Last weekend, both the Brandywine boys and girls bowling teams were in Muskegon to compete in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional Bowling Championships, with the hopes of advancing to the state finals either as a team or as individuals this coming weekend in Sterling Heights.

While neither team was able to advance, Alex Walters was the lone Bobcat to advance to the state finals and he did so as an individual.

The girls team, consisting of Becky Walter, Elizabeth Rydwelski, Courtney Maynard, Josie Dierickx, Emilia Kuemin, Jessica Jorgensen, Morgan Dunnuck and Heavan Dietz, placed eighth out of the 14 teams competing. With no seniors on the team, they have high hopes for next year.

The boys team, which included Charles Kuemin, Ryan Probst, Alex Reichanadter, Blake Lerner, Walters, Patrick Van Kirk, Jake Szilagyi and Cody Brackett, finished seventh out of the 13 teams competing.

After only a few games and a few months of bowling, freshman Blake Lerner was off to a strong start shooting a 211 and a 180. Two games into the event, Lerner was in seventh place. Unfortunately he would not qualify for the finals this season.

Senior co-captain Probst had a very good day as well, averaging nearly 160 pins per game, but falling short of the finals as well.

Kuemin, a sophomore, was close, but fell just short with 175 pin average. His teammates and his coach have high hopes for him next season, after he was only 45 pins away from placing.

The other senior on the roster, Reichanadter, finished his career with a 174 for the regional tournament.

Freshman Szilagyi had a tough day, averaging just over 150 pins for the regional tournament.

The lone qualifier for the Bobcats, Walters started off slow and was 25th after just three games, rebounded to shoot a 222 and a 230 game back-to-back, to move him to second place after five games. Walters finished off strong, only dropping to fifth place where he would finish the day.

He will be representing the entire Bobcat bowling program today in Sterling Heights.

In its fourth season, Brandywine has once again managed to send at least one bowler to the finals. Doing this in every year of its existence.

Walters hopes to be the first top 10 placer for Brandywine, with its highest qualifier ever, being three years ago with Tyler Hill who finished 13th.