This is the first year a Merrill all-girls Varsity Team will advance to State.
BY TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Both the Boys and Girls Merrill High School Varsity Bowling Teams are heading to State this weekend, March 1-3, 2024, representing District 9, with three individual bowlers also competing in State Singles competitions.
This year’s Boys Varsity Bowling Team is comprised of Senior Dylan Smith, Senior Brandon Humphrey, Senior Anthony Hanse, Senior Ben Schneider, Junior Carter Kaminski, and Sophomore Colton Burrows and the team moves forward with a 7-3 record.
The Girls 2023-24 Varsity Bowling Team is made up of Junior Marley Krueger, Sophomore Bella Kotta, Sophomore Avery Frisch, Freshman Issabella Scheffler, Freshman Peyton Smith, and Tomahawk High School Sophomore Jayden Dellinger. The Girls Varsity Team finished their regular season undefeated until their last meet of the year, so they move forward with a 9-1 record. This also marks a Merrill first, with the ladies advancing as the first-ever all-girls Varsity Bowling Team to go to State from Merrill.
The State Tournament will be held in Ashwaubenon March 1-3, 2024, with the Boys Varsity Team bowling on Friday night at 7 p.m. for their chance to move on to the Semifinals and hopefully the State Championship, and the Girls Varsity Team will bowl Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. to compete for their chance to move on.
Three Merrill students to compete in Singles Division
Three Merrill bowlers from the Varsity teams will also compete in their respective Singles Divisions at the State competition.
For the boys, Senior Dylan Smith will compete, after finishing in the top 10 fill percentage.
For the ladies, Junior Marley Krueger is the number one State qualifier in Girls Division 9 bowling and will compete in the Singles Division representing Merrill. And Freshman Peyton Smith, who qualified number four, will also compete in the Singles Division for Merrill.
The Singles competition begins Friday evening, March 1, at 4:30 p.m.
The top 25% of Singles competitors will move forward to the Semifinals on Saturday, and the State Championship will be held Sunday.
For more information and possible live streams of the team events, follow the Merrill Youth Travel Bowling Facebook page.
District 9 All-Stars
Singles State qualifiers Dylan Smith, Peyton Smith, and Marley Krueger will also bowl next weekend, March 9, in Green Bay representing the District 9 All-Star Team where they will compete against other All-Star Teams from across the State, Coach Brad Krueger said. “In order to make the All-Star Team for Singles, the kids needed to finish top five for fill percentage in their District.”