An incredible first year for the Oxford girls bowling team ended with a state championship berth.

Making MHSAA Class III states in their first season as a competitive bowling team, the Lady Chargers finished eighth in Thursday’s state meet, ending their inaugural season.

“Top-eight is absolutely nothing to shake your head at. That’s what we have to remember,” head coach Ryne Bankston said. “As much as Thursday hurts, as fresh as that performance is, this was still an incredible season.”

At states, three aggregate rounds amongst eight teams qualifies teams for a two-team playoff for the state title. Coming out of the gate, the OHS team bowled a great first game, putting them fifth and within very close distance of the top three teams.

Then, for whatever reason, the girls sort of fell apart in the final two sets.

“For some reason, I’m still trying to put my finger on exactly what happened, we bowled probably our two worst games of the year in that second and third set,” Bankston said. “These girls have been great this season but something happened there. We just didn’t bowl our best.”

The Chargers team will lose three of the six girls who bowled on Thursday, but return three of those starters and a few others the coaches are excited about contributing a year from now.