After Regional Run, Paw Paw Rolling Again

By Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com

February 17, 2021

PAW PAW — Ethan Van Der Slik has some definite goals in mind when it comes to bowling.

Southwest CorridorThe Paw Paw junior is aiming to break personal records set by his mentor and grandfather, Rich Van Der Slik.

“When I heard that I said, ‘Good for you. Beat this old man,” his grandpa said.

The younger bowler has plenty of time to catch up.

His grandfather started bowling at age 20, had his first of two 300s at age 51 and threw an 810 series at age 59.

So far, Ethan has one 700 series. But there are plenty of opportunities ahead – both for individual achievements and as part of a Paw Paw varsity with experience from last season and aspirations to finish this one even better.

Van Der Slik is the youngest on a senior-laden Paw Paw team that won its Regional last year and is 2-0 this young Southwest Michigan High School Bowling Conference season.

However, after dominating performances at the local level last year, the boys underwent an eye-opening experience at state competition.

Bowling was one of the few winter sports that actually competed through the Finals during the 2019-20 winter season, and the Red Wolves hope to build on that experience if they return to the MHSAA Division 3 Finals this March 26-27. At last year’s Finals, Paw Paw missed the team match play by 148 pins during qualifying despite showing potential with an 852 regular game and high Baker of 187.

“Competition is a lot harder outside our little town,” said Derek Ballard, one of five seniors on the team. “You can’t get nervous; you have to keep striking. You can’t get away from what you do just because you’re in a bigger town.

“The important thing is, if you’re nervous, you’re going to miss your mark. You’ve got to keep steady and if you keep steady, your shots are going to look good.”

Lifetime Sport

“I bowled for 44 years and quit when my shoulder said it didn’t want to do it anymore,” Rich Van Der Slik said. Now he spends his time at bowling centers working with his grandson.

Paw Paw boys bowling“He’s a good kid and very coachable,” Rich Van Der Slik said. “He listens and he tries.

“He’s thinking ahead. He knows when it’s time to make his ball changes.”

Trying to best his grandfather “pushes me to be better,” said Van Der Slik, who has a few warmup routines before his Saturday high school matches.

He and his grandfather go to breakfast, then he shoots splits and strikes at Continental Lanes when the high school match is not there.

Although baseball is his other sport, Van Der Slik also throws a football before matches, an exercise he learned from Scott Brunner, who has the pro shop at Continental.

“It helps me get my hand through the (bowling) ball better; shows me the spin,” Van Der Slik said.

Paw Paw bowling brings together the Zolp family as well.

Boys coach Chuck Zolp is in his 22nd season. His daughter, Jessica, coaches the girls and “I’ve been working (at Rainbow Lanes) since 1972 and bought the place in 1979,” Zolp said.

That is a big advantage for both teams since they do not have to worry about scheduling practice time.  While the Red Wolves boys are an experienced contender, they are relying on a new anchor, Ballard, after the team graduated Michael Hiestand last spring.

Hiestand was the team’s top singles roller at last year’s Regional, just missing the Finals with a 13th place. Van Der Slik was 24th and Ballard 25th.

“(Derek) helps with the rest of the team, coaches them in-between matches and in practice,” said Chuck Zolp, in his 22nd year coaching the team. “He’s very consistent. He brings a lot to the team.”

The other seniors on the team are Peyton Long, Zach Dooley, Christian Johnson and Vaughn Stiglich. Long, Dooley and Stiglich all bowled during last season’s Singles Regional as well.

Paw Paw boys bowlingAlthough he has not thrown a 700 series yet, Ballard’s top score is 277.

He started bowling at a young age.

“There was a youth sign up out here (at Rainbow) and I asked my dad (Doug) if I could join and I never stopped,” he said.

Making Adjustments

The biggest differences for bowlers this year are wearing masks and having no spectators. However, MHSAA guidelines allow them to drop the masks at the approach.

“It’s kind of hot after a few games, but it’s not bad,” Ballard said. “We can take it down on the approach, but I usually don’t because it’s annoying to pull it down. I have no problem with it.”

Van Der Slik, who also has no problem with the mask, is aware of his role on the team.

“Being the young guy, I’m going to be the only one here next year so I’ve got to do what I can to make the team better,” he said.

“I see myself as almost the middle man, trying to keep everyone happy and doing the best I can.”

The lack of spectators also does not bother Van Der Slik at all.

“It’s actually not as bad as you would think because I’m a very loud person,” he said. “Everyone hearing me, it’s definitely a scary thing for them but fun for us.”

Pam ShebestPam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

PHOTOS: (Top) Paw Paw’s Ethan Van Der Slik begins his approach during a recent practice. (Middle) Senior Derek Ballard lines up his next shot. (Below) Clockwise from top left: Red Wolves boys bowling coach Chuck Zolp, Ballard, Rich Van Der Slik and Ethan Van Der Slik. (Photos by Pam Shebest.)

Gift of Bowling Keeps Giving as Eisenhower's Harnden Pursues Championship Repeat

By Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com

January 30, 2025

Birthday parties usually feature the best gifts for the person celebrating the birthday. But in this case, the best gift might have ended up going to one of the party’s attendees. 

Greater DetroitBack when he was in fifth grade, current Utica Eisenhower senior bowler Dylan Harnden was invited to a birthday party at Shelby Lanes in Shelby Township by friend and current Eisenhower bowling teammate Kingston Corpuz.

That day, they celebrated Corpuz – and Harnden received the gift of being introduced to bowling. 

“That was his first time bowling, and he basically got the bug that he wanted to bowl,” he said Dylan’s father and current Eisenhower coach Mark Harnden. “From that point forward, he just kind of wanted to get better and better.”

The last couple of years, it can be argued that there’s been no better high schooler in the state.

Last year as a junior, Harnden captured the Division 1 Singles Finals title after also winning his Regional. Naturally, he was named to the all-state Dream Team by the Michigan High School Interscholastic Bowling Coaches Association.

This season, Harnden completed a unique career trifecta by winning the individual title at the Macomb County championship. 

“I can say that I’ve won that tournament along with other great Macomb bowlers who have won that tournament,” he said. “It was great to see myself winning it.”

In addition, Harnden is sporting a 222 average — one pin below his average last year — and has scholarship offers in tow from two prestigious college bowling programs, St. Ambrose University in Iowa and Trine University in Indiana. 

Not bad for someone who didn’t know anything about the sport until that birthday party invite roughly seven years ago.

“It only took me maybe about a half year to a year to get the hang of everything and get really good,” Harnden said. “It was interesting at first.”

In addition to winning the state title last season, Harnden as a sophomore in 2023 finished first out of the qualifying block at the Division 1 Final but ended up falling to eventual champion Brendan Riley of Waterford Mott in the quarterfinal round. 

This year, Harnden’s big objective has been continuing to master mental aspects of the game. 

“A lot of things this year compared to last year is the same stuff, except for trying to expand my knowledge,” he said. “Knowing how to transition better, knowing what balls to go to and trying to hit different shots. Just expanding knowledge mainly from last year to this year just so if I encounter new scenarios, I can use it better.”

Mark Harnden said Dylan when he was younger tried a one-handed bowling style, but quickly discovered that going with the two-handed style was a better fit for him.

“It allowed him to bowl with a heavier bowling ball,” he said. “As you know, heavier balls don’t tend to deflect off the pins.”

This year, not only could Dylan Harnden be a contender to win another Singles Finals title, but he has a decent shot of being part of a team champion thanks to a merger. 

The Utica and Eisenhower bowling programs joined forces as one this year, something Mark Harnden said was talked about for a while due to low participation numbers experienced by both programs.

“We’re trying to really allow two programs to survive in the downside until more kids get interested in bowling,” he said. 

What the merger has created is a pair of powerful combined Utica-Eisenhower programs.

The girls team now features contributors from last season’s Macomb Area Conference Red and White champions joined together as one, with returning all-state bowlers Ava Mazza (sophomore, Utica) and Sophia Matheson (senior, Eisenhower) atop an incredibly deep lineup.

For the boys, what was the outstanding duo of Harnden and Corpuz has turned into a terrific trio, with sophomore Marco Mazza joining the fray. Ava and Marco Mazza are twins whose father, John, bowled professionally.

Keith DunlapKeith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.

(Photo of Dylan Harnden courtesy of the Harnden family.)