Amid the clatter of falling pins, bowlers from across Miami-Dade County gathered at Bird Bowl to compete in the 2009 GMAC bowling tournament Thursday.

South Dade's Daniel Gajus, who bowled games of 259, 170 and 246, won the boys' individual title with a combined 677 score. Gajus narrowly edged Krop's Shawn Humphreys, who finished nine pins back.

``I've walked home with two bronze [GMAC medals] and a silver [medal], and I needed to add that gold [medal] to the wall,'' Gajus said. ``It feels really good.''

North Miami Beach's Katherine Jones won her second consecutive girls' individual title with a combined score of 687 pins.

In the last round, Jones came close to her first perfect game but left one pin standing after bowling seven strikes in a row.

``I ended up getting a spare, and I wanted to finish strong for my team and myself,'' Jones said.

Jones might have missed a perfect game, but she finished the round with a tournament-high 267.

``I ended up beating the boys' highest score,'' she said.

South Dade and Palmetto won the boys' and girls' team titles, respectively.CROSS-COUNTRY

The Ransom Everglades cross-country teams swept the team championships of the Greater Miami Small Schools Championships on Thursday afternoon at Larry and Penny Thompson Park.

Senior Robert Figueroa-Downing ran a time of 17:18.94 to win the individual crown and help the Raiders edge Belen Jesuit, which ran several of its reserve runners, by 19 points. Ransom is ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 2A by FLRunners.com.

Ransom's girls beat Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest by 37 points thanks to a runner-up performance by sophomore Nicole Carpio, who ran a 19:33.21. Carpio finished second to meet champion Joanna McCoy of Tavernier Coral Shores.

-- ANDRE C.

FERNANDEZ

SWIMMING

• District 12-3A meet: Led by multiple winners Asher Garcia, Andrew Berman and Michael Saco, the Palmetto boys' swimming and diving team rolled to the District 12-3A crown at the Tamiami Park Pool.

The trio's wins in the 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 freestyle, 100 fly, 100 freestyle and all relay events helped pace the Panthers with 576 points.

Columbus finished second with 324, followed by Ferguson (300), Coral Gables (219) and Sunset (134).

On the girls' side, the Panthers again were victorious behind multiple event winners Breanna Selts, Michelle Saco, Daniela Johnson and Gabriela Garcia.

-- MELISSA MARTI

BOWLING RESULTS

Boys' team results: South Dade 2812, Coral Reef 2712, Krop 2485, Columbus 2277, Golmen 2122, Reagan 1674. Top five boys' individual results: Daniel Gajus (SD) 677, Shawn Humphreys (KROP) 669, Lance Elder (SD) 601; Joshua burstein (CR) 587, Rick Jimenez (GOL) 584. Girls' team results: Palmetto 2405, North Miami Beach 2301, Southwest 1983, Carol City 1867, Braddock 1661, Miami High 925. Top five girls' individual results: Katherine Jones (NMB) 687, Victoria Jones (NMB) 552, Melissa Perez (SW) 547, Melissa Covert (PAL), Megan Hopper (PAL) 525.

CROSS COUNTRY

RESULTS

• Boys' team scores: 1. Ransom 34; 2. Belen Jesuit 53; 3. Pine Crest 70; 4. University 138; 5. Mater Academy 166; 6. Upperroom Christian 168.

• Boys' individual results: 1. Robert Figueroa-Downing (RE) 17:18.94; 2. Joel Rosen (PC) 17:31.53; 3. Peter Jude (BEL) 17:40.66; 4. Emanual Kent (UC) 17:45.21; 5. Adrian Diaz-Granados (RE) 17:47.97; 6. Jahmaine Richards (UC) 17:53.10; 7. Mark Trouville (PC) 17:54.66; 8. Bert Irigoyen (RE) 18:12.34; 9. Eddie Bustamante (RE) 18:14.86; 10. Joshua Lopez (BEL) 18:18.45; 11. Billy Scola (RE) 18:19.66; 12. Javier Fernandez (BEL) 18:20.14; 13. Javier Alvarez (BEL) 18:27.02; 14. Eric Branse (UNI) 18:31.23; 15. Francisco Tejidor (BEL) 18:32.01.

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