ALLEN PARK — Grandville senior Ethan Brown has bowled five perfect games during his young life, incredible given bowling just one might be the highlight of many people’s careers. 

It’s hard to believe Brown could do something that felt even better than all five of those perfect games combined. But he did just that Monday at the Division 1 Singles Bowling Finals.

Brown closed out his high school career by winning his first individual championship, finishing it off with a 419-384 victory over Salem junior Andrew Fsadni in the deciding match.

When asked if the title felt better than all those perfect games, Brown flashed a wide smile. 

“A lot better,” he said. 

Brown and the rest of his Grandville teammates went to bed Sunday night a little down after suffering a loss in the team championship match to Dearborn Unified. However, Brown quickly refocused and said getting far as a team paid big dividends for him during the individual tournament. 

“Coming in here yesterday gave me a great idea of what to do today,” he said. “I really think yesterday helped me prepare for today. You just have to keep a level head. The more you keep your head clear, the better.”

Brown was trailing in the early frames of the championship match but caught fire from there, bowling five straight strikes to take a 30-pin lead into the second game.

Following an open frame early in the second, Brown got hot again, rolling six straight strikes to create a deficit too large for Fsadni to overcome.

“At first, my ball wasn’t really coming back,” Brown said. “I talked to my coach, and we made an adjustment. Thankfully it was the right one. We just moved more right and tried to keep it a little inside to try and control that pocket and move that 10 (pin) out.”

Grandville head coach Nick Watkins said Brown was an important bowler on Grandville’s Division 1 championship team two years ago and has been relied on as the anchor bowler for most of this year.

“A heck of a bowler who was believing in himself,” Watkins said. “This year, he stepped up in his leadership role as a senior and helped out the team. He taught himself a lot more. I just couldn’t say any better words about a kid to have on the team.”

Brown was the No. 9 seed out of the qualifying block and started his run with a narrow 380-374 win over Hudsonville senior Mason DeWeerd in the round of 16. 

Brown then ran into a familiar foe in the quarterfinals, junior teammate Cash Pulcifer, who was the top seed out of the qualifying block. 

Brown earned a 469-418 victory.

“We told them, ‘Whoever wins better go win this one,’” Watkins said. “He did exactly his job.”

Brown went on to earn a 437-423 win over Detroit U-D Jesuit senior Emory Stone in the semifinals.

For Fsadni, it marked a second-straight trip to match play after losing in the quarterfinals last year. 

“I brought one of my urethane (balls) out, and I don’t normally throw it a lot,” Fsadni said. “But it looked great in practice, and I said, ‘You know what? I’m just going to bring it in here.’

“I had a great day. This was my goal all along was to be top two. Beat last year, because I have one more year to beat the last two years.”

The only sad part for Fsadni was that his team had six seniors whom he looked up to throughout his high school career. Next year, he’ll be the senior everyone seeks to follow.

“I’d never be here if it wasn’t for my team,” he said. “My goal (next year) is to get the underclassmen to find love for this sport.”

Seeded No. 2 out of the qualifying block, Fsadni first earned a 489-383 win over Muskegon Mona Shores senior Skyler Bosch in the round of 16. He then earned a 427-390 win over Troy Athens freshman Noah Magoian in the quarterfinals and a 405-388 triumph over Grand Blanc senior Lucas Knowles in the semifinals. 

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