Ravenna Girls Rally in Qualifying, Roll Through Match Play to Claim Repeat
By
Perry A. Farrell
Special for MHSAA.com
February 27, 2026
TAYLOR – Ravenna went Nutts, and it culminated in another Finals title for the reigning Division 4 champion.
Only Hudson stood in the way of Ravenna repeating Friday at Skore Lanes. But led by coaches and brothers Jason and Jeff Nutt and boasting their daughters Joslyn, Gabby and Taylor, the Bulldogs dominated the Tigers in the championship match 198-146, 219-155 and 194-162 to seal the repeat.
“It was tough,’’ said Jeff Nutt. “There’s an expectation. Last year we might have snuck up on some people. We weren’t coming over last year with thoughts of winning. This year, after winning it (in 2025), the expectations were high.
“We wanted to be the No. 1 seed. That means you (face) the lowest seed going in (to match play), and that gives you an advantage. We knew coming in Jonesville and Hudson were probably our toughest opponents. That meant those two had to match up (on the other side of the bracket), and we only had to bowl one of them.’’
Freshman Joslyn Nutt, sophomore Gabby Nutt and junior Taylor Nutt comprised three of the team’s five bowlers in the Final. Junior Reese Herremans and sophomore Kenydl Luce filled out the lineup.
In all, Ravenna had four returning bowlers from last season and two freshmen who rounded out the roster.
“I watched it last year, and it’s very nerve-wracking watching,’’ said Joslyn Nutt of the championship tournament. “It’s pretty cool to do it this year when I’m actually bowling.’’
Joslyn and Taylor are sisters; Gabby is their cousin.
“It’s tough watching your kid bowl,’’ said Jason Nutt. “I thought they were composed all day and were consistent. Repeating is tough.’’
Hudson was left open frames and splits during the championship and was plagued by bad shots after advancing as the third seed out of qualifying.
Ravenna qualified first at 3,128 pins followed by Jonesville at 2,965 and Hudson at 2,947.
Ravena eliminated Portland St. Patrick in the best-of-five Baker format (3-1) to begin match play and to advance to the Semifinal against Monroe St. Mary Catholic, which defeated Sandusky (3-0). The Bulldogs made it to the Finals by defeating the Kestrels 3-1.
Second seed Jonesville eliminated Burton Bendle (3-2) to face Hudson in the Semifinal. The Tigers had advanced by winning 3-2 over Byron and made it to the Final by eliminating Jonesville (3-0).
Sisk Prevails in Dramatic Finish, VanDuinen Ends On Championship Note
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
March 5, 2022
CANTON – All Zack Sisk needed was a chance, even as slim as it appeared at the time.
Facing 2021 Division 2 singles champion Kyle Pranger of Grand Rapids Northview in the championship match Saturday at Super Bowl, Sisk – a junior at Gibraltar Carlson – saw Pranger leave a split of five pins in his second-to-last ball of the 10th frame.
Pranger knocked down one more. And that left Sisk an opportunity – if he could throw three strikes in his 10th frame to force a roll-off.
“I was ready to pass out,” Sisk said. “I’m not going to lie.”
You wouldn’t have known Sisk was facing such enormous pressure, because he rolled three strikes in a row to tie Pranger at 409 and force a roll-off where each bowler essentially redid the ninth and 10th frames.
After each bowled a strike in the new ninth frame, Sisk stayed hot and bowled three straight again in the 10th frame of the roll-off to make it seven in a row.
Pranger answered by bowling two strikes, but left one pin on his third ball of the frame, and Sisk began celebrating the first singles title in the six-year history of Carlson’s program.
“When he got the one, I was just like ‘All right, I’ve got to go up there and throw as many good shots as possible,’” Sisk said. “Obviously I did.”
Tom Sisk, Zack’s Dad and the program’s co-coach along with his wife and Zack’s mother, Kim, said he felt bad that Pranger couldn’t get the tying strike because he threw a great ball.
But Tom Sisk obviously was overjoyed with pride over what his son achieved.
“(Pranger) is such a good bowler,” Tom Sisk said. “When he got that one, we went ‘Oh my gosh, (Zack) has got a chance.’ He had to throw three. Fantastic, and you couldn’t have asked for anything better. He handled the pressure very well.”
In the girls event, Whitehall senior Karli VanDuinen finished off a fine career by claiming the singles title, defeating Wayland senior Bella Harnish in the final 460-381.
VanDuinen advanced to the quarterfinal round last year, used that experience to her benefit in her last MHSAA Tournament.
“It feels good,” said VanDuinen, who will continue bowling at Arkansas State. “I’ve been wanting it since my freshman year. But I’ve been working hard in general for college. To finally be able to win it was a nice send-off.”
Seeded No. 3 after the qualifying block, VanDuinen defeated Chloe Fish of Cedar Springs in the round of 16, 409-310, before squeaking out a one-pin win (357-356) over Livonia Clarenceville freshman Caitlyn Johnson in a quarterfinal.
VanDuinen then downed another Wayland bowler, junior Kadence Bottrall, in a semifinal by a score of 441-385.
“During the qualifying, we thought her throws were looking pretty good,” Whitehall coach Tyson Jasperse said. “She looked comfortable out here. She was reading the lanes really well, and she seemed pretty confident.”
Pranger, who helped lead Northview to the team title Friday, was seeded No. 1 out of the qualifying block Saturday.
Sisk was seeded sixth, starting his journey to the title by defeating Brad Spalsbury of Eastpointe 447-436 in the round of 16.
Sisk then got past Jackson Northwest freshman Logan Jahr in a quarterfinal, 473-423, before edging Owen Williams of Tecumseh in a semifinal by just two pins, 463-461.
PHOTOS (Top) Gibraltar Carlson’s Zack Sisk and Whitehall’s Karli VanDuinen earned Division 2 singles championships Saturday at Canton’s Super Bowl. (Middle) Sisk celebrates his roll-off victory. (Click for more from Champions Photography.)