Saline Boys Capture SEC Bowling Title

The Saline Hornets boys' bowling team defeated Ypsilanti, 23-7, at Colonial Lanes Thursday to win the Southeastern Conference title.

Saline finished the season with a 10-2 record.

It is the third straight year the Hornets have won at least a share of the SEC title.

The Hornets were down 6-4 after splitting the Baker games with Ypsilanti.

In match play, Saline took over.

In the opening game, Neeko Robison bowled a 239 and Nick Kaster bowled a 224 for the Hornets. Chris Kmiec rolled a 214 and Nick Tillman rolled a 211. Nick Summers bowled a 160. Saline won four of the five games and outscored Ypsilanti, 1,048-917.

In the second game, Austin Webb subbed in and bowled a team-high 244. Kaster, 214, and Robison, 213, also won their games. Kmiec, 190, and Tillman, 164, fell in their matchups, but Saline outscored Ypsilanti, 1,025-992.

In all, Saline outscored Ypsilanti 17-3 in match play.

The Hornets season was off to a slow start when they lost to Monroe early. But gradually the team came around. Nearly everyone agrees that the season went into overdrive the week Saline faced Monroe and Adrian.

“We had a tough week and beat Monroe and came back to beat Adrian, and I think that’s what turned it around for us,” said Robison.

“We had been bowling well before that week, but things really hadn’t clicked. The wins over Adrian and Monroe put us back into first place and we’ve been bowling well ever since,” said coach McMullen.

With the state tournament approaching, Saline is ranked sixth in the Michigan High School Interscholastic Bowling Coaches Association Division 1 poll.