After an incredible season, the Hempfield High School (HHS) boys' bowling team qualified for the U.S. High School Bowling National Championship, which will be held in Louisville, Ky., from Saturday, June 18, to Monday, June 20. This is the first time in HHS history that members of the boys' bowling team have qualified both individually and as a team for the national championship. The team consists of senior Caleb Mertz, senior Mitchell Barnes, senior Logan Moyer, junior Xander Green, sophomore Derick Keller, sophomore Aaron Zimmerman, and freshman Priest McKenzie.

"It's just incredible that this group of boys ... even through the whole COVID experience, still found time to love the sport, participate in it, and then just to come out of it like a phoenix rising and just crush it," said Sara Johns, the mother of Moyer.

Within the Lancaster-Lebanon (L-L) League, which consists of 26 schools from Lebanon and Lancaster counties, the HHS boys' bowling team was named L-L League Baker Tournament Champions, L-L League Section One Champions, and L-L League Champions. The team placed third in the Eastern Pennsylvania Regionals for High School Bowling, where the team also set a new state record for a six-game baker total. The boys also placed fourth in the Pennsylvania State Championship.

"We were told it was our year, and we proved it," stated Moyer. "Seeing Hempfield placing in the top for every tournament was very confusing for people because no one knew who we were, but they do now."

The HHS boys' bowling team needs to raise $7,000 to cover all the expenses to travel to Louisville and compete with the best high school bowlers in the country at the U.S. High School Bowling National Championship. The funds will cover food, travel, lodging, uniforms, and event registration fees. The boys will compete all day on June 18 as a team, then individually on June 19 and June 20 in the Singles Championship.

With the school year coming to an end and all of the bowlers working part-time jobs, the team is trying to find time to practice and fundraise. The boys must register for the national championship by Wednesday, June 1 - the date by which they aim to reach their fundraising goal.

"The community's support would be so incredible and show the team that the community is proud of them," stated Johns.

The team currently has a GoFundMe page, which can be found by visiting https://bit.ly/HHSBowling. To learn more about the U.S. High School Bowling National Championship, visit http://ushsbf.org/2022hsbnationalchampionship.html.