Unique Style, Rare Path Mark D3 Champs
March 2, 2013
By Chip Mundy
Special to Second Half
JACKSON – Two hands were better than one Saturday afternoon in the championship match of the MHSAA Division 3 boys singles bowling tournament at Airport Lanes in Jackson.
Adam LaRoe of Napoleon, who uses the same unorthodox two-handed delivery as PBA touring professional Jason Belmonte, came from behind to defeat William Holmes of Ferndale University 373-368 in the two-game title match.
Meanwhile, first-year varsity bowler Laurynn Ball of Armada won the girls singles championship with a 338-322 victory over Karie VanSledright of Grand Rapids South Christian.
LaRoe, a senior who qualified ninth, is a right-hander who uses a five-step delivery as he unleashes the ball from his side with both hands.
“I’ve been throwing it that way ever since I was little,” LaRoe said. “I couldn’t pick up the ball one-handed, so I just started throwing two-handed.”
When asked if he felt that gave him any sort of advantage, LaRoe said, “Sort of. I get more pin action.”
Napoleon coach Randy Chesney said he was sort of taken aback when he first encountered LaRoe and his unorthodox style.
“I was trying to figure out how I was going to coach him,” Chesney said. “He’s been doing it since he was a little kid, and he hasn’t done anything else. So we just learned that we had to adapt to it and go from there.
“He’s been a lot more consistent this year, and we haven’t had the ups and downs.”
LaRoe stayed consistent in qualifying as none of his six games were lower than 180 or higher than 204. He remained that way throughout match play with only his 168 in the first game of the semifinals not falling between 180 and 204.
LaRoe nearly was sidelined in the quarterfinals when he edged Tyler Windahl of Ishpeming by one pin, and he entered the title match after averaging 189 for 12 games through the semifinals.
LaRoe’s opponent, Holmes, qualified 14th and got hot in match play, averaging 209 for the six games in the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals. Holmes defeated LaRoe 199-181 in the first game of the two-game title match before LaRoe came back with a 192-169 victory for a 373-368 triumph.
A turkey in the third, fourth and fifth frames of the second game got LaRoe back into the match, and open frames by Holmes in the fourth, sixth and eighth frames helped pave the way to the title for LaRoe.
When LaRoe stepped onto the approach for the 10th frame of the second game of the title match, he needed a strike or a spare to win the championship. He threw a solid strike.
“It was a relief,” LaRoe said.
While LaRoe’s two-handed delivery was much different than the rest of the bowlers in the boys division, Ball’s road to the girls finals was just as unique. A year ago, Ball was a cheerleader at Armada, and bowling wasn’t even on her radar.
“Cheerleading was fun, but I was a gymnast, so it was more of the gymnastics that I was interested in,” Ball said. “Everybody was talking about how bowling was so much fun, so I thought I’d give that a try. I had bowled in middle school; we had a Saturday night league, and it was fun.
“I didn’t know if I could do it in high school because I threw a straight ball, and I didn’t think that was good enough. So I asked (Armada coach) Dave Walkowski, ‘Can you teach me to bowl?’ And he taught me how to bowl.”
Walkowski praised Ball for being so coachable.
“She has the ability to listen and accept change,” he said. “I’d tell her to do something, and she’d do it without arguing. I’d tell her to move a little bit, and she’d do it, and then she’d say, ‘Oh my gosh, it worked.’
“It’s very incredible when they want to listen and not give you a hard time about it.”
Ball was the 15th qualifier out of 16, and in the round of 16 she faced Noelle Scheuer of Richmond. Scheuer had eliminated Ball in an earlier tournament, and Armada has a strong rivalry with Richmond.
Ball shot 204 and 199 to win her match against Scheuer, then she rolled 219 and 214 to win her quarterfinal match. In the semifinals, Ball had to rally after losing 180-153 in the first game. She defeated Samantha Kubiak of Frankenmuth 208-172 in the second match for a nine-pin victory.
Awaiting Ball in the final was VanSledright, who threw a 290 in the first game of her semifinal match and went on to sideline Loretta Hinds 469-436 in a high-scoring match. And Ball noticed.
“I was watching her bowl, and she was hitting strike after strike after strike,” Ball said of VanSledright. “I was like, ‘Oh my goodness.’ When she bowled me I couldn’t watch because I was so nervous.”
Ball defeated VanSledright 175-154 in the first game of the two-game match, but opened the door in the second game with open frames in the third, fourth and fifth frames. She finished by marking in her final five frames and, although she lost the second game 168-163, it was enough for an overall 16-pin victory.
VanSledright said she had trouble solving the championship pair.
“Coming into the last game, I was excited, but I was definitely struggling in the last game,” she said.
“Nothing was hitting. It was the toughest lanes I’ve bowled on here in this house.
“I couldn’t strike enough or pick up my spares.”
When Ball stepped on the approach for her 10th frame in the second game, all she needed was at least seven on her first ball to win. She threw a strike.
“My heart was pumping, and it felt amazing,” Ball said. “My heart just sank, and I knew right then and there.”
Click for full girls results and boys results.
After Regional Run, Paw Paw Rolling Again
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
February 17, 2021
PAW PAW — Ethan Van Der Slik has some definite goals in mind when it comes to bowling.
The Paw Paw junior is aiming to break personal records set by his mentor and grandfather, Rich Van Der Slik.
“When I heard that I said, ‘Good for you. Beat this old man,” his grandpa said.
The younger bowler has plenty of time to catch up.
His grandfather started bowling at age 20, had his first of two 300s at age 51 and threw an 810 series at age 59.
So far, Ethan has one 700 series. But there are plenty of opportunities ahead – both for individual achievements and as part of a Paw Paw varsity with experience from last season and aspirations to finish this one even better.
Van Der Slik is the youngest on a senior-laden Paw Paw team that won its Regional last year and is 2-0 this young Southwest Michigan High School Bowling Conference season.
However, after dominating performances at the local level last year, the boys underwent an eye-opening experience at state competition.
Bowling was one of the few winter sports that actually competed through the Finals during the 2019-20 winter season, and the Red Wolves hope to build on that experience if they return to the MHSAA Division 3 Finals this March 26-27. At last year’s Finals, Paw Paw missed the team match play by 148 pins during qualifying despite showing potential with an 852 regular game and high Baker of 187.
“Competition is a lot harder outside our little town,” said Derek Ballard, one of five seniors on the team. “You can’t get nervous; you have to keep striking. You can’t get away from what you do just because you’re in a bigger town.
“The important thing is, if you’re nervous, you’re going to miss your mark. You’ve got to keep steady and if you keep steady, your shots are going to look good.”
Lifetime Sport
“I bowled for 44 years and quit when my shoulder said it didn’t want to do it anymore,” Rich Van Der Slik said. Now he spends his time at bowling centers working with his grandson.
“He’s a good kid and very coachable,” Rich Van Der Slik said. “He listens and he tries.
“He’s thinking ahead. He knows when it’s time to make his ball changes.”
Trying to best his grandfather “pushes me to be better,” said Van Der Slik, who has a few warmup routines before his Saturday high school matches.
He and his grandfather go to breakfast, then he shoots splits and strikes at Continental Lanes when the high school match is not there.
Although baseball is his other sport, Van Der Slik also throws a football before matches, an exercise he learned from Scott Brunner, who has the pro shop at Continental.
“It helps me get my hand through the (bowling) ball better; shows me the spin,” Van Der Slik said.
Paw Paw bowling brings together the Zolp family as well.
Boys coach Chuck Zolp is in his 22nd season. His daughter, Jessica, coaches the girls and “I’ve been working (at Rainbow Lanes) since 1972 and bought the place in 1979,” Zolp said.
That is a big advantage for both teams since they do not have to worry about scheduling practice time. While the Red Wolves boys are an experienced contender, they are relying on a new anchor, Ballard, after the team graduated Michael Hiestand last spring.
Hiestand was the team’s top singles roller at last year’s Regional, just missing the Finals with a 13th place. Van Der Slik was 24th and Ballard 25th.
“(Derek) helps with the rest of the team, coaches them in-between matches and in practice,” said Chuck Zolp, in his 22nd year coaching the team. “He’s very consistent. He brings a lot to the team.”
The other seniors on the team are Peyton Long, Zach Dooley, Christian Johnson and Vaughn Stiglich. Long, Dooley and Stiglich all bowled during last season’s Singles Regional as well.
Although he has not thrown a 700 series yet, Ballard’s top score is 277.
He started bowling at a young age.
“There was a youth sign up out here (at Rainbow) and I asked my dad (Doug) if I could join and I never stopped,” he said.
Making Adjustments
The biggest differences for bowlers this year are wearing masks and having no spectators. However, MHSAA guidelines allow them to drop the masks at the approach.
“It’s kind of hot after a few games, but it’s not bad,” Ballard said. “We can take it down on the approach, but I usually don’t because it’s annoying to pull it down. I have no problem with it.”
Van Der Slik, who also has no problem with the mask, is aware of his role on the team.
“Being the young guy, I’m going to be the only one here next year so I’ve got to do what I can to make the team better,” he said.
“I see myself as almost the middle man, trying to keep everyone happy and doing the best I can.”
The lack of spectators also does not bother Van Der Slik at all.
“It’s actually not as bad as you would think because I’m a very loud person,” he said. “Everyone hearing me, it’s definitely a scary thing for them but fun for us.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Paw Paw’s Ethan Van Der Slik begins his approach during a recent practice. (Middle) Senior Derek Ballard lines up his next shot. (Below) Clockwise from top left: Red Wolves boys bowling coach Chuck Zolp, Ballard, Rich Van Der Slik and Ethan Van Der Slik. (Photos by Pam Shebest.)