Karli VanDuinen might be running out of room for all the trophies and awards she’s winning these days.
The Whitehall senior added a big one Wednesday afternoon, when she was announced 2022 Miss Bowling during a Michigan High School Interscholastic Bowling Coaches Association Dream Team banquet at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park.
It might be time to build that trophy case in the VanDuinen household.
“Honestly, there’s a little bit on my floor right now,” she said with a chuckle in a phone interview with CatchMark as she and her parents traveled home Wednesday.
“It’s been pretty crazy, honestly. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s kind of nice to start putting pieces together that I haven’t been (able to accomplish) in previous years, but it’s all kind of coming together in a good send-off for college. I’m excited.”
Sunday night, VanDuinen was presented her VanDyk Mortgage West Michigan Conference Bowler of the Year trophy during a ceremony at North Grove Brewers in Montague. She added that to the VanDyk Mortgage West Michigan Conference Golfer of the Year award she received in the fall.
Last month, VanDuinen captured the Division 2 bowling state title to cap her sparkling high school sports career with an exclamation point.
Also this school year, she collected Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament titles in bowling and golf and finished state runner-up at the Division 3 golf state finals.
VanDuinen is a three-time GMAA golf champion and two-time GMAA bowling champ in her high school career, which began at Reeths-Puffer.
VanDuinen will graduate with her Whitehall senior class on May 26. She has signed to continue her academic and bowling pursuits at Division I Arkansas State University, where she’s set to report Aug. 13.
Before then, she’ll compete in a couple end-of-season tournaments for the bowling tours she’s on and in the Junior Gold national championship competition.
It’s been a whirlwind for VanDuinen, who feels some mixed emotions about finishing high school and moving on to the next phase of her life.
“It goes really fast and then it’s dragging on and then it goes fast. I don’t know, I’m trying to take every day as good as I can, I guess, but then I’m like, ‘I want it to be over,’’ she said.
“I’m just excited and it’s been really fun. I’m grateful for everything. It’s exciting.”
Photos by Scott DeCamp | CatchMark and other contributors
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