Jax 60 Lanes in Jackson held the Division 4 Region 27 Bowling Championships on February 20 and 21, with teams from Burr Oak, Coloma, Gobles, Hanover-Horton, Hillsdale Will Carlton Academy, Homer, Hudson, Jonesville, Kalamazoo Christian, Kalamazoo Hackett, Martin and Schoolcraft competing. The team event on the 20th included all 12 teams of both genders, who hit the lanes to do their best to take home the Regional Championship trophy.
The teams started with 8 Baker games: 5 bowlers throwing balls in 1 game with each bowler getting 2 frames each. After the Baker game portion was completed, the 5 bowlers had their opportunity to bowl 2 individual games. At the end of day 1, a team champion would be crowned and the top 2 teams would advance to the Division 4 State Championships on February 27tand 28 at Skor lanes in Taylor, Michigan.
Jonesville was the top team in the boys’ division, shooting 3,162 total pinfall. Homer was runner-up with a total pinfall count at 2,999. Remaining in the top 5 was Hudson in 3rd with 2,936, Kalamazoo Hackett with 2,541 and Schoolcraft with a total of 2,479.
In the girls’ tournament, Jonesville joined the boy’ team atop the board and advanced to Taylor with a total pinfall of 2,905. Hudson took 2nd with 2,783, Homer 2,635, Kalamazoo Christian 2,232 and Martin rounded out the top 5 with a 2,183. Schoolcraft girls took 8th overall with a total of 1,659.
Day 2 was the individual half of the Regional Championship with the top 7 advancing to the Individual State Championships on the 28th. All bowlers were split from their teammates into groups of 4 to 5 on each pair of lanes. Each bowler competed in 6 complete games. A total of 62 boys and 38 girls started out the day with the hopes to advance. At the end, the top 7 girls were Ellie Loar of Hudson with a total pinfall of 1,108 taking home the individual Regional Championship and an average of 184.6 per game. The rest of the bowlers in the top 7 were Alexis Swanson from Hudson, Harper James from Jonesville, Morgan Dilyard from Jonesville, Karli Willington from Jonesville, Callie Patrick from Homer and Brooke Houser from Hudson. Schoolcraft’s Katelyn Fox finished the highest of the Eagle girls in 12th place with an 877 total pinfall and an average of 146.1. Mallorie DenHartigh finished in 18th at 818 with a 136.3 average.
On the boys’ side of the lanes, the Regional Champion was James Anthony with a total pinfall of 1,229 and an average of 204.8. Rounding out the top seven was 2nd Kyle Covey from Jonesville, Carter Fournier from Hudson, Cartier Smith from Hanover-Horton, Marshall Baker from Jonesville, Maverick Baker from Jonesville and in 7th was Dru Hansen from Homer. Schoolcraft’s top finisher was Brady Chobot in 23rd place at 883 and an average 147.1. Schoolcraft’s Jackson Watterson finished with 856 and an average of 142.6. Schoolcraft bowling will be losing just 2 seniors this year, Caden Verberg and Brady Chobot. Juniors compose the rest of the team.
