Branch County sends 3 teams, 8 individuals to Bowling State Finals
BRANCH COUNTY, MI. - This weekend was undoubtedly one of the busiest sports weekends of the entire winter sports season, with district, regional and state championships happening all across the state. Included in that list of sports was the MHSAA State Bowling Finals where three teams from Branch County and a handful of singles competitors traveled to their respective sites looking for post season glory.
While no local athletes earned All-State honors this year, it was a truly superb year on the lanes for all the teams in the surrounding area. Here is a recap of their state finals efforts.
D2 State Finals at Century Lanes in Waterford
The Coldwater Cardinals sent two individual bowlers to the state finals while the girls squad also competed in the team state finals.
The Cardinals came up just a bit short in the team tournament, missing the cut to compete in bracket play by one spot, taking ninth place overall. The top eight teams advanced on to bracket play where it was the team from Sparta coming out on top, winning the D2 State Championship after defeating South Lyon East in the finals.
Coldwater finished in ninth place in the team standings with a score of 2749 after throwing baker games of 133, 122, 137, 181, 159, 147, 155 and 176 in addition to regular game scores of 803 and 736. The Cardinals came up just a little short, finishing just 22 pins shy of advancing on as Charlotte, the eighth-place qualifiers, finished with a score of 2771.
In individual competition the Cardinals sent a pair of bowlers to the girls finals as junior Alexis Wood and junior Lily Cook both made the trip. Neither was able to finish in the top 16 to advance to bracket play where Charlotte freshman Samantha Portillo would end up taking the D2 state title after defeating Brynna Harrison of Fruitport in the finals.
Cook led the way for the Coldwater effort, finishing in thirty-third place with a score of 1016 after throwing games of 148. 182, 185, 171, 170 and 160.
Wood finished her stellar season in fifty-first place with a total score of 927 after throwing games of 135, 142, 198, 134, 179 and 139.
D3 state finals at JAX60 in Jackson
The Quincy Oriole bowling program sent two individuals to the state finals at JAX 60 on Saturday, with senior Grant Wright representing the boys and senior Jenica Kaser representing the girls.
In the girls competition it was Kaser finishing in a tie for twenty-seventh place overall with a score of 983 after throwing games of 129, 194, 164, 172, 174, and 150. The sixteenth-place qualifier, Izzy Portman of Cheboygan, finished with a score of 1065.
Syndey Nichols of Onsted went on to win the state title, defeating Savannah Hamilton of Coloma in the championship.
In the boys competition Wright finished in forty-eighth place after finishing with a score of 1022 after throwing games of 174, 146, 200, 170, 167 and 165. The sixteenth-place qualifier, Mason Keene of Stockbridge, finished with a score of 1144.
The state championship went to Keene who came from the final qualifying spot to defeat Harvey Zelt of Gladwin in the championship.
D4 state finals at M-66 Bowl in Battle Creek
The Bronson Vikings sent both of their varsity teams and a handful of individual bowlers to the MHSAA State Finals held at M-66 Bowl in Battle Creek.
In the boys portion of the team tournament the Vikings came out of the qualifying round in first place, taking the top seed entering into bracket play with a total score of 3319 after throwing baker games of 154, 194, 168, 228, 204, 183, and 167 while also adding regular games of 1004 and 880.
In bracket play the Vikings drew Burton Bendle in the first round, a match up Bronson would claim by the score of 1220-1160. Bronson threw baker games of 170 and 196 to go with a regular game of 854. With the win the Vikings advanced on to the state semifinals to face New Lothrop, a meeting that the Vikings would drop by the score of 1228-1043. Bronson threw baker games of 167 and 130 to go with a regular game score of 746.
New Lothrop eventually fell to the high-powered Grass Lake team in the finals.
In the girls team finals, the Vikings qualified in third place to advance on to bracket play with a team score of 2745, throwing baker games of 167, 143, 143, 150, 141, 184, 135 and 141 to go along with regular games of 773 and 768.
Bronson drew the team from Beaverton in the first round of bracket play, a matchup the Vikings would drop by a score of 1030-990. Bronson threw baker game scores of 142 and 154 along with a regular game score of 694. Beaverton went on to fall in the state finals to Taylor Trillium Academy 1074-1051.
In singles action the Bronson bowling program sent four individual bowlers, including one from the boys team and three from the girls.
All three Lady Vikings advanced on out of the qualifying round to make it to bracket play, with Morgan McConn taking fifth place with a score of 1089, Savanna Taylor finishing in seventh place with a score of 1056, and Hadassah Bloom finishing in thirteenth place with a score of 1021.
In bracket play all three bowlers fell in round one, giving them a top 16 finish in the state. McConn fell to Emily Yagley of Taylor Trillium Academy in the first round by scores of 366-336; Taylor dropped her first-round match to Isabella Dilts of New Lothrop by scores of 278-269; and Bloom fell to Abbey Slaven of Taylor Trillium Academy by scores of 372-311. Morgan Brunner of Gobles went on to win the state championship, defeating Brooke Smith of Traverse City Christian in the finals.
In the boys portion of the competition Bronson’s Hunter Woodman finished in fourteenth place overall to advance to bracket play after notching a score of 1111. In the first round of bracket play Woodman drew a tough assignment in Cole Bradshaw of New Lothrop. Bradshaw went on to take the first-round matchup 403-347 after Woodman threw games of 176 and 171. Bradshaw went on to advance to the semifinals before falling to eventual champion, Alex McCarthy of Saginaw Nouval who defeated Bryce Cadaret of Allen Park in the finals.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Branch County sends 3 teams, 8 individuals to Bowling State Finals
