LocalSportsJournal.com

The area will be sending 23 bowlers to next weekend’s MHSAA Singles State Finals.

Those bowlers each finished among the top 7 finishers in their respective regional tournaments on Saturday. Each bowler rolled six games.

Leading the way is Division 4 with six boys and six girls finishing qualifying for state.

Division 1

Grand Haven will be sending three bowlers to the state meet, which will be at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park. Mona Shores also is sending one bowler.

Grand Haven junior Ben Prokopec finished second in regionals with a six-game pinfall of 1,265. His best games were 258, 225, 224. Mona Shores’ Derek Kern opened with a 132 and things were looking rather bleak until he rolled a 300 game in the second game of the day. He went on to finish third with a pinfall of 1,242. He also had games of 222 and 220.

On the girls’ side, two Grand Haven bowlers qualified. Alayna Thompson finished fifth with a total of 1,096. Her best game was her opening-game 240. Jenna McKinzie finished seventh with a 1,061. Her best game was a 201 in the first game.

Division 2

No area bowlers finished among the top 7 in the boys or girls divisions.

Muskegon’s Earnest Harris was the top area finisher for the boys. He was 14th with a total of 1,073.

On the girls’ side, Rylee Hardenburgh came in eighth place with a 920. She rolled a high game of 242 in the sixth, and final, game.

Division 3

Four boys and two girls will be representing the area in the state finals.

Orchard View’s Ashton Tjapkes finished second with a six-game pinfall of 1,217. His best games were 258 and 242.

Oakridge is sending two bowlers to state – Michael Hruskach and Travis Lewis. Hruskatch finished fourth with a total of 1,188 pins. His best games were a 256 and 246. Lewis was sixth at 1,136. He rolled top games of 219 and 202.

Fremont’s Kaden Johnson was seventh with a total of 1,134. His games were highlighted by a 228 and 217.

On the girls’ side, Fremont’s Sophie Romine came in third place with a 968 total. Her best game was a 214. 

Oakridge bowler Breanna Twining finished fifth at 958. Her best game was a 190.

The finals are at Jax 60 in Jackson.

Division 4

The area is sending 12 bowlers to the finals in Division 4.

Regional champion Matt Anton from Ravenna rolled an 1,158 to easily outdistance the field. Anton’s best games were 220, 212 and 206. Holton’s Aiden Moore was second at 1,097. His best games were 213 and 211.

Another Holton bowler, Tuff Scott, came in third place at 1,053. He rolled a high game of 211.

Fourth place went to Ravenna’s Caleb Jonas with a 1,049. He had games of 214 and 210.

Another Bulldog, Josiah Kantola came in fifth place with 1,035 pins. The highlight of his day was a 204 game.

Holton’s Bo Larabee also is going to state after a sixth-place finish. His total of 1,018 included a high game of 192.

On the girls’ side, Emma Herremans from Ravenna is the regional champion after rolling a six-game score of 1,013. Her high game was a 193. Holton’s EmmaLee Fox came in second at 1,011 with a high game of 236.

Another Ravenna bowler, freshman Taylor Nutt is going to state thanks to her third-place finish. She had a total pinfall of 1,053 pins and a high game of 189.

Holton’s Karley Plekes was fourth with a total of 973. Her best game was a 172.

Ravenna’s Kendra Denhof was fifth with a total of 947 pins. Her best game was a 176.

Rounding out the field is Ravenna’s Zoe Marsman, who came in seventh with a 901. Her best game was a 187.

Muskegon’s Northway Lanes will be the site of the state finals next weekend.