Flint Kearsley won the boys team state bowling championship for the fourth year in a row in Division 2 on Friday.
Flint Kearsley was ranked third in the state coming into the tournament and secured the two seed in bracket play.
New Boston Huron was the runner-up after beating Carleton Airport in the quarterfinals and Tecumseh in the semifinals.
Flint Kearsley went through Three Rivers in the quarterfinals and St. Clair Shores Lake Shore in the semifinals.
Lake Shore head coach Jim DeLong had high praise for his team after battling through qualifying and a bracket play match before falling to Flint Kearsley.
“This is the hardest working group I have had in my 15 years,” DeLong said. “We were not at our best and still made the semifinals. I am very proud.”
Warren De La Salle and Bay City Western joined bracket play as well before losing in the quarterfinals.
In Division 3, Durand beat Romulus Summit Academy North in the championship match.
Durand was the three seed in bracket play, defeating Caro in the quarterfinals and Bronson in the semifinals.
Romulus Summit Academy North made the final from the eight seed, beating Adrian Madison and Croswell-Lexington to get to the final. Durand was not ranked in the top 10 entering the state finals.
Other quarterfinalists included Olivet and Ishpeming Westwood. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep finished in 14th.
Blissfield secured the Division 4 team title, defeating Riverview Gabriel Richard in the state championship. Blissfield entered the tournament as Division 4’s 10th-ranked team and secured the four seed in bracket play.
Blissfield beat Burton Atherton in the quarterfinals before knocking off No. 1-seed Plymouth Christian Academy in the semifinals. Riverview Gabriel Richard took down Jonesville in the semifinals and New Lothrop in the quarterfinals.
This is Blissfield’s first team title in boys bowling. Cash Moore, Alex Kudlac, Preston Iffland, Jon Cheney and Matthew Anderson made up the championship lineup.
Bay City All Saints and Traverse City Christian made it out of qualifying to make the quarterfinals.
Many of the same bowlers will be in action again on Saturday when the individual championships will be awarded. Division 1 will have its individual championships on Sunday.
Griffin Beers is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Flint Kearsley takes boys bowling state title for fourth straight year
Reporting by Griffin Beers, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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