Centurions bowling teams making steady progress in Year 2

The Montcalm Community College Centurions women and men’s bowling teams are underway in their second season (and last year of probation), and head coach David Berry is looking to steadily improve both teams this year. 

The men’s team is quickly establishing itself as a highly competitive team, taking second place (Ancilla College Invitational, Jan. 3) and third place (Muskegon CC Invitational, Jan. 10) already this season.  

“We’ve been phenomenal so far,” Berry said. “We’re getting what I expected. We came in second and third last week, we beat two established programs (Mid Michigan and Jackson), so I’m excited and happy we were able to do that. I’m looking forward to the upcoming weeks with the results we’re having, so far.” 

With the teams in their second year of a two-year probationary period with the Michigan Community College Athletics Association, MCC is unable to compete in postseason play. But it can compete at the nationals level this year, which has Berry’s team highly motivated.  

“Our objective is to be in the top three in each tournament,” Berry said. “So far, we’ve definitely stayed that course. If all goes well though, with the rest of the season, even through our probation, these boys still want to win, so that’s exciting.” 

With the expectations of making it to nationals, Berry knows each of his bowlers may feel the internal pressure to succeed, but it’s that same feeling that drives them to do well. 

“If we do well enough, I will take the team to nationals and then they can get awarded with the fruits of their labor,” he said. 

The Centurions men’s team consists of six players:  

Sophomore Ethan Hopkins (Fenwick, Mich.) 

Sophomore Nickolas Pennock (Carson City, Mich.) 

Freshman Joey Gonzalez 

Freshman Cooper Hoskins (Portland, Mich.) 

Freshman Bradon Krohn (Fruitport, Mich.) 

Freshman Jack McBride (Portland, Mich.) 

Hopkins and Pennock are the team’s only returning bowlers from last year, however, Krohn is the team’s anchor, even though he’s only a freshman, according to Berry.  

Krohn and Berry met through high school bowling, when Krohn was at Fruitport High School as a bowler and Berry was coaching the bowling team at West Catholic, in which he guided the girls team to a conference title and its first regional title last year. He was recognized as the Division 3 Coach of the Year. 

“Bradon is a stud,” Berry said. “He should be bowling for a four-year school, he’s that good. He’s got that ‘I’m-going-to-prove-you-wrong’ mentality.’” 

Berry said with Krohn’s leadership, he is confident his men’s bowling team can be consistent and tough enough to make it to nationals this year. He hopes this year will set up MCC to make a splash at the MCCAA level next year, when the Centurions team is off probation. 

“Once we get out of probation, and I bring in more people next year, I’m hoping we make a big dent.” 

Three-strong with the women’s team 

Newly established sports programs can experience ups and downs throughout the first few seasons, but despite losing a couple bowlers to academic ineligibility, Berry said his women’s team has held its own, despite only three full-time bowlers making up the team.  

“Just like last year, this team has never finished last in a tournament, and that’s saying something considering we rely on two part-time bowlers to make a five-person team each time,” Berry said.  

The Centurions managed to earn a couple third place finishes in its inaugural season. 

This year’s team has so far finished fourth (Ancilla Jan. 3) and sixth (Muskegon Jan. 10) and includes returning bowlers sophomores Zoey Guernsey (Ionia, Mich.) and Aubrey Marlin (Lakeview, Mich.) and freshman Madyson Hartman. 

The team has been helped in filling out its required five players for tournaments with other athletes on campus, including basketball players Hannah Reed and Emma Rewa and volleyball players Alanna Kent and Briley Andres.  

“Right now, I’m not too overly concerned about scores,” Berry said. “But avoiding last place in our first two tournaments, that’s a win.” 

Berry said his players are learning and improving as they go along through the season, which he is hoping this year can be used as a catalyst towards success next season. 

“I am hoping to build not just a winning program here, but a winning culture, too,” he said. “Our goal this year is to finish with enough players to get the program out of probation.” 

With players like Guernsey, the women’s team has been able to keep its consistency in tournaments. 

“She’s always been my go-to, even last year,” Berry said about Guernsey. “She has a quiet confidence in how she sets things up, even outside of bowling she’s like that. But she loves bowling, she steps up and she has good motherly instincts, too.” 

Berry said Guernsey is still developing into her leadership role but knowing she has a good head on her shoulders, he knows she will become the leader the team needs her to be. 

“She’s on a good path,” he said. 

Playing with part-time players can be a challenge for any college team, however, Berry said his women’s bowling team has adjusted well and his three full-time players have embraced the athletes who have chipped in to help. 

“For me, I’m very analytical and detailed,” Berry said. “So it’s been tough for me having part-time players on the team. Some of them just go right to the competition, and what I do is I watch what they do real quick, line them up with a target and quickly explain strategy since I usually have had no pre-tournament conversations with them. The other women are encouraging them, however, and they do enough with what they’re trying to get done. So, they’re more than just warm bodies.” 

The fact these fill-in players are athletes in another sport gives Berry confidence in believing they are good enough to help the team in tournament play. 

“I know they’re competitive and they want to really do good, so they’re not just there to have fun, and that makes a difference,” he said. 

Berry is assisted by Jason Kelly and Nicholas Slagter. 

MCC will be hosting an invitational at the Greenville Hot Spot bowling lanes in Greenville Friday, Jan. 31, which will include as many as five teams for both men’s and women’s. The tournament begins at 11 a.m.