Taking their talents to the Muskegon Sherman Bowling Center on Friday, March 20th, five members from the FHC boys bowling team competed against sixteen other teams and eighty-four other players in the MHSAA Region One Bowling Regionals.

“Regionals is another step up in talent for every team that comes,” head coach Terry Metzner stressed, “so we were expecting to see some really high scores from other teams and players that we have either played against or haven’t played against.”

A familiar foe located just down the road on Leonard Street, junior Carson Hommes, led Forest Hills Northern down memory lane with four consecutive individual performances over 220 to land FHN above FHC in the team standings. Carson’s career-defining day notched him the number one spot among the eighty-four bowlers who came out to bowl on Friday. Finishing just a spot behind Carson in the individual standings, Rockford sophomore Tony DeLuccia also shattered a few pins here and there by racking up a score of 249 in his last game. 

It wouldn’t have been a party without some strikesmen from FHC getting in on the fun, as senior Tommie Payne finished 28th overall in his last bowling match in the Ranger green and white. 

“I started out a little shaky because everyone gets a little nervous for Regionals,” Tommie admitted. “Luckily, I scored a 231 in my last official individual game as a Ranger to place me in the top 30 for Region One.”

Tommie’s efforts wouldn’t be outgunned by any other bowler from FHC, but there were a couple others to finish around the same vicinity as him. 

“[Senior] Joshua Allen finished 39th overall and [sophomore] Peyton Price finished 40th overall,” Tommie noted. “Both of them were just as nervous as I was, but they still bowled really well in their last few games.”

Rounding out the list of FHC bowlers at Regionals, juniors Zach Guikema and Joey Spaletto respectively finished 47th and 73rd among some of the best bowlers in the state. Without Zach and Joey anchoring the team, who knows how some of the more experienced seniors would have placed. 

This year might have not been filled to the brim with trophies or accolades; however, all of the car rides home after a tough loss will only build a better foundation for a successful season next year. As a team, the girls placed 16th overall out of 17 teams. Freshman Olivia Smith headlined the day as one of the more impressive Lady Ranger bowlers to show up, as she finished in 68th place out of 75 with a high score of 136 in her last individual game of smash the pins. 

For some FHC bowlers, these bouts at Regionals were their last stand as a Ranger bowler. For others, these games were a step in the right direction towards a better season next year. Time will tell if next season is “the season”, but all coach Metzner and his band of bowlers can control right now is their dedication in the off-season.

“Regionals were a perfect test for us as a team, and I can confidently say we got better,” coach Metzer said. “Everyone—especially the seniors—should be proud of their ability to come to practice everyday and play competitively against teams like Northern and Rockford.”