Bowlers fair well at the state finals

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

After winning regional titles in Traverse City the Huron bowling teams traveled to the Michigan High School Athletic Association state finals in Jackson Friday. The boys? team finished third in the qualifying round consisting of eight baker games and two regular games. The Hurons finished with a total of 3,353 (129, 181, 174, 200, 182, 201, 178, 175, 965, 968). Flat Rock was first with 3,400 and Birch Run second with 3,370.

After qualifying third the Hurons were matched up against Vandercook Lake in the quarterfinals match where they would bowl four baker games and one regular game. The Hurons would win baker game one 191-159 and game two 171-135 before dropping the next two 140-142 and 117-216. The regular game would not go the Hurons way either as they fell 919-934 to lose the match 1,538-1,586, ending their shot at a state title.

?It was another good weekend for the boys. Anytime you make the top eight in the state that is a successful season. The boys bowled well, held their composure. We actually had a lane break down that disrupted us, we had to move to a different pair of lanes. It didn?t affect the kids, they thought it did but they actually bowled better when they moved. Overall it was another good year. The 117 baker game was a little disappointing but in talking to some of the other coaches it seemed like every team had a bad game. It was the deciding factor in the match so it was disappointing but there is not much you can do about that,? said coach Brian Bannasch.

The girls? team would finish 16th in the qualifying block with a total of 2,615 (192, 146, 179, 169, 147, 137, 140, 128, 67

2, 705) which was not enough to move on to the quarterfinals. The eighth team to qualify for the quarterfinals rolled a 2,715 total, just 100 more pins than the Hurons were able to muster.

?The girls bowled steady, they averaged about what they did in the conference but at that level they had to bowl a little bit better. But again with three new bowlers that was a successful season for the girls. Although they didn?t advance into the top eight it was still an accomplishment to make it to state with three new bowlers and actually two new bowlers bowling on the team out of five,? said coach Brian Bannach.

The end of the season meant the end of the careers of seniors Devon Ferris, Lucas Bellmore, Alec Gajewski, Kaelie Florip and Ashley Bellmore but the core of the teams will be returning next season and will work to make another trip to the state finals.