Veteran Miami-Dade and Broward bowling teams are looking to roll back to state
South Florida’s top bowling powerhouses are on track for the championship repeats they set out for at the start of the season.
The Miami Christian boys’ team returned four of its top bowlers and have dominated the competition so far in Miami-Dade County.
The Victors, who have emerged as one of the top teams in the state over the past few years, are looking to repeat as Youth Fair tournament champions next week and build toward another run to state.
Senior Igar Rodriguez is sporting the county’s highest average (199) through the first four weeks, and sophomore Cody Stevens is close behind with 198.
Seniors Liam Reloba and Ricardo Mesa are both averaging over 184 pins.
The Victors went undefeated last season and are likely to be challenged by solid contenders such as Ferguson, Columbus, Terra, Killian and Coral Gables.
On the girls’ side, Ferguson and Braddock are looking like teams ready to battle each other for a spot at state, and possible district and GMAC championships.
Braddock’s Patricia Velasco (170) and Katrina Hernandez (162) have two of the county’s best averages so far and hope to lead the Bulldogs to a repeat of their GMAC and district titles.
Seniors Angela Chapman, who has the county’s highest average (169) so far this season, and Vanessa Perez have led Ferguson to a strong start. The two lead a solid group of bowlers along with juniors Emilia Alvarado and Kassandra Buell.
An improved Coral Reef squad led by seniors Cassandra Zuria, Amanda Grullon and Savanna Nix is hoping to challenge the status quo as is Terra, led by senior Veronica Junco.
BROWARD’S BEST
Coral Springs Charter figures to be the top contender on the way to state once again on both the boys’ and girls’ brackets.
The Panthers return seniors Jacob Austin, Ryan Hernandez and Joey Galang, whom all had averages of 176 or higher last season, and hope it will be enough to win a district title.
Charter’s girls are aiming for a fourth consecutive district title.
Sophomore Harmony Romano earned an individual district championship last season and leads the talented group that also includes sophomore Julia Galang, junior Crystal Singh, freshmen Madison Foster and Larkin Kramer and seventh-grader Melody Romano.
Bowling season overview
KEY DATES
Sept. 30: Youth Fair championship at Bird Bowl
Oct. 17: GMAC championship at Bird Bowl
Oct. 24-26: Districts
Nov. 2-3: State championship at Boardwalk Bowl in Orlando
2015 STATE CHAMPIONS
Boys: Apopka; Girls: Orlando Circle Christian.
TOP DADE BOYS
Marek Bochnik, Terra, Sr.
Joseph Crusan, Killian
Arturo Diaz Dube, Coral Gables, Sr.
Jorge Herrera, Ferguson, Sr.
Ricardo Mesa, Miami Christian, Sr.
Jorge Orfila, Killian
Liam Reloba, Miami Christian, Sr.
Igar Rodriguez, Miami Christian, Sr.
Cody Stevens, Miami Christian, So.
TOP DADE GIRLS
Angela Chapman, Ferguson, Sr.
Amanda Grullon, Coral Reef, Sr.
Katrina Hernandez, Braddock
Veronica Junco, Terra, Sr.
Savanna Nix, Coral Reef, Sr.
Vanessa Perez, Ferguson, Sr.
Patricia Velasco, Braddock, Sr.
Cassandra Zuria, Coral Reef, Sr.
TOP BROWARD BOYS
Jacob Austin, Coral Springs Charter, Sr.
James Booker IV, Miramar, Sr.
Zachary Conrad, Taravella, Sr.
Ryan Hernandez, Coral Springs Charter, Sr.
Joey Galang, Coral Springs Charter, So.
Gavin McCarthy, Taravella, So.
TOP BROWARD GIRLS
Madison Foster, Coral Springs Charter, Fr.
Julia Galang, Coral Springs Charter, So.
Nia Grinion, Everglades, Sr.
Larkin Kramer, Coral Springs Charter, Fr.
Harmony Romano, Coral Springs Charter, So.
Crystal Singh, Coral Springs Charter, Jr.
Boys’ outlooks
ARCHBISHOP MCCARTHY (Coach Chris Covone, 5th year): Last year: 3-9. Top bowlers: Juan Martin Abreu-Melon, Sr.; Daniel Tipps, So.; Brian Warner, So.; Matthew Estenoz, Jr.; Ryan Maltz, Sr.
BELEN JESUIT (Coach Jorge L. Martinez, 3rd year, 8-7): Last year: 3-3. Top bowlers: Jacob Wutzler, So.; Michael Ahearn, Sr.
COLUMBUS (Coach Adam Scholer, 28th year, 328-36): Last year: 8-3. Top bowlers: Gabe Perez, Giancarlo Perez, Alex Ugarde.
CORAL GLADES (Coach Drew Goldfinger, 1st year): Last year: N/A. Top bowlers: Timothy Caperton, Xavier Torrovella, Adam Sokoloff, Cody Knaul, Tykem Thompson.
CORAL REEF (Coach Oswald Ansley, 2nd year, 3-6): Last year: 3-6. Top bowlers: Gabriel Castrello, Jr.; Oscar Pichardo, Jr.
CORAL SPRINGS CHARTER (Coach Nelson Martin, 8th year, 63-15): Last year: 10-2. Top bowlers: Ryan Hernandez, Sr.; Joey Galang, So.; Jacob Austin, Sr.
KILLIAN (Coach Angel Herrera, 2nd year): Last year: 6-3. Top bowlers: Alejandro Mosquera, Sr.; Kyle Krtausch, Jr.
MIAMI CHRISTIAN (Coach Amado Yaniz, 6th year, 65-3): Last year: 17-0 (Seventh at state). Top bowlers: Igar Rodriguez, Sr.; Liam Reloba, Sr.; Cody Stevens, So.; Ricardo Mesa, Jr., Sr.
PALMETTO (Coach Chris Hirth, 12th year): Last year: 4-3. Top bowlers: Eddy Santraella, Jr.; Michael Trainor, Sr.
TERRA (Coach Ed Garland, 5th year at Terra, 8th overall, 66-11): Last year: 10-0 (District runner-up). Top bowlers: Marek Bochnik, Sr.; William Reyes, Jr.
Girls’ outlooks
ARCHBISHOP MCCARTHY (Coach Chris Covone, 5th year): Last year: 8-4. Top bowlers: Maria Alejandra Chavez, Sr.; Kristin Martin, Jr.
CORAL GLADES (Coach Drew Goldfinger, 1st year): Last year: N/A. Top bowlers: Elisa Mathis.
CORAL REEF (Coach Oswald Ansley, 2nd year, 7-2): Last year: 7-2. Top bowlers: Cassandra Zuria, Sr.; Amanda Grullon, Sr.; Savanna Nix, Sr.
CORAL SPRINGS CHARTER (Coach Nelson Martin, 8th year, 70-11): Last year: 12-0 (Fifth at state). Top bowlers: Crystal Singh, Jr.; Harmony Romano, So.; Larkin Kramer, Fr.; Madison Foster, Fr.; Julia Galang, So.; Melody Romano, 7th.
FERGUSON (Coach Marcela Del Rosario, 6th year, 52-5): Last year: 10-1 (District runner-up). Top bowlers: Angela Chapman, Sr.; Vanessa Perez, Sr.; Emilia Alvarado, Jr.; Kassandra Buell, Jr.; Laura Martinez, So.; Diana Taveras, Jr.
KILLIAN (Coach Angel Herrera, 2nd year): Last year: 6-3. Top bowlers: Destiny Diaz, Fr.; Sofia Gonzalez, Sr.
PALMETTO (Coach Chris Hirth, 12th year): Last year: 3-4. Top bowlers: Remy Farkas, Sr.; Delaney Richman, Jr.
TERRA (Coach Ed Garland, 5th year at Terra, 8th overall, 31-11): Last year: 5-5. Top bowlers: Veronica Junco, Sr.; Nicole Bryson, Sr.; Elena Waechter, Jr.
This story was originally published September 21, 2016 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Veteran Miami-Dade and Broward bowling teams are looking to roll back to state."