WESTLAND, Michigan – Mykaela Hunter displayed a knack for coming through in the clutch on Sunday, and that allowed the 25-year-old right-hander from Canada to win the 2025 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Greater Detroit Regional, which was contested at Vision Lanes in Westland, Michigan.
Hunter secured the victory, the first of her PWBA career, by throwing a clutch five-bagger to defeat No. 1 seed Denisyha Waller of Shelby Township, Michigan, by a final score of 212-195 during the championship match.
That five-bagger was particularly impressive given the fact that none of the four finalists had even managed a double up to that point during the stepladder finals.
Nevertheless, just as she had all day long, Hunter threw the shots she needed when she needed them most, and that’s what allowed her to successfully run the stepladder and emerge with her first PWBA victory as well as the Greater Detroit Regional’s $2,300 first-place prize.
Afterward, Hunter had a hard time explaining how she was able to accomplish the feat on the event’s challenging 41-foot oil pattern that only saw nine players average 200 or above.
“I don’t even know where those five strikes came from; I have no idea,” Hunter said. “All I know is that I cleared my head completely because I knew I needed to make good shots. I just tried to stay present, and that’s what I did.”
Hunter most certainly needed those good shots because Waller, who led the 75-player field during qualifying with an eight-game score of 1,709 (a 213.63 average), was rock solid throughout the title match.
Waller took advantage of back-to-back opens by Hunter in the second and third frames to establish a 21-pin lead through six frames of the title match.
At that point, it became clear that if Hunter didn’t start striking fast, her bid to run the ladder would fall one rung short.
But strike she did.
Hunter recorded strikes in the seventh and eighth frames to record the first double of the stepladder and cut into Waller’s lead.
Not content to stop there, Hunter added a strike in the ninth to stretch her run to three and finally apply a bit of pressure on Waller.
Nevertheless, when Waller stepped up for her ninth frame, she was still in control of her own fate.
Working off a strike in the eighth, if Waller could strike in the ninth frame and on the first ball in the 10th, she would shut Hunter out and bring home her first PWBA victory.
Just as she had countless times en route to earning the top seed, Waller delivered quality pocket shots, but a 7-pin in the ninth and a high-flush 9-pin on the first ball in the 10th left the door open for Hunter.
Needing nine-spare, strike for a tie, Hunter came through with two picture-perfect strikes to start her 10th frame, which allowed her to complete the comeback and reach the PWBA winner’s circle for the first time.
Waller earned $1,250 for finishing second.
According to Hunter, her ability to rise to the occasion in big moments comes from a less-is-more approach.
“When it comes to match play, I have to make sure I have nothing going on in my head; otherwise, I start overthinking and overanalyzing,” Hunter said.
Thanks to Sunday’s victory, Hunter will have the opportunity to put that same mindset into practice again during match play at the season-ending PWBA Regional Showdown, which will be held at Airport Lanes in Sanford, Florida, from Dec. 4-6.
Hunter and this season’s other PWBA Regional winners will automatically be seeded into the match-play field at the event.
The winner of the 2025 Regional Showdown will not only receive a cash prize, but she will also have her entry fees covered for all 2026 PWBA National Tour singles events as well.
For as happy as Hunter was to have won at Vision Lanes on Sunday, she was almost just as pleased to have secured that all important Regional Showdown berth.
“It’s so incredible to have that opportunity; I’m so excited,” Hunter said. “It would be amazing to possibly have my entry fees paid to bowl out on the PWBA Tour. I don’t have any current plans on bowling any events this season, but I’m going to try. Winning today definitely boosts my confidence.”
Hunter has plenty of reasons to feel confident.
Prior to the stepladder, she fired the high game of the tournament when she rolled a stellar 278 during Game 3 of qualifying.
Then, after falling out of the top four thanks to a 156 during Game 7, she boldly changed balls and her path to the pocket to bounce back with a 234 in Game 8 to finish qualifying with an eight-game total of 1,675 (a 209.38 average) and earn the No. 3 seed for the stepladder.
She started her run to the title by grinding out a 168-152 victory over Brandie Reamy of Livonia, Michigan, who nabbed the No. 4 seed with a 1,658 total (a 207.25 average).
Reamy took home $600 for finishing fourth.
Next, Hunter won a nail biter over Maryssa Carey of Hobart, Indiana.
After Hunter left the Big 4 (4-6-7-10 split) in the 10th frame, Carey stepped up needing the first strike in the 10th to win the semifinal match.
It wasn’t meant to be, however, as Cary’s shot left a 10-pin, which allowed Hunter to escape with a 178-174 victory and move on to the title match.
Carey, who put up a 1,686 total (a 210.75 average) to earn the No. 2 seed for the stepladder finals, walked away with a third-place finish and $800.
The next PWBA Regional event will be contested March 16 at the PWBA Albany Regional, which will be held at Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center in South Glens Falls, New York.
