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In a combination of six Baker games and three team games in the Division 3 meet, Sandusky finished with a total pinfall of 3037 to finish 200 pins ahead of runner-up Tawas. Bad Axe was third with 2825

Gordy Williams, who has coached the Lady ‘Skins in all five of their seasons in MHSAA post-season competition, said his young team responded well to difficult lane conditions.

"You can't really look at the scores so much. You have to look at the spread between teams. There's a considerable point difference," said Williams. "I'm proud of the team. They held up good."

A tough oil pattern the lanes, more of a sport shot, reflected in the lower scores throughout the boys and girls tournaments at Bay Lanes. Although all Regionals are supposed to have the same shot, Williams believed there had to be differences from house-to-house.

"I think there had to be a difference, especially when you see scores from other Regionals. I know our Regional was not that weak." Williams gave these examples: there were no girls at Bay Lanes that rolled a 200 game in the team play on Friday and there were only three in Singles on Saturday. Meanwhile, in the boys competition on Friday, out of 240 games rolled by 80 bowlers, there were only 11 games over 200 that were recorded.

The top individual team games posted for the Lady ‘Skins were a 189 from Kayla Colesa and a 196 from Deanna Witkowski.

Looking ahead to the State Finals this weekend in Jackson, Williams feels his team can be, at least, among the ones to reach the playoff round. Sandusky won a Class C-D State title in 2004, was runner-up once and in the semis one other time in the last four years.

"I think the teams to beat are the ones that are there all the time like Vandercook Lake, Kelloggsville, Rogers City. It just comes down to the day. I think we have as good a shot as anyone. We have a good, solid team."

Three Lady ‘Skins qualify for State Singles

Coles, a junior, and Witkowski and Ashley Smith, both sophomores, from Sandusky will all be competing in the State Singles Finals at Jackson next Saturday. Colesa placed second at Regionals for the second straight year at last weekend's meet at Bay Lanes. She totaled 998 in six games and turned in best games of 212-186. Witkowski finished third with a 930 total (206) and Smith had a 901 (162).

"Kayla had a good day," explained Williams. "She was in the lead all day until the last game and she opened in the ninth and tenth."

Tacarra Heleski of Bad Axe slipped ahead in that final game for the Regional title.

"I'm happy with three (going to State)," added Williams. "I would've liked to have more. Crystal Smith was right there all day and struggled the last two games and finished 12th." The top10 advance to the State Finals.

Redskin boys come up short

In the boys Div. 3 Regional at Bay Lanes, Sandusky came away one spot from their goal of a team title. Bay City All Saints claimed first with a score of 3732. The Redskins were next with 3606 and Otisville-Lakeville took third. All three advance to State at Jackson this weekend.

"The shot – it was pretty tough, something we've never seen," said an a somewhat disappointed Del Shea, Sandusky coach. "But, we're second, so as long as we qualified for State, that counts."

Junior Matt Arnold led Sandusky in the team games with a 636 three-game series and a high game of 238. Arnold and Jared Miller each added a 204 game while Ethan Webster had a 190 and Cody Paehlig had a 191.

Sandusky boys teams, who have won just one Regional title, have stepped it up at State Finals, coming away with one State crown and twice reaching the semifinals.

"We're going to work on a few things this week. We'll practice on some tough shots," said Shea, who thinks his team can bring home another State title. "Definitely. If you look at the scores (from other Regionals), nobody's head and shoulders over us."

Webster, Stacer move on in Singles.

Webster, a senior, will return to the State Singles Finals for the second straight year. A season ago, he placed eighth at Regionals. This time he was third. He rolled a six-game total of 1181, just 30 pins out of first place, and had high games of 205-202-215.

"Ethan bowled well. He kept clean all day," said Shea.

In the meantime, senior Dennis Stacer, who struggled on Friday, put it together on Saturday to finish fifth with an 1140. A second-game score of 257 ignited Stacer's run to a qualifying spot.

"That one game gave him confidence," cited Shea. "Then, he stayed steady."

Paehlig and Arnold just missed a qualifying berth by four and six pins, respectively.