Ithaca, St. Louis sending two bowlers apiece to Battle Creek
[private] Northern Lanes in Sanford was a home away from home for Gratiot County girls bowlers, where Breckenridge was regional runner-up last Friday and Ithaca and St. Louis had two Division 4 individual state qualifiers apiece last Saturday.
Breckenridge will compete in the team state finals Friday at M-66 Bowl in Battle Creek, and on Saturday Ithaca’s Breonna Becker and Emilee Fish and St. Louis’ Madyson Hartman and Lilly Masaway will compete in the individual state finals Saturday at the same venue. Breckenridge is making its second-consecutive state finals appearance.
The Huskies had a total of 2,383 points to finish second at Northern Lanes, behind only regional champion New Lothrop’s 2,449. Ithaca was fifth at the regional with a score of 2,324 and St. Louis ninth 2,127.
Breckenridge’s second-straight state berth was hard-earned. The Huskies’ second Baker game was a season low 97, placing them in eighth. But they rallied with games of 134, 154, 179 and 130 to go into the Peterson games in first place, and they held on from there.
“All seven athletes battled and rolled their best, a true team effort,” Breckenridge coach Aaron Wise said.
Representing Breckenridge in Battle Creek are Rachel Laurenz, Rylie Ripley, Julie Becker, Raegyn Mayer, Shayla Joliff, Kylo Riedel and Marissa Bloomquist.
Ithaca was 55 points out from qualifying for the team state finals.
“We started out average in Baker games, ending up in second place after eight games, but never got in a groove in two Peterson games and bowled under their averages for the day,” Ithaca coach Dan Macha said.
But Saturday was a new day, with Ithaca taking two of the top 10 spots. Becker, a junior, was fourth with a score of 1,008 and Fish, a senior, was 10th with a score of 961.
“Emilee isn’t our top average bowler, but she bowls with a big heart and never quits,” Macha said. “She’s a team captain and has been in our program since her freshman year. On Saturday first thing she looked me in the eye and said, ‘Coach, I got this, for you and me’.”
So she did, averaging 160 per game, which was 35 pins above her average, including a personal-best score of 205 in the fourth game.
Becker was the Yellowjackets’ highest average bowler on the season, and did even better in the regional, 15 above her average with 168 per game. She locked up her spot throwing 202 in the the sixth game.
“Breonna will be back next year and look out TVC West, she is gonna make some noise,” Macha said. “She is so emotional, at times I have to clam her down as she wants to be on top of her game and I remind her we all struggle at times.”
For St. Louis, Hartman, a junior placed sixth at the regional. She totaled 976, with a high game of 194. Masaway, a Sharks junior, rolled 963, with a high game of 201.
Saturday will mark the final match for Macha coaching Ithaca. It’s been quite a run, as in 15 years Ithaca has had 11 state-qualifying teams. The Yellowjackets won a state championship in 2016, were state runner-up in 2010 and finished in the state final four in 2011, 2012 and 2015.
“It was tough, but it’s time, and I look forward to being their biggest fan next year,” Macha said. “I don’t count the wins and losses. I count the times I have seen a smiling face, wiped away tears of joy from those smiling faces, and the times I had to mentor those who were down from not achieving their goal.
“The reward they blessed me with outnumber the not-so-rewarding times a hundred times over.”
Boys
Ithaca’s boys team was a spot out from making the state finals, placing fourth at the Northern Lanes regional behind champion Saginaw Nouvel, New Lothrop and third-place Fowler. The Yellowjackets totaled 2,73. Breckenridge was sixth at the regional, 2,718 and St. Louis 14th, 2,343.
Breckenridge senior Chase Mapes was an individual state qualifier with an eight-place finish on Saturday. Mapes closed strong with final games of 231 and 215 for an overall score of 1,134.
Division 3
Alma’s boys team was 12th at the Division 3 regional at Alert Bowling Lanes in Bay City, with a total score of 2,340. Sanford Meridian was the regional champion.
Alma’s Conner Wrath was 18th and Joseph Stankewitz 23rd in the individual regional. Wrath had a high game of 211, and Stankeqitz a high game of 189.
With a score of 1,923, Alma’s girls team was ninth./[private]