Stevenson senior bowlers make one last run at states

STERLING HEIGHTS — Sterling Heights Stevenson senior bowlers Alison Pike, Megan Redmond and Jenna Rohloff have been at the forefront of Stevenson bowling since their freshman year, and they’re ready to graduate on the right note.

Along with a pair of three-year varsity bowlers, juniors Guliana Castiglione and Rochelle Ferris, Stevenson rolled through the Macomb Area Conference-Red division this season, finishing 10-0 on the year.

“I’ve been waiting for this year for four years,” Stevenson coach Sal Castiglione said. “Three of them have been bowling varsity for four years, and the two juniors have been bowling varsity since they were freshmen. They got the experience, and they’ve been bowling well together.”

Rohloff, who was MAC-Red Most Valuable Player last season, qualified for states her sophomore year in singles alongside Pike, and they’ve been dominant ever since.

The senior trio has been a staple for Stevenson bowling, and it showed this season with their impressive play week in and week out.

Following a seventh-place finish at the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division I State Finals last season, Stevenson punched its 2023 state finals ticket once more with a second-place finish at regionals at 5-Star Lanes Feb. 24.

Led by the senior trio of Pike, Redmond and Rohloff, Stevenson finished 44 pins behind first-place Macomb Dakota. Castiglione, junior Jaeda Young and senior Katie Nguyen also bowled well for Stevenson at regionals. Young stepped in for Ferris, who was sidelined due to injury, and held her own throughout the weekend.

All Stevenson needed to do was put themselves in a state finals position, and now they’re ready to rewrite their finish from last season.

“They felt like they should’ve done better at states, and they were really looking forward to this year,” Castiglione said.

Rohloff shined in the singles tournament, finishing in second place and qualifying for states as a single with a 1,247 pin total Feb. 25 at 5-Star Lanes.

Redmond followed right behind Rohloff, finishing in fifth and qualifying for states as a single with a pin total of 1,172.

As confident as she was in herself, Rohloff said she was surprised when she heard where she finished.

“I thought I would do good and make top 10, but I did not think I would get second place, if I’m being honest, but I’m very proud of myself for what I did accomplish,” Rohloff said.

Pike, who finished 13th with a 1,094 pin total, did not qualify for states but was slated to have one last hoorah with Redmond and Rohloff at the team finals March 3 at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park.

Looking for their first top-15 finish at the state finals singles tournament and first top-5 finish as a team, Rohloff and Redmond have some unfinished business before their time at Stevenson is done.

“It’s going to be hard not bowling with them anymore, but I’m glad to finish it off with them,” Rohloff said. “I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.”