The girls’ bowling team won the Division 2 state final for the third time in the team’s history and for the second consecutive year on March 6 at Century Lanes in Waterford.

The championship match pitted Kearsley against Bay City Western.

At one point, the Hornets were down 69 pins. However, they managed a comeback.

In the end, the Hornets total pinfall was 1,242, which beat out Western by 30. Western knocked down 1,212 pins.

Alexxa Flood, junior, enjoyed the victory.

“It was a great feeling to hold up the trophy and be recognized for our team’s hard work,” Flood said.

Junior Hannah Ploof was one of the top bowlers of the day and led the team in the final game, bowling a 238.

“I didn’t even know what I bowled,” Ploof said, “I just threw my last ball, came off the lane and my dad hugged me.”

That moment was extra special for the Ploof family since the coach — Mr. Rob Ploof — is her father.

Ploof also had to overcome the obstacle of a torn Achilles tendon. For the duration of the tournament she had to ice it and push through the pain.

Now that the tournament is over, Ploof wears a protective boot so she can heal.

For Flood, who bowled a 199, completing a goal set at the beginning of the season was important.

“My performance at states was, in my opinion, the best I’ve ever performed,” Flood said. “All season I prepared for that day and it paid off.”

In addition to Ploof and Flood, senior Haleigh Rybka rolled a 188.

In an act of self-sacrifice, Kayla Emmendorfer, senior, took herself out of the game because she felt she was struggling and did not want to hurt the team’s chances of winning.

“I took myself out of the match because I knew if I wasn’t performing, any teammate would be ready to go in.” Emmendorfer said, “I did if for the team; I wanted to win and that’s what I needed to do.”

She was replaced by senior Morgan Stephen, and they bowled a combined total of 149.

After 18 teams competed in the qualifying round, Kearsley advanced to the quarterfinal, matching up Tecumseh. Kearsley beat Tecumseh by a total of 184 pins.

The Hornets competed against Charlotte in the semifinal, defeating the Orioles by 221 pins.

By winning the state championship two years in a row, the Hornets earned a spot in history as the first team ever to do so.

“It was unbelievable. All of our hard work paid off,” Ploof said. “Winning states was the last goal on our list, and we achieved it.”