Anthony Smigiel | Kalamazoo Gazette, December 22, 2011 noon

PORTAGE — Tori Ferris is grateful that her mom decided to sign her up for a bowling league when she was 7 years old, "just to do something."

The discovery of a pool of natural talent has led to some outstanding results for thePortage Central senior.

Ferris won the Division 1 individual state championship last season when she averaged 222 in match play. In eight games of match play, her lowest game was a 213, and she won last year's regional by 226 pins. Ferrishas qualified for the individual state finals three times, has a 235 average and her best game is a 289.

Ferris was named the Michigan Juniors Masters Association bowler of the year this past year and finished seventh at nationals two years ago. She said none of it would have been possible without the support of her father from the very beginning.

"My dad used to bowl, so he was like, 'If you're going to bowl, you're going to do it right,' " she said. "So, he started coaching me, and I really got into it."

The Mustangs finished fourth at the team state finals last season, the best finish in the program's history. Senior Lauren Kingsley had a 188 average, the second highest average in the Southwest Michigan High School Bowling Conference Red Division, behind only Ferris' 220 average during league play. Kingsley had the high game in the division last season with a 258.

Sophomore Brittany Leach had a 162 average last season and was a key contributor for the Mustangs down the stretch. Fellow sophomores Kelly Mott and Katelyn Myers will be relied on more this season, after two of the Mustangs' top five bowlers from last season graduated.

Portage Central has made it a goal to make it back to the state finals as a team again, and would like to finish better than last year (lost in the semifinals by 68 pins to Taylor Kennedy).

The Mustangs also would like to pick up a regional title along the way. They lost to Grandville in last year's regional by 13 pins after they surrendered a 134-pin lead going into the last game.

Bowling will continue to play a large role in Ferris' life after high school. She will attend Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., next year. She has a 3.9 GPA and is anxious to hit the lanes and the books.

"Right now, the opportunities that it has given me, because it's opened doors for my college," Ferris said when asked what her favorite part about bowling is. "My college is totally paid for at a private college I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford."

Perhaps the one bowling award that Ferris hasn't won yet is Miss Michigan. The reason she didn't win it last season wasn't due to the quality of her performances, but rather the quantity. Ferris missed the minimum number of games bowled to be eligible.

Contact Anthony Smigiel at asmigiel@kalamazoosports.com or 269-388-8400.