It isn’t often that three different girls’ varsity athletic teams from the same school win three different regional championships in less than a year.
But that’s exactly what the Wayland girls’ varsity bowling team polished off Friday at Spectrum Lanes in Wyoming by taking first in the Division 2 regional competition that included 15 teams. The Lady Wildcats, at the same time, punched their ticket to the Division 2 state championship match next Friday at Plymouth Canton.
It was indeed the third regional crown for Wayland girls in a span of less than a year.
• In March 2021, the Wayland girls’ varsity basketball team copped the regional hardware.
• In June 2021, the Wayland girls’ varsity softball team took all the marbles in the regionals.
• Today, Friday, Feb. 25, the Lady Wildcats won regionals, less than a week after they won the O-K Conference title, the latter feat matched by both the basketball and softball squads last year.
It wasn’t an easy feat. Wayland started the day in third place behind Grand Rapids Christian and Allegan and only four pins ahead of Middleville Thornapple Kellogg after the completion of the Baker games. But just like the week before in the O-K Gold meet, the Lady ‘Cats turned on the jets afterward in match play.
The Lady ‘Cats rolled Baker games of 115, 178, 177, 138, 149 and 162. Their individual match game one team totals 795, 807, 788 for a grand total of 3309. Second place was 3193 (Hastings) and third place was 3190 (Allegan). The top three teams will go to the state tourney.
Junior Kadence Bottrall led all bowlers today (even beat the boys!) with a 609 Senior Bella Harnish finished second for all girls and would have placed fourth overall.
The singles portion of the Regional Tournament continues Saturday at Spectrum Lanes.
