MHSAA Announces Revised Format for 2021 Bowling Tournaments
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 26, 2021
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has revised its 2021 girls and boys Bowling Regionals and Finals, scheduled for next month, in an effort to reduce the mixing of communities and spread of COVID-19.
Regional competition, traditionally a two-day event with team competition Friday and singles Saturday, will be a two-day competition still but with boys competing Friday, March 19, and girls Saturday, March 20. Instead of bowling separate competitions to determine qualifiers for the team and singles Finals, all Regional participants will bowl four regular games on their designated day, with those scores determining the Finals qualifiers for both formats.
No Baker games will be rolled at Regionals; instead, 20 regular games will be counted toward a team’s score. Those 20 regular games may be bowled four each by five bowlers or subs, with the maximum of four games per bowler. A bowler must roll four games to qualify for Finals in singles.
Two teams – instead of the traditional three – and 10 singles will advance to the MHSAA Finals to be bowled March 26-27. At the Finals, teams will compete Friday and singles Saturday, as in the past. The 10 singles qualifiers from Regionals also is the same number as usual. At the Finals, the traditional scoring for team competition of regular and Baker games, with qualifying and match play, will continue to be used.
Bowling the boys and girls on separate days for Regionals will allow host bowling centers to spread competitors out among twice as many lanes. Fewer team qualifiers for Finals also will limit congestion at those four sites.
Spectator limits at Regionals and Finals will be determined locally following Michigan Department of Health and Human Services orders and fire marshal capacity limits at centers. Spectators will not exceed one per participant.
Performance of the Week: Flint Kearsley's Delaney Vanier
January 15, 2026
Delaney Vanier ♦ Flint Kearsley
Senior ♦ Bowling
The Hornets senior standout rolled games of 204 and 193 as Kearsley came back from a 10-0 deficit to defeat reigning Division 2 champion Swartz Creek in a roll-off. The matchup actually pitted the last two Division 2 team title winners; Kearsley was the champion in 2024 before being stopped in the semifinals last season.
Vanier's series of 397 was Kearsley's highest against Swartz Creek and especially significant after the Dragons opened the match by sweeping the two Baker games. Vanier also was a Singles Finals qualifier last season and will continue her bowling career after graduation at Rochester Christian, where she intends to study nursing.
@mhsaasports 🎳POW: Delaney Vanier #flintkearsley #bowling #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA
@mhsaasports 🎳POW: Delaney Vanier #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #highschoolsports #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA
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Previous 2025-26 honorees
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(Photos courtesy of the Vanier family.)