Last year, Lake Orion’s Kelli Skarritt won honorable mention for her efforts in the Northern Lakes Bowling Conference.
With many of the top girls bowlers returning to the conference this season, Skarritt knew she’d have to work hard on her game to crack the all-conference first team.
Through four weeks of action, however, the rest of the conference is looking up at the Lake Orion senior co-captain, who holds an average over 190.
Her efforts, along with co-captain Megan Woityra and the rest of the girls team, have Lake Orion sitting at 4-0 in the league, in a four-way tie for first place.
‘Our girls varsity, we knew they’d be competitive, but I think they’re surprising a few people,? Coach Kevin Crowther said.
‘Kelly Skarritt is carrying the highest average in the league, in the low 190s,? he added.
But to be undefeated this deep into the season takes more than just one good bowler. The team’s depth is what Crowther is most proud of in just their second year as a varsity sport.
‘We’ve got a couple of J.V. bowlers that could bowl varsity for some squads,? he said.
The team was to play state finalist Waterford Kettering in a big showdown last weekend, but it was postponed due to weather conditions.
Kettering is led by one of the state’s top bowlers in Heather Kazimierczuk, who’s currently chasing Skarritt for the league lead. The match will be played this coming Sunday.
The LO boys team, meanwhile, sits at just 1-3 in league action, but that doesn’t disappoint their coach.
‘Our guys are young and we knew that going in,? Crowther said, noting six of his seven varsity bowlers from last season graduated. ‘Basically our entire varsity program had to rebuild from the ground up.?
The one returning varsity roller is Eric Ramaekers, a junior who co-captains the team with senior Ryan Fitzgibbon.
Nick Dufour is the only other upperclassman in the regular lineup, which features three sophomores.
‘Hopefully, with the young group of guys we have now, we can see a similar progression,? Crowther said, comparing the boys team today to what the girls were a year or two ago.
‘It’s all cyclical,? he said. ‘I’ve seen teams go from being dominant to not being competitive at all and vice versa. You never know what’s going to happen.?
‘I look at the next three years and I see a lot of potential,? the coach added. ‘It’s just a matter of working and continuing to improve.?
This Saturday, the two teams will compete at the Oakland County Championships, a meet that Crowther said they have been gearing up for since early in the season.
The coach said the county competition will be the first time his two varsity squads can see how they stack up to the area’s best, as opposed to seeing the same seven teams each week.
‘The girls? goal, as a team, is to qualify for states,? Crowther said. ‘There are a few girls that could qualify individually as well.?
Regionals will be held at the end of February, with the state meet set for the first weekend in March.
‘With bowling it’s all about how good you are on one day,? Crowther said. ‘That’s the way the sport is.?
This is the third year for the program at LOHS, and their second as a competitive varsity sport.
‘When we first started, we were just doing it for fun,? he said. ‘I didn’t expect that in three years we’d have a girls team competing for a league title and the state competition.?
Crowther said the girls team still has some roster spots to fill. Those interested can contact any team member or e-mail him at kcrowther@lakeorion.k12.mi.us.