Knocking them down Fab Five style: Clarkston bowlers enjoy stellar season with low numbers
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
CLARKSTON — Sometimes a lack of numbers can hurt a program. In terms of Clarkston’s girls bowling team, it has actually strengthened the Wolves.
Clarkston has competed this season with only five girls on varsity, but what a season it has been for the Wolves.
Clarkston was a perfect 10-0 in the Oakland Activities Association and won the league championship tournament to claim the first conference title in the eight-year history of the program. The Wolves also captured its first regional championship as well to advance to the Division 1 state finals March 4-5 at M-66 Bowl in Battle Creek for the first time.
Also with a top-10 finish at the Oakland County meet in January, this pack of Wolves has kind of redefined the term “Fab Five” at least on the high school bowling circuit
“We’ve only had five girls on varsity all year, so there has been no room for error,” admitted second-year Clarkston’s girls coach Elanor Hallman, who partners with Rodney Pierson to head up the Wolves’ bowling program. “We don’t have a lot of depth, so that means the girls have to step up every time we bowl. They have been able to do that.
“We have four girls on the (junior-varsity), but none of those girls were really ready this season,” continued Hallman. “So we just went with the five girls. I can’t be more pleased with them. They have lived through the pressure of having (to deliver) every meet.”
Ironically, Clarkston is the largest of around 70 public and private high schools in Oakland County and currently rank fourth in the state in total enrollment. But with only nine girls in its entire program, including five on varsity, there literally was a very short bench.
Juniors Stephanie Lavely and Erika Nowak, senior Alice Meyer, who missed last season with an injury, also qualified for the state finals as individuals, while senior Caitlyn Stebbins barley missed the cut. Sophomore Danielle Hopkins is the fifth member of the squad.
“We’ve never been there (as a team to the state finals) so we’re going to go up there and enjoy ourselves and see what happens,” said Hallman. “this is only my second year with the program, but I can’t say enough how far they have come in that (time span). What a great group of girls.”
PINNING DOWN THE REGIONAL FIELD
Clarkston collected a 3,520 team score at the regional meet at Drakeshire Lanes in Farmington Hills, beating White Lake Lakeland (3,504) by 16 points and Walled Lake Central (3,489) by 31 pins.
The top three teams and the top 10 singles players from each region advance to the state finals. Lake Orion was fifth in the 13-school field (3,395).
In the singles competition, Clarkston’s Stephanie Lavely was second with 1,168, just behind Farmington Harrison Unified’s Samantha Maxwell (1,169). Erika Nowak was fifth (1,079) for Clarkston and teammate Alice Meyer finished ninth (1,053).
Lake Orion’s Kate Gladstone placed fourth (1,109) to advance as an individual.
Clarkston’s Caitlyn Stebbins was 11th (10,34) to miss by six strokes, while Lake Orion’s Becca Mix was 16th (1,012) and Casey Bartla 22nd (982).
Clarkston’s Danielle Hopkins was 25th (974) and Lake Orion’s Alicia Babicz 31st (943) to also finish in the top 40.
In the boys singles competition, Jake Pelc of White Lake Lakeland was victorious at 1,231, just ahead of tom Zahari of Novi Detroit Catholic Central (1,229).
Clarkston’s Nick Cooper qualified for the third straight year, finishing a solid third (1,211). Copper was a state champ in 2009 and a state quarterfinalist last season as a junior
Clarkston’s Zach Farough finished 11th, just missing the cut by four pins. Other local performers in the top-40 include Lake Orion’s Mike Brumitt (14th, 1134), Trevor Mielock (21st, 1,116), and Kevin Yang (22nd, 1,104)
Teamwise, Lake Orion was fourth (3846), missing a state berth by three pins, while Clarkston was seventh (3,714).
Lakeland (3930), Walled Lake Central (3,888) and defending state champ Novi Detroit Catholic Central (3849) took the top three slots to qualify.
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Category: Clarkston, Lake Orion, Prep Wraps
