Palmetto’s Viener and Southridge’s Reyes are the Miami-Dade Bowlers of the Year
Not many individual bowlers from Miami-Dade County have had the successful careers that Miami Southridge Joysbeliz Reyes and Miami Palmetto’s Evan Viener put together.
This past year, the two wrapped up those respective careers with a couple more impressive seasons.
Reyes, a senior, became the first bowler in Dade history to earn individual state runner-up honors and the closest to winning a state title since Gulliver Prep’s Ana Koff won the title in 2009.
Coming off a memorable 300 game and a trip to state his junior year, Viener dominated once again during his senior season, finishing with the county’s highest average among boys at 209.
As such, Viener and Reyes are the Miami Herald’s Miami-Dade County Bowlers of the Year.
Reyes wins the Girls’ Bowler of the Year honors, after securing the individual District 17 championship and helping the Spartans advance to state as team runners-up. Even more impressive was the fact that Reyes sustained an average of 211, which was the highest in Dade overall.
And even more remarkable was that Reyes did all of this only months after suffering a wrist fracture that put her senior season in jeopardy.
“It was amazing,” Reyes said. “I totally did not expect it after recovering from an injury two months prior. I had to be in a cast for months and it was sad. I thought I wasn’t going to be able to bowl. I really needed that and I realized how much I love bowling.”
Reyes broke her wrist last spring. She started bowling again in August after being in a cast for three months.
Reyes, who has maintained a 4.2 GPA, wants to get into medical school and study biochemistry. She has committed to McPherson College in Kansas where she plans to continue bowling.
“It took probably like a month and a half after I started bowling again to feel like myself. I usually bowl with a 15-pound ball, but I had to start with 8-pound balls first and work my way back. It took a few weeks but I think I became a better bowler because of it.”
Viener was an example of consistency for the past four seasons.
He finished 45th at state after knocking down 824 pins and secured the individual District 17 championship, rolling a 686 series to qualify for the state meet as an individual.
Viener advanced to state all four years of high school and made it to the tournament round twice during that span.
“The 300 game last year really sparked it for me,” said Viener, who plans to enroll at FIU and try to continue bowling in the hopes of a pro career one day. “I feel like I left a legacy in Miami.”
