L’Anse Creuse North girls bowling focused on state finals

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — One could make an argument that L’Anse Creuse High School-North has one of the best girls bowling teams in the state. But the only obstacle that keeps them from a state championship is a Macomb Area Conference Red Division rival.

L’Anse Creuse North, which finished 7-3 last season in head-to-head meets, finished in second place in the league behind Macomb Township’s Dakota High School. Dakota then eliminated North in the semifinals of the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Division 1 state championship.

While North graduated a fair number of state tournament starters in Kayla Mazure, Julia Helferty and Elizabeth Harrison, coach Darin Driscoll said he expects his team to be right back where they were last year.

“I think the pressure is going to change the way they bowl because it’s different from varsity to junior varsity,” Driscoll said. “I can guarantee we’ll compete, but beating Dakota will be a question mark.”

Led by senior Sophie Paupert and junior Haley Straetmans, North will look to be one of the top teams in the state again.

North was ranked third in Division 1 according to the Michigan High School Interscholastic Bowling Coaches Association after the end of the 2022 season.

Driscoll said Paupert and Straetmans will be the anchors behind the success for North this season.

“They’re very consistent. They don’t veer too much,” Driscoll said. “They’re really consistent with their target and their form. They work really hard.”

After the departure of three key seniors, Paupert will be the lone senior on North’s team.

While a tough transition for Paupert, she said the 2022 senior class helped her grow as a bowler and as a leader.

“They had such an amazing impact. I’ve never been closer than with those three girls,” Paupert said.

Straetmans will also be relied on heavily alongside Paupert as one of the returning state tournament starters.

Only a sophomore during last year’s run, Straetmans said she has a new mentality going into this season.

“I feel like my mindset is confident, but we lost a lot so we’re going to have to rebuild,” she said.

Junior Jenna Daugherty and sophomores Ryann Joslin, Madison Bowen and Lilly Siwka will look to be reliable contributors for North.

Given the number of consistent scorers moving up from North’s junior varsity team, Driscoll said the team’s expectations will depend on how his young bowlers react to the varsity level.

“The pressure is different,” Driscoll said. “People react differently, so you have to figure that out.”

While Dakota faces question marks of its own this year, the teams will likely set the pace again in the MAC Red.

North won the league title in 2021.

With two experienced bowlers at the helm and a young core looking to make their mark, Driscoll said the team has one goal on its mind.

“The goal is to get to regionals and state finals,” Driscoll said. “If we win the league or a tournament, that’s great, but the goal is to make the state finals.”