Pinter Finds Groove, Claims Tecumseh's 1st Bowling Title in Decade
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 1, 2025
WATERFORD — Right away Saturday, Tecumseh girls bowling coach Doug McKowen seemed to notice something different about junior Kierra Pinter at the Division 2 Singles Finals.
It certainly wasn’t what he saw the day before during the Team Finals, which was a good thing.
“She struggled (Friday),” McKowen said. “Her shot seemed a little bit different. But she got a good look today and was unstoppable from Game 1. She threw it so good, and her spare shooting was fantastic.”
Pinter was fantastic in just about every area, becoming the first Tecumseh bowler in 10 years to win an individual title with a 403-389 win over Carleton Airport junior Abigail Hill in the championship match.
“It’s just an amazing feeling right now,” Pinter said as she was wiping tears afterward. “I don’t know what to think.”
Pinter wasn’t at her best during qualifying, but still managed to advance as the No. 11 seed.
She began her run in the knockout round with a 423-389 win over Pinckney freshman Danielle Martyka, and then defeated St. Clair Shores South Lake sophomore Sara Augustilus in the quarterfinal, 477-344.
Pinter wasn’t as sharp in the semifinals, but still managed to eke out a 339-333 win over Ada Forest Hills Eastern senior Emilee Nowicki.
Pinter got off to a good start in the final against Hill, bowling a 217 in the first game to take a 19-pin lead.
Hill actually outshot Pinter in the second game, but the 191-186 score wasn’t enough to overtake her for the match.
McKowen said proper technique and making spares were the biggest keys for Pinter.
“Just keep your basics,” he said. “We kept working on that pushaway. Work on that pushaway, keep your basics going and we win the war with spares. And we did. Spares was the key today. Kierra was awesome.”
For Pinter, it was easy to pinpoint the turnaround in her play from the qualifying block to the match play portion of the event.
“Definitely people there for me and watching me,” she said. “Me focusing on what mark to hit and follow through.”
While Pinter had a little room to spare qualifying for the match play round, Hill didn’t at all. She was the No. 16 seed coming out of the qualifying block, making the cut by just one pin.
Hill took advantage of her new lease on life, so to speak.
“It just kept me going,” she said.
She first knocked off top-seeded Phoebe Fisk of Cedar Springs in the round of 16, 378-331, and then earned a 368-348 win over Mason senior Avery Beach in the quarterfinals.
Hill then advanced to the semifinals with a 347-292 win over Goodrich senior Teagyn Tong.
Franklin Finishes Title Sweep, Davison Adds Individual Win to Team Runner-up
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
March 5, 2022
ALLEN PARK – Emma Siekierski kept doing just enough to advance at Saturday’s Division 1 Singles Finals, until she put up a 279 game to move to the championship by eliminating Bailey Tomlin of New Baltimore Anchor Bay.
The Davison senior then prevailed in the final, winning 430-374 over Alyssa Fortney of Zeeland.
“I wanted a state team title badly,’’ said Siekierski, whose team finished runner-up the day before. “We struggled Friday. In our gym we have so many team title banners, but now at least I get to go into the gym and see my name for the individual singles title. It’s something I’ll always cherish. I trusted my shot today.’’
In the boys, division Livonia Franklin made it a sweep in the team and individual titles as junior Ian Wright edged Jared Musser of Davison, 400-391, in the championship match.
“I really didn’t think I’d get here,’’ said Wright. “The goal was the team title. We waited a long time for that.’’
“I struggled in the main,’’ added Wright of the multiple competition areas at Allen Park’s Thunderbowl Lanes. “We got to the arena, and I was able to make some adjustments.’’
Holt senior David Schaberg was the top male qualifier at 1,439 followed by Warren Woods Tower’s Zach McMichael (1,416) and Caledonia’s Alec Bisterfeldt (1,365). The Ians from team champion Livonia Franklin – Cain and Wright – made the top six, while Davison also had two in the final 16: Jared Musser and Shane Gagnon. Caledonia’s Ayden Sulzener also made the top 16 at 1,288.
Cain came out firing in the quarterfinal with a 300 game to dispose of Dylan Jablonski of Canton 485-304. He eventually cooled off and lost to Musser, who had ACL surgery in his right leg two years ago, 451-357, in the quarterfinal. Musser is a one-step, two-handed bowler.
Musser had eliminated Nate VanderBeek of Wyoming, 441-395.
Schaberg advanced by beating Matthew Starbenz of Brownstown Woodhaven, 420-390. His next opponent was Carson Hommes of Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, who had beaten Shane Gibson of Waterford Kettering, 378-311. Schaberg eliminated Hommes, 408-395, to advance to the semifinal against Musser, who prevailed 458-388.
Wright moved on by beating Sulzener 469-416. He took on Gagnon, who had eliminated Bisterfeldt, 442-416, and eliminated Gagnon (469-356) to move onto the semifinal.
Macomb Area Conference stars Carter Milasinovich of Utica Eisenhower and Connor Rogus of Dakota had to face each other in quarterfinal matchup after Milasinovich beat Tony DeLuccia of Rockford and Rogus downed McMichael, 467-387. Milasinovich won the friendly rivalry, 409-405, but eventually lost to Wright, 419-376 while Musser eliminated top seed Schaberg, 458-388.
Woods Tower’s Kayla Tafanelli was the top girls qualifier at 1,370, followed by Siekierski at 1,310. Three Zeeland bowlers made the top six: Fortney 1,231, senior Morgan Smith (1,227) and freshman Hayden Pompey-Oshinski (1,224).
New Baltimore Anchor Bay placed two in the top 16 – senior Melanie Straub and senior Bailey Tomlin – as did Hartland with Calie Mitchell and Morgan Maliszewski.
Tafanelli served notice she would be a force to be reckoned with, beating sophomore Samantha Mason, 545-348 with games of 268 and 277.
She faced Ava Crumley, who had defeated New Baltimore Anchor Bay’s Melanie Struab by one pin, 398-397 in the Round of 16.
Zeeland teammates Smith and Fortney faced each other in the quarterfinals after downing Calie Mitchell of Hartland and Hudsonville’s Morgan Blouw, respectively.
Fortney prevailed, 410-393 and upset Tafanelli, 439-422, in the semifinals to advance to the championship.
Nataleigh Eagle of Monroe beat Angelita Mireles of Holt, 332-320. She then squared off against Tomlin, who had finished off Pompey-Oshinski, 397-311.
The other quarterfinal had Maliszewski, who had defeated Aubree Clark of Utica (408-378), taking on Siekierski, who had eliminated Karley Chouinard of Westland John Glenn, 361-322.
PHOTOS (Top) Davison's Emma Siekierski rolls during Saturday's Division 1 Singles Final at Thunderbowl Lanes. (Middle) Franklin's Ian Wright lines up his shot during his championship match against Davison's Jared Musser. (Click for more from Champions Photography.)