Performance of the Week: Flint Kearsley's Delaney Vanier

January 15, 2026

Delaney Vanier headshotDelaney 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

Jan. 8: Stevie Hall, Detroit Cass Tech basketball - Report
Dec. 18:
Ethan Martha, Ishpeming Westwood basketball - Report
Dec. 11:
Louis Smith, Three Rivers wrestling - Report
Dec. 4:
Traverse Smith, DeWitt football - Report
Nov. 28:
Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield swimming - Report
Nov. 20:
Brady Kieff, Blanchard Montabella football - Report
Nov. 13:
Ella Laupp, Battle Creek Harper Creek swimming - Report
Nov. 7:
Hunter Eaton, Charlevoix cross country - Report
Oct. 31:
Stephen Gollapalli, Lansing Christian tennis - Report
Oct. 23:
Talya Schreiber, Pickford cross country - Report
Oct. 16:
Avery Manning, Dexter golf - Report
Oct. 9:
Brady Van Laecke, Hudsonville football - Report 
Oct. 2:
Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25:
Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18:
Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11:
Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4:
Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report

(Photos courtesy of the Vanier family.)

Through the Years: Bowling 2004-16

August 23, 2016

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Bowling is one of the most recent additions to the slate of MHSAA tournaments, with just more than a decade of history as an association-sponsored sport.

But it's also one that continues to grow in popularity, with both girls and boys bowling setting participation records during the 2015-16 school year. 

Here's a look at the brief tournament history for the sport. This feature is from the spring issue of benchmarks, built and written by Rob Kaminski. Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to our previous installments.

Previous installments 

August 19: Boys Ice Hockey - Read
August 16:
Girls Gymnastics - Read
August 12:
Boys/Girls Swimming & Diving - Read
August 9:
Football - Read
August 5:
Girls Volleyball - Read
August 2:
Boys Soccer - Read
July 30:
Boys Cross Country - Read
July 26:
Girls Cross Country - Read
July 22:
Boys/Girls Lacrosse - Read
July 19:
Boys/Girls Tennis - Read
July 15:
Boys/Girls Golf - Read
July 12:
Girls Soccer - Read
July 8:
Boys Track & Field - Read
July 5:
Girls Track & Field - Read
July 1:
Baseball - Read
June 28:
Softball - Read