Regional championship bowling teams off to state meet

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

The Rogers City Huron boys? and girls? bowling teams both earned regional championships Friday in Traverse City, for the second year in a row. The boys? team was nothing short of dominant as they took a 19-pin lead at the end of the first baker game, after they rolled a 225 and never looked back as they led the entire way.

In six baker games the Hurons had a total of 1,023 (225, 178, 157, 163, 149, 151) and took a lead into the regular games. With a 978 first game they expanded on that lead and followed it up with a 936 to take a nearly 200-pin lead into the final regular game. In that final game the Hurons rolled a 949 to finish at 3,888 for first place. Traverse City St. Francis was second at 3,339 giving the Hurons the victory by 549 pins. Bowlers and their scores in the match were Chris Bark (168,179); Ken Wirgau (188, 181, 168); Zach Hazel (200, 193, 201), Justin Hazel (225, 204, 245); Robert Dietlin (197, 179, 207); and Zane Witzak (130).

The Hurons, who finished as state runner-up a year ago will now bowl at Sunnybrook Lanes in Sterling Heights Friday in the state tournament. ?Last year we had a good run and this years? team is just as strong. We have a good possibility of moving up one spot and taking the title. It is a tough format; but if things go our way we will be in the finals again,? said coach Brian Bannasch. THE GIRLS performance may not have been quite as dominant as the boys but none the less the took first by 43 pins over Bellaire (3,196) as they finished with 3,239. The girls rolled a total of 887 in the six baker games (139, 192, 178, 143, 144, 91). The regular games then began with the Hurons rolling a 714 followed by a pair of 819?s to finish at 3,239.

Bowlers and their scores were Anna Lehman (118, 174, 120); Misty Curtis (111, 145); Nicole Bannasch (153, 174, 172); Katie Darga (150, 189, 203); Ashley Budnik (182, 175, 179); and a split game of Curtis and Jessica Butera for a 107. They head into the state finals as the returning state champions, a feat they accomplished with three first-year bowlers. ?Anything is possible, we did it last year with three new bowlers, this year we have one new bowler. Some of them will have to bowl a little better than they did before but anything can happen,? said coach Bannasch. SATURDAY THE bowlers competed in the individual portion of the tournament and six will be competing in the individual state finals this Saturday. Not only did six qualify but again Rogers City was on the top of the results page as both Justin Hazel and Darga captured individual regional titles.

After rolling a 179 in his first game, Justin Hazel averaged 241 over the next five games to finish in first at 1,384, 123 pins higher than second-place teammate Dietlin who finished at 1,261. Zach Hazel qualified in tenth place with

1,057, after falling behind in the early going, he clinched his spot in the final game. ?Justin was dominant, he is really bowling well right now. He was a regional champion last year bowling for Division II Ann Arbor Skyline but didn?t have a good showing at state a year ago. He will be looking to change that this year,? said coach Bannasch. Dietlin qualified for the finals for his third time. He was in the top 16 a year ago and will look to make the finals this time around. Zach Hazel is making his first trip and according to Bannasch needs to avoid the bad game but has the ability to crack into the top 16.

DARGA WON the regional title as she finished with 1,146, averaging 191 in the six-game series. She finished 56 pins ahead of the second-place bowler. Budnik qualified for her second-straight year as she was third at 1,012. Freshman Nicole Bannasch was the other qualifier for the girls as she was fifth at 977. Darga was in the top eight a year ago and will be looking to improve upon that finish in her final high school bowling meet of her career. Budnik did not make the top 16 last year but will set her sights on that this year.