Novi High School senior wins Division 1 bowling state title

NOVI — Madeline Gazzarari, of Novi High School, was crowned the Division 1 girls individual bowling state champion for the 2025 season.

The individual state tournament was held Saturday, March 1, at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park and saw 56 girls from all over Michigan competing for the trophy.

“I worked so hard for all of my life just to get to that point,” Gazzarari said. “You hope to win, but you never know if it’s going to actually be a possibility. … It’s surreal.”

Gazzarari saved her best bowling for the end. She won 430-385 in convincing fashion over Rockford sophomore Sofia DeLuccia.

“The last couple of frames, you knew I would probably come out with the win,” Gazzarari said. “I just really tried to enjoy the last two frames because it was going to be my last in high school as a senior. … I just really wanted to have fun.”

Her path to the championship, however, was not for the faint of heart. Fifty-six bowlers start the day, but after six games, only the top 16 scores qualify for the final bracket. Gazzarari finished in 14th and was just 30 points ahead of Isabellah Asaro, from Lapeer, in 17th.

“I was struggling and I got a little nervous … but that was only (the first) three games, and I knew I still had three (games) left, so you can make anything happen,” Gazzarari said. “I was real close to the cutline … so waiting for the results was stressful. I couldn’t even eat my pizza.”

In the final bracket, she won her first matchup by a convincing score of 406-242 and then followed that up with a 386-329 victory in round two. Then, in the semifinals, things got stressful again.

“I was down 15 pins (at the end of the first game), so I got a little more nervous,” Gazzarari said. “But I knew as long as I kept it within a certain range I could just come back with a good game. So that’s what I did, luckily.”

After dropping game one 178-163, Gazzarari took game two 222-176 for a 385-354 semifinal win.

Not too many people can say that they won a state title in the last game they ever played at the high school level, but Gazzarari can.

“I get the win and everyone’s coming up to me and hugging me and congratulating me,” Gazzarari said. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

This story is also one of redemption. Two seasons ago, when Gazzarari was a sophomore, she was just a few pins away from possibly becoming state champion that season. Now, she gets to put that behind her and call herself a champion.

“Two years ago she came in third place,” Novi bowling head coach Michael Scopone said. “She threw a good shot that got a bad break. She easily could’ve been a two-time Division 1 champion.”

In her post high school career, the 2025 state champion is expected to bowl for a Division I collegiate program. At press time, she hadn’t made a decision yet, but she will be a big-name addition wherever she ends up.

“I don’t see any reason why she wouldn’t start on any varsity women’s team in the country,” Scopone said. “She’s very well sought after. You got all kinds of people beating her door down.”

Novi bowling has taken strides forward over the last couple of seasons. Scopone is family friends with Gazzarari, and her uncle and grandfather help coach the team.

“I know she was stressed out, but I think me and her uncle were just as stressed watching,” Scopone said. “I thought her uncle was going to wear a hole in the carpet.”

Ultimately, the mark that Gazzarari will leave on Novi bowling is permanent. A state champion and a well-known bowler of her caliber doesn’t come along very often, and she’ll be remembered in program history.

“I’ve been coaching for eight years, and I’ve taken four girls to the (state tournament),” Scopone said. “She’s the first one that’s cashed out at the top. … She’s going to be missed big time.”

Gazzarari is a fixture in the school now and will be celebrated communitywide. All of her praise is well earned.

“She’s a phenomenal bowler and a nice kid — very humble,” Scopone said. “We’re very proud. I’m very proud of her.”