By Mark Blentlinger
The Golden Eagle bowling teams headed to Jackson to compete in the Division 4 Region 21 championship. This Region could be considered the toughest in all of Division 4 with some of the biggest powerhouse teams in the state. The reigning state champion girls’ team from Bronson was there with hopes to place in the top 3 teams to advance. But so were 15 other teams.
Over the past 13 seasons, eight girls’ teams from this region have won the state championship. Vandercook Lake has won five and Bronson, three.
At the end of the day on Friday, February 24th, Jonesville ladies and Grass Lake men’s team had their picture taken with the regional championship trophies. Finishing in the top three for boys were Bronson, 2nd and Jackson Lumen Christi, 3rd. The Schoolcraft men’s team struggled to find the right line and finished up the day in 13th place, shooting a team score of 2187. The winning team, Grass Lake, had a total of 3252 for the day. The ladies from Schoolcraft finished the day in 12th place with 2188. That night at dinner the ladies had bragging rights, knowing they topped their men’s team by 1 pin.
On the ladies’ side, Jonesville topped all the teams with a 2880, while Hanover Horton finished in 2nd and reigning champion Bronson claimed 3rd with a 2568. Saturday the 25th was the Individual portion where 78 ladies hit the lanes shooting to finish in the top 10 individuals to continue their bowling season one more week. For Schoolcraft, the ladies’ highest finisher was Alayna Meade in 18th, falling just 26 pins shy of making the top 10. Meade shot 122, 159, 177, 121, 185, 132. Molly Pearce placed 30th with 110, 133, 144, 146, 144, 167. Hope Wright, Schoolcraft’s state champion in trap shooting and first year bowler, placed 43rd with 122, 115, 125, 145, 142, 126. Catie Wright was 49th with 108, 131, 122, 104, 146, 146. Heidi Sheen was 65th with 115, 89, 109, 124, 97, 137. Addison Haley was 68th with 89, 102, 107, 128, 115, 108. The only lady bowler that will return next year is Addison Haley. All other members are seniors.
The Golden Eagle men had to compete in a field of 98 other bowlers. Schoolcraft’s highest man finisher was senior Shaun Sampsell in 62nd with scores of 96, 151, 169, 144, 135, 112; Lucas Hamelink, 63rd, 141, 142, 92, 120, 123, 188.
Brayden Kroetsch, 75th, 128, 133, 124, 1549, 109, 112; Garett Dzierzyc, 81st, 129, 94, 127, 113, 125, 123; Lukas Rinderspacher, 82nd 107, 87, 131, 114, 120, 146.