: Kearsley Rolls On Among Girls Bowling's Early Successes
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
March 1, 2022
The 19th MHSAA Bowling Finals will be rolled this weekend, with Team Finals on Friday and Singles Finals on Saturday for four divisions at four sites.
At just under two decades, it’s still a young sport by MHSAA sponsorship standards. But years from now as we recall the early days, we will certainly look to the Flint Kearsley girls.
Their dynasty is still growing – the Hornets are returning to the Division 2 Finals this weekend after winning last season’s championship. We’ll know by Friday night if last year was the start of another winning streak to go with the six straight championships Kearsley claimed from 2014-19.
Last year’s title put Kearsley’s overall count to eight, one more than Vandercook Lake for most Team Finals wins. The Hornets also finished Division 2 runners-up in 2010.
Kearsley also has produced three MHSAA singles champions, most recently Megan Timm in 2020.
The other two names on that singles list are part of a family woven through Kearsley’s rise. Lindsay Ploof was the Hornets’ first singles champion, claiming a 24-pin victory to clinch the 2011 Division 2 Finals title. Younger sister Hannah won in 2016 by 49 pins in her championship match.
Their coaches throughout were their parents Robert and Pam; Robert served as head coach for 15 seasons until retiring after 2019-20. According to the Michigan High School Interscholastic Bowling Coaches Association, his 162 wins (with only 13 losses) are third-most for a varsity girls bowling coach in MHSAA history, and his .926 winning percentage also is among the highest on that list. He was named to the MHSIBCA Hall of Fame in 2016.
Second Half's weekly Title IX Celebration posts are sponsored by Michigan Army National Guard.
Previous Title IX at 50 Spotlights
Feb. 22: Marquette Ties Record for Swim & Dive Finals Success - Read
Feb. 15: Jaeger's 2004 Winter Run Created Lasting Connection - Read
Feb. 8: Marian's Cicerone to Finish Among All-Time Elite - Read
Feb. 1: WISL Award Honors Builders of State's Girls Sports Tradition - Read
Jan. 25: Decades Later, Edwards' Legend Continues to Grow - Read
Jan. 18: Iron Mountain Completes Championship Climb - Read
Jan. 11: Harrold's Achievement Heralds Growth of Girls Wrestling - Read
Dec. 20: Competitive Cheer Gives Michigan Plenty to Cheer About - Read
Dec. 14: Evelyn's Game Had Plenty of Magic - Read
Dec. 7: Council Term Ends, But Leinaar Leaves Lasting Impact - Read
Nov. 30: Basketball Season Ready to Add to Rich Tradition - Read
Nov. 23: Marysville Builds Winning Streak Yet to be Challenged - Read
Nov. 16: Wroubel Has Championed Girls School Sports from Their Start - Read
Nov. 9: Pioneer's Joyce Legendary in Michigan, National Swim History - Read
Nov. 2: Royal Oak's Finch Leading Way on Football Field - Read
Oct. 26: Coach Clegg Sets Championship Standard at Grand Blanc - Read
Oct. 19: Rockford Girls Set Pace, Hundreds After Have Continued to Chase - Read
Oct. 12: Bedford Volleyball Pioneer Continues Blazing Record-Setting Trail - Read
Oct. 5: Warner Paved Way to Legend Status with Record Rounds - Read
Sept. 28: Taylor Kennedy Gymnasts Earn Fame as 1st Champions - Read
Sept. 21: Portage Northern Star Byington Becomes Play-by-Play Pioneer - Read
Sept. 14: Guerra/Groat Legacy Continues to Serve St. Philip Well - Read
Sept. 7: Best-Ever Conversation Must Include Leland's Glass - Read
Aug. 31: We Will Celebrate Many Who Paved the Way - Read
PHOTO The Ploofs, from left: Pam, Lindsay, Robert and Hannah, after Hannah won the 2016 Division 2 singles championship. (MHSAA file photo)
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.)