JENISON, Mich. — The Jenison High School bowling teams are making their mark this season, with the boys' team claiming the number one ranking in Division One as postseason play approaches.
Senior Brady Pettinger said the team's success comes from more than just individual talent.
"It feels really cool now in the moment, but there's a lot of work to do left this season. We got regionals and hopefully states coming up, so we're just going to keep our heads down and keep doing what we've been doing," Pettinger said.
Pettinger emphasized the strong bonds between teammates as a key factor in their success.
"We have a really good squad this year. I love all the guys, like brothers, and I'm just really happy to be a part of the team again," Pettinger said.
Head Coach Chris Slagter said the team's chemistry has been built through dedication and hard work.
"They're just taking it out on the lanes and doing what they have to in order to be successful. And it's from a coaching standpoint, it's very rewarding," Slagter said.
The girls' bowling team is also having a standout season. Senior Kalen Merhar said the team has shown consistent improvement throughout the year.
"All of our scores have consistently be getting a lot better. And I'm just really proud of everybody, because just the improvement and just our team as a whole has been really, really strong this year," Merhar said.
For Merhar, this season represents the culmination of her high school bowling career.
"It's been great. I've really enjoyed this entire season… thanks to everybody on the team and my coach. Honestly, she is one of the best people I know," Merhar said.
As the teams prepare for postseason competition, Slagter said maintaining focus will be crucial for championship success.
"We just want to make sure that we're doing what we need to working on some of the minor things in order to get us to that level where we can we can compete at post conference and then further along into regionals and hopefully at state," Slagter said.
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