The Wayland boys’ varsity bowling team captured first place in the 10-team Allegan/South Haven tournament Monday afternoon at Spectrum Lanes. The Lady Wildcats placed third.
Coach Sherry Miklusicak said of her boys, “They bowled on the Phantom Pattern, which is designed to make the oil last a bit longer and scores are typically a bit lower. Spares are a key focus for success.”
The tournament started with two individual games in which total pins was the key. In game one the Wayland boys rolled a tournament high 902 game with Chandler Caruso‘s 236 game, followed by Aydin Tolliver‘s 184, Kyle VanEss’ 172, Stephen Harnish 166 and Wil Dewing combined with Jayse Henkel for a 144 game. They had a 27-pin lead over Niles at 875 and St. Charles was a close 862 as well.
“We fell a bit in game two and had seven more opens than game one,” Miklusicak said.
Kyle VanEss led the team this game with a 177. Chandler Caruso shot 156 (good enough for fourth place on the all-tournament team against boys from nine other schools). Aydin Tolliver 154, Dominik Baker 152, and Stephen Harnish rolled 147.
“I knew our team definitely fell a little, but I am unsure of how much, as the tournament sheets are not ready from the director yet,” the coach added. “I think we were within two pins
Then it was time for baker games, in which the Wildcats recorded scores of 163, 189, 182, 172, 166 and 161. Stephen Harnish marked in 9 of his 12 frames, Dominik Baker was 7 for 12, Aydin Tolliver was 10 for 12, Kyle VanEss was 8 for 12, and Chandler Caruso was 11 for 14
The results going into bracket play were: #4 Niles 2599, #3 Allegan 2649, #2 Wayland 2721, and the #1 seed went to St. Charles. Bracket play would match seen #1 against seed #4 and #2 vs. #3 seed in the best two out of three baker games.
Against Allegan the ‘Cats took two games to advance as they came back from behind to take the first game 200-198. The second game was won 164 to 137.
So Wayland had to face the #1 seed, St. Charles.
“I told the boys not to worry as that was the team we bowled with in the first match of the day and we had beaten them already,” Miklusicak said.
This time it took all three baker games to win, as Wayland elost the first match by only five pins 184-179
“It was a battle down to the last man,” the coach said.
Both anchors struck out in the tenth frame and Wayland had to take the next two games and did with scores of 174 and 165. It came down to the tenth frame again and when Chandler Caruso struck on his first ball and he turned around and proceeded to strike again, ensuring the win.
In the bracket play, Stephen Harnish was 10 for 10, Dominik Baker was 5 for 10, Aydin Tolliver was 8 for 10, Kyle VanEss was 6 for 10 and Chandler Caruso was 12 for 15.
