BY BUTCH HARMON
After she missed the cut for the final round of 16 last year as a sophomore, and after she finished 12th in qualifying at this year’s Division 1 girls’ bowling state finals, the expectations were not overly high for Grand Ledge junior Barbara Lawson.
But who cares about expectations? Certainly not Lawson, who got on a hot streak at the state finals at Northway Lanes in Muskegon and did not stop until she hoisted the Division 1 individual state championship trophy.
Lawson won all four of her matches in the finals and ran away with the championship match in an impressive display of bowling.
In the final match, against Alyssa Meade of L’Anse Creuse North, Lawson started fast and never looked back as she claimed a 419 – 323 victory.
Lawson won game one 200 – 121 rolling strikes in four of the first five frames and marking in all but one frame during the first of two games in the finals.
She kept up the pressure in game two, as she opened with four straight strikes and went on to post a 219 – 202 victory.
“It feels awesome,” Lawson said. “I felt I got a little lucky, but I threw the ball well all day. ”
Lawson made sure there were few scary moments in the finals, as she started strong in both games.
“It helped getting the big lead in the first game,” Lawson said. “It was kind of all bonus points after that.”
Lawson just missed making the finals last season at the state meet when she finished 17th in qualifying, one spot short of the round of 16. Lawson made sure to get into the afternoon session this time as she finished 12th in qualifying.
“Barb was very focused all day and kept the ball in play,” said her coach Dave Lawson. “She didn’t leave many open frames all day. She just missed qualifying for the finals last year by two pins, so her focus this year was to keep the ball in play and fill every frame.”
Lawson did have a scare in the semifinals, where her match with Nicole Mikaelian of Dakota ended in a 334 – 334 tie. The match then went to a two-frame roll off. in which Lawson was spot on and won 48-26 to advance to the championship match.
“That match was really scary,” Lawson said. “I was worried in that one.”
Lawson worked hard on her game over the summer to get ready for this season, and the extra work paid off. She hopes it happens again next year.
“I’d like to come back and win it again next year,” Lawson said.