By Mark Blentlinger
Schoolcraft High School’s 2024-25 bowling season has started and is rolling right along. Both teams have several returning bowlers.
Three of the six girls from last season’s team graduated and one did not return, leaving the team with returning senior Addison Haley and sophomore Elli Lint. Coach Blentlinger was happy to see some new faces join the veterans. Senior Brenna McDonald, known for her shotput and discus abilities, decided to try her hand at bowling. Katelyn Fox, a sophomore who previously wrestled, also decided to try bowling. Other newcomers in Malorie DenHartigh and foreign exchange students Claudia Dimai from Italy and Lotto Groening from Germany. The girls’ season started with two bye wins against Hackett and Burr Oak. The team won vs Constantine and suffered two losses to the Comets of Kalamazoo Christian and the Orioles from Quincy. The Eagles will face these teams again later in the season with hopes to get wins in those matches.
Except for two graduating seniors, nearly every player from the boys’ team returned from last season giving the team a senior-heavy line up for the varsity team. The team recruited many new players, allowing the coaches to create a JV team, which will help strengthen next year’s. Seniors include Brayden Kroetsch, Ethan DenHartigh, Garrett Dzierzyc, Jacob Pena, Lucas Hamelink, Lukas Rindershacher and Nathaniel Jirkins. Other members include Silas Pena, Jacob Pena, Will Curtis, Dallas Kudary and Ronan “Zeke” Vergus. Returning are Brady Chobot, Caden Fritts, Cayden Verburg, Jackson Watterson and Logan Haley. So far, the boys have struggled to get things on the right track dropping their first matches to Kalamazoo Christian, Burr Oak and Quincy, but they went on with ties against Hackett and Constantine.
Both teams will pick up January 6 with practice until the 8th when they will head over to Niles to take on the Bobcats of Brandywine. The bowling season continues until the end of February.
The Schoolcraft bowling teams compete at Continental Lanes on Mondays at 4 p.m. and Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m.
