Comebacks Succeed for D1 Title Winners
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 6, 2020
ALLEN PARK – Utica Eisenhower’s boys and Zeeland’s girls both went into the regular game portion of their Team Finals matches behind after the Baker round.
Both rallied and ended up claiming Division 1 championships Friday at Thunderbowl Lanes.
Eisenhower rallied from 34 pins down, taking advantage of splits by Salem in the 10th frame to win the crown by five pins, 1,454-1,449. Zeeland fell behind Jenison, the 2019 champion, but rallied in the regular games of the match to win 1,185-1,155 and claim its first Finals title.
“Just amazing,’’ said Zeeland coach Jeremey Baum. “We had shot an 1,119 early in the day, and the girls never gave up.”
“We fell behind, but we stayed positive,’’ senior Skylar Beverwyk added. “We knew we were going to get their best because they were the defending state champs.’’
Eagles senior Dylan Kelly struck out to finish with a 235 and secure his team’s title.
“Dylan has been there for us all year,’’ said Eisenhower coach John Snider. “He’s clutch for us. We got lucky. We had some things go our way in the 10th frame.
Said Kelly: “We kept our spirits up. It wasn’t over until it was over. It’s a special group. We bonded well. We pick each other up when we’re down.’’
Eisenhower fell behind after the first Baker game, losing 216-177, forcing the Eagles to play catchup.
They won the second Baker game, 198-193, but had 34 pins (409-375) to make up in the regular games.
Salem advanced to the championship match by eliminating Davison 1,419-1,243, while the Eagles dispatched of Farmington 1,314-1,160.
Salem had won titles in 2017 and 2013. Eisenhower had won a state championship in 2004 prior to the addition of the sport to the MHSAA lineup in 2006.
In the girls championship match, Jenison built a 63-pin lead after the first Baker game. Zeeland rallied in the second Baker game and headed into regular games trailing 355-325.
“It’s a grind, but the team kept its composure,’’ said Baum.
Perennial power Macomb Dakota was the boys’ top qualifier at 3,684, followed by Oxford (3,624) and fellow Macomb Area Conference Red opponent Eisenhower at 3,623.
Dakota’s run was short-lived as it fell to the eighth-seeded and always tough Davison 1,427-1,359. It was the first time in 16 years Davison had beaten Dakota, head-to-head or in tournament play. Second-seeded Oxford also fell in the quarterfinals, losing to Farmington 1,337-1,313.
Davison advanced to face Salem, which beat Livonia Franklin, 1,475-1,392, while Farmington faced Eisenhower in the other semifinal after Eisenhower had disposed of Swartz Creek, 1,553-1,149.
Zeeland advanced to the championship match by defeating Lake Orion, 1,280-1,194, while the reigning champion was dispatching New Baltimore Anchor Bay, 1,201-1,061.
In the girls’ qualifying round Monroe and Lapeer tied for eighth (3,013), resulting in a roll-off to determine which would face top qualifier Lake Orion (3,344). Lapeer won the tie-breaker, then fell to the Dragons 1,151-1,098.
Anchor Bay was the second seed at 3,184, and Jenison was third at 3,123. Jenison advanced over Westland John Glenn with a 1,415-1,381 victory to face Anchor Bay, which had beaten MAC rival St. Clair Shores Lakeshore 1,224-1,176.
In its quarterfinal, Zeeland opened some eyes with two bowlers shooting 253 and another 255 to set a school record with an 1,119 pin fall in the regular games portion of its match against Rockford. Zeeland advanced to the semifinals with a 1,484-1,232 romp.
Jenison defeated Anchor Bay by 140 pins, while Zeeland reached the final with an 86-pin victory.
Click for full girls results and boys results.
Swartz Creek Girls Complete Championship Climb with Historic Sweep
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
February 28, 2025
WATERFORD —Swartz Creek girls bowling coach Mike Vanderkuur has never had to look far to try and emulate the state’s gold standard.
Ever since starting the middle school bowling program for Swartz Creek 12 years ago and taking over as head coach of the high school team seven years later, Vanderkuur has soaked up everything league rival and neighbor Flint Kearsley did en route to winning nine Division 2 titles over the last 11 seasons.
“It’s always been my goal to do what Kearsley has done,” Vanderkuur said. “It was definitely where I wanted to get to.”
Vanderkuur and Swartz Creek arrived Friday during the Division 2 Team Final at Century Bowl, finishing first out of the qualifying block and then rolling to its first championship.
The Dragons finished their run with a three-game sweep of Cedar Springs in the final, winning 148-138, 223-115 and 201-196 in the best-of-five Baker game format.
Vanderkuur and his bowlers were obviously emotional afterward, reflecting on the fact they spent years together through the middle school program and on the high school team working for this moment.
“Every one of these girls besides two started in sixth grade,” Vanderkuur said. “They’ve stuck, stuck and stuck all the way up.”
As it advanced, Swartz Creek felt like it was destined for a championship match against Kearsley, but the bracket didn’t pan out that way.
In the semifinals, Cedar Springs earned a four-game win (146-162, 172-157, 188-158, 175-148) over Kearsley to set up the matchup with Swartz Creek, which defeated Sparta 210-148 in the fifth game of a semifinal match.
But in its first appearance in the championship match, Cedar Springs couldn’t muster the same energy against Swartz Creek.
“Honestly, I just think our girls ran out of steam,” Cedar Springs head coach Crystal Morales said. “I think the energy was pretty much out. It kind of fell apart at the end.”
Swartz Creek had a score of 3,337 out of the qualifying block, well ahead of No. 2 seed Bay City John Glenn’s total of 3,196.
The Dragons then earned a four-game win over Mason in the quarterfinals.
Swartz Creek was a bit surprised to not see Kearsley in the championship match, but didn’t let up against Cedar Springs.
“I dreamt of it,” said Swartz Creek senior Kaidance Gates-Leonard. “I wish the older girls (before) would have made it. But we do good every year, and we deserve it.”
Morales said the main goal for her team was to make it out of the qualifying block, and Cedar Springs managed to do that by 74 pins as the No. 7 seed.
The Red Hawks then got hot, starting with a four-game win over John Glenn in the quarterfinals before knocking off Kearsley.
“After the first individual game, I didn’t think we were in the cut,” Morales said. “That last (individual game), we pulled a 934, and I was like ‘We might have just pulled ourselves in this.’
Kearsley was the third seed out of the qualifying block and defeated Three Rivers in the quarterfinals in four games.
Sparta recorded a five-game win over New Boston Huron in the other quarterfinal.