HILLSDALE COUNTY — After a successful bowling season, we recognize two bowlers for their contributions and accomplishments from this winter. With all-state honors under their belts, Hillsdale senior girls bowler Shalee Van Heerde and Jonesville senior boys bowler Andrew Sackett are the 2024-25 Hillsdale County bowlers of the year.
Senior Shalee Van Heerde represented the Hornet program at the state finals this year. The senior took home the Division 3, region 20 championship with a 1,019-pin total. Before regionals, the senior won the LCAA girls bowling tournament, taking home all-conference honors and earning the top average score and the top five high game for the year.
At the state finals, Van Heerde bowled a single-game high of 215 and a final score of 1,067 pins, finishing just three shy of qualifying for the finals championship bracket. For her efforts, the senior was named to the second team all-state Division 3 girls team by the Michigan High School Interscholastic Bowling Coaches Association. She was the only all-state bowler from the County this season.
Sackett earned his third career all-state honor, including this year's first team all-state and dream team honors from the MHSIBCA. This year, he finished third for the second season in a row at the state finals championship tournament. Both times, he had to face the eventual individual state champion bowler, and both times those champions had to make comebacks to beat him. He missed out on the championship match this year by just 12 pins.
The senior helped lead the Comets to a 2025 Division 4, region 27 team title. He was runner-up in the individual regional tournament. He was one of four Jonesville boys bowlers to qualify for the state finals. He helped lead the Comet boys team to a second-place finish in the D4 team state finals qualifying block.
He helped lead the Comets to two wins in the team state finals bracket over Ithaca and Jackson Lumen Christi. The team ended up taking second place, runner-up, after losing by just 67 pins to Allen Park Cabrini.
In addition to the MHSAA postseason tournament, Sackett helped lead the boys bowling team to a Cascades Conference title and also took sixth overall in the individual conference tournament, earning all-league honors.
Other State Finals results
Sackett wasn't the only Comet boys bowler to earn all-state honors this season. After placing ...
