Submitted Photo Pictured is the Dunkirk Lady Marauders girls bowling team, who won the Sectional Tournament in back-to-back years after Thursday’s contest.

CHEEKTOWAGA — There isn’t much higher a team can soar than the Dunkirk Lady Marauders girls bowling team did a year ago. Thursday, however, the team saw a feat that even they didn’t imagine on the quest to repeating as Sectional Champions and earning a trip back to States.

Makayla Pasierb bowled a perfect 300 game at the Sectional Tournament on Thursday at Airport Lanes in Cheektowaga, as the Lady Marauders successfully defended their championship banner with first place finishes in both Division II and in Class C. Dunkirk will now return to defend their State Championship next month.

The Lady Marauders were the best small school team by 170 pins, finishing with a staggering team total of 5,892, while Tonawanda came in second place with 5,722. After the morning games Dunkirk was in the lead with a scoreline of 928-1,022-1,019-2,969 that gave them just a narrow 41 pin lead against Tonawanda. In the afternoon, Dunkirk really started to pull away as they rolled their high game of 1,043 and followed up with 982 and 898 to solidify their spot atop the small schools with a total of 5,892.

Dunkirk’s first place finish was led by the second best overall bowler, regardless of class, Makayla Pasierb with a total score of 1,402. In the morning, Pasierb started off great with 216-235-225-676 that was good enough for fourth overall individually. In the afternoon, Pasierb finished with a series for the ages, 300-225-201-726, highlighted by bowling a perfect game Pasierb’s afternoon series was 40 pins better than second place. The only bowler to finish ahead of Pasierb was Tonawanda’s Melissa Large by seven pins. Large’s scoreline was 255-300-230-785 in the morning and 227-236-161-624 in the afternoon for a grand total of 1,409.

“To start out the afternoon session our team was not to be out done. Our own Lady Marauder, Makayla Pasierb threw her first career 300 game,” stated Dunkirk head coach Donna Kubera. “This was extremely exciting, but it also worried me a little because everyone was so excited. I was afraid the girls might come out flat the next game, but they did not. Makayla ended up being the second high bowler of the tournament, only seven pins behind Melissa Large of Tonawanda who was the other girl who threw the 300 game.”

Pasierb was not the only Lady Marauder to tear up the lanes as the rest of the team did plenty of damage in the first place finish. Rachel Glowniak finished 16th with a total of 1,216 after a 204-217-181-602 in the morning and 193-215-206-614 in the afternoon. Olivia Corbett took 31st with a grand total of 1,128 with a 177-216-216-609 in the morning and 160-198-161-519 in the afternoon. Mariah Glowniak was 40th with 1,112 from a 155-205-185-545 morning series and 200-199-168-567 afternoon series. Tayler Skelly was 66th with 1,034 from a 176-149-212-537 morning series and 190-145-162-497 afternoon series.

While Dunkirk finished atop Class C, the Forestville Hornets were taking down their competition on the way to the Class D title. The Lady Hornets finished 724 pins clear of second place Falconer with a whopping 5,316 pins against 4,592 pins. Forestville kept it relatively close in the morning after posting 868-864-812-2,544 oppose to Falconer’s 803-860-716-2,379. Then in the afternoon, Forestville reeled off 926-1,003-843-2,772 to build the massive 724 pin separation from first to second place in Class D.

The Lady Hornets were led by Tristian Olsen finishing in 18th place with 1,191 pins courtesy of a 198-206-163-567 morning series and a 183-232-209-624 afternoon series. Lilly Van Arsdale finished 21st with 1,163 from a 223-183-202-608 morning series and 239-147-169-555 afternoon series. Sydney Frost finished 87th with 999 after a 137-187-141-465 morning series and 179-174-181-534 afternoon series. Ashley Forbes took 89th with 996 after a 156-146-133-434 morning series and 151-251-160-562 afternoon series.

Fredonia finished in 9th place for small schools and 8th overall for Class C. Fredonia finished with a total of 4,654 pins after a 788-756-809-2,353 morning series and a 825-746-730-2,301 afternoon series.

Savannah Salim finished 67th for the Lady ‘Billies with a total score of 1,030 after a 200-149-191-540 morning series and a 160-181-149-490 afternoon series.

Gowanda finished 7th in Class D with a total of 3,808 pins. The Lady Panthers were led by Tatum Stitzel in 32nd with a total of 1,123 after a 150-154-240-544 morning series and 225-176-178-579 afternoon series.

Silver Creek took 9th in Class D with a total of 3,682 pins. Laneya Olsen finished 83rd with a total of 1,004 pins after a 138-182-182-502 morning series and 147-205-150-502 afternoon series.

Individually, Savanna Krystofiak represented Brocton and finished with a total of 979 pins that was good for 101st. Krystofiak rolled a 142-150-182-474 in the morning and 158-184-163-505 in the afternoon.

Looking forward, the Lady Marauders will attempt to defend their state title and win back-to-back State Championships.