Courtesy photo The Alpena Shooters pose for a photo with the state championship trophy after securing a state championship by defeating the Troy Blackhawks. Sofia Spragg scored a basket as time was about to expire to help her team earn the championship trophy.

ANN ARBOR — Alpena’s seventh-grade girl’s basketball travel team, the Thunder Bay Shooters, traveled to Ann Arbor for the Michigan Middle School Championship Tournament and came home with a state championship.

First, Alpena took on the Troy Blackhawks and lost that game 38-37 with .04 seconds left, and Troy shooting free throws. They made one of two, to break the 37-37 tie ,and get the win.

Next, the Shooters played teams from Sault Ste. Marie, and Charlotte, beating both, and advancing to the Championship for a rematch with Troy.

The championship game was back, and forth, bucket for bucket, but with less than a minute left, and the Blackhawks up by two points, Alpena positioned itself to win the game.

Alpena kept battling, and tied the score 37-37 with teamwork and great effort from everyone, the Shooters tied the game, 37-37, when Sofia Spragg took a pass to the post position, and knocked down the shot.

Troy brought the ball up the court with less than 30 seconds left in the game. Looking to kill off the clock, and take the final shot to win the game, the Shooters defense was relentless, stealing the ball from Troy.

Moving the ball quickly down court, the Shooters squad set up the final play, and got a pass down low to the post, to Sofia Spragg, where she fought off a swarming Blackhawks defense, and put up the game-winning bucket to win 39 to 37 securing the championship trophy.

The gymnasium was thunderous in celebration from the Alpena families, and the entire Shooters team.