Portland bowlers face Ionia and Charlotte

On senior night on Friday, the Portland Raiders welcomed the Ionia Bulldogs for an exciting conference showdown.

The Portland girls suffered just their second loss of the season in a hard-fought match. The Raiders battled back to win the opening game in comeback fashion, but Ionia responded in Game 2 to even the match. The contest ultimately came down to the Baker games, where Ionia completed a sweep to secure the overall win and clinch the league title.

Savanah Sutton led the way for Portland with a 304 series, while Keira Moffatt added a 290 series in the losing effort.

In varsity boys action, the match came down to the wire. Portland and Ionia finished tied at 15-15, but the Raiders claimed the victory by just five total pins. Senior Mitch Pluff delivered in the clutch during the final Baker game, throwing a strike and converting a spare to help seal the win. Wyatt Spear earned high bowler honors with a 257 game and a 444 series.

On Monday, the Portland Raiders hosted the Charlotte Orioles for the final match of the season, and it was an exciting finish across the board.

The girls varsity started strong by winning Game 1. After the two team games, the Raiders held a narrow 11–9 lead. The Orioles responded by taking the first Baker game, 119–117, putting the pressure on Portland to win the second Baker to secure the match.

The ladies delivered in a big way. A clutch comeback — highlighted by strikes from Joslynn Mitchell, Keira Moffatt, and Savanah Sutton — sealed a 17–13 victory for the Raiders.

Boys varsity improved to 10–4 on the season with a strong come-from-behind 22–8 victory.

Wyatt Spear earned high bowler honors with a 248 game and a 430 two-game series.

Seniors Zach Edlund and Camden Calkins delivered clutch strikes in the Baker game to clinch the win.

Myles Jennings made his varsity debut and made it count, throwing two strikes in his first action.

A great way for the Raiders to close out the regular season!