Southridge’s Reyes second at state bowling. Plus Columbus, South Plantation, Taravella, Western and more
Miami Southridge senior Joysbeliz Reyes placed second at the FHSAA Bowling State Championships in the girls’ division at the Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center in Orlando.
In the state title match, featuring South Floridians, defending champ Angelica Blimegger of West Boca HS beat Reyes.
Since 2003, Reyes is the third girls’ bowler from Miami-Dade County to place within top 2 and sixth from South Florida (Broward / Miami-Dade) to do so (four champs, two runners-up).
Blimegger beat Reyes 2-0 (238-157, 197-182 -- total 435-339; 228-182, 210-213, 226-193 -- total 664-588).
Reyes, who bowled a 299 in one game, won four consecutive matches in the finals bracket -- three of those in comeback fashion after dropping the first game. She beat Addilyn Orrick-Cole of Melbourne Space Coast HS 2-1 (172-203, 205-203, 299-186 -- total 676-592), Abigail Burke of Pinellas Park HS 2-1 (201-277, 213-192, 182-168 -- total 637-596), Larielle Tharps of Orlando East River HS 2-1 (170-193, 247-190, 208-189 -- total 625-572) and Carly Rhodes of Largo HS 2-0 (226-204, 215-18 -- total 441-391) to reach the championship match.
Reyes advanced individually to that finals bracket by scoring 793 total pins, good for 15th in the qualifier, just making the cut of top 16.
Earlier in the season, Reyes won the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair Bowling Tournament at Bird Bowl. She was a Miami Herald All-Dade first team selection last season.
South Plantation had a very good showing in the girls’ division, too.
Senior Joss Collins led the Paladins by placing third overall in the qualifier rounds with 854 total pins. Teammate Sofia Montefusco (22nd with 762 pins) also bowled well to help South Plantation advance as a team. Collins advanced as an individual, too.
With Collins and Montefusco guiding the team, the Paladins placed fourth in the qualifier to advance to the top 16 team bracket finals. There they beat St. Petersburg Northeast, before losing to Rockledge. They rebounded by beating Vero Beach, but the season ended in seventh place with a loss to Jensen Beach.
Collins then concentrated on the individual format, where she lost to Larielle Tharps of Orlando East River HS 2-0 (257-146, 230-169 -- total 487-315) and Carli Moon of Lake City Columbia HS 2-0 (223-138, 248-180 -- total 471-318) to finish 16th.
In the qualifying rounds to reach the finals at state, Collins and Reyes were the top two scorers of girls’ state qualifiers from Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
By placing in the top 16 in the qualifying rounds, Coral Springs Taravella and Davie Western advanced to the boys’ team finals. There Merritt Island Edgewood and Lake Worth Park Vista eliminated the Trojans, which finished 14th. Clermont East Ridge beat Western, but the Wildcats bounced back with a win over Apopka. Then Tampa SLAM ended the road for Western in 12th place.
Miami Columbus was 17th overall, missing the team cut by just three pins.
Lucas Gonzalez of Western was 19th overall individually at 870 pins, missing the cut for the final 16 in the individual standings by 14 pins. He was the top scorer of boys’ state qualifiers from Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Teammate Jorge Torres was 23rd overall at 866, second highest of local bowlers.
Sergio Alonso of Columbus was third best locally (first of Miami bowlers), placing 25th overall at 864, 20 pins shy of 16th.
LOCAL NOTES AT STATE
BOYS
Belen Jesuit: The Wolverines were 28th in the state in the team standings at 3,118 pins. Their top bowler Enrique Groso 173-151-159-160 -- total 643 pins.
Braddock: The Bulldogs were 26th in the team division with 3,426 pins. Their top bowler Jan Gonzalez 166-175-201-262 -- total 804 pins.
Columbus: The Explorers amassed 3,725 pins, missing qualifying for the team finals of the state tournament by just three pins. Sergio Alonso was 20 pins shy of 16th, narrowly missing a spot in the finals as an individual. The Explorers were 17th overall in the team division. Alonso (240-198-215-211 -- total 864) was 25th in the individual category. Alonso scored the third highest total of state qualifying boys’ bowlers from Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Coral Park: Rams top bowler Tyler Salinetro was 69th overall with 219-177-191-192 -- total 779 pins.
Dr. Krop: Lightning top bowler Earlington Adams was 56h overall at 232-202-225-144 -- total 803 pins.
JC Bermudez Doral: The Thunder finished 30th in the team standings at 2,788 pins. Their top bowler Mathias Mas 168-199-127-145 -- total 639 pins.
Ferguson: Falcons top bowler Remy Dou was 67th overall at 202-192-161-225 -- total 780 pins.
McArthur: Mustangs top bowler Adonis Reynolds placed 30th overall at 207-223-208-214 -- total 852 pins. His total was fifth best of state qualifying boys’ bowlers from Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The Mustangs were 23rd in the team standings at 3,451 pins.
Miami Palmetto: Panthers top bowler Evan Viener was 45th overall with 214-235-192-183 -- total 824 pins.
Stoneman Douglas: Eagles top bowler Bryce Gregory was 63rd overall at 194-190-171-234 -- total 789 pins.
Taravella: The Trojans were 15th with 3,744 pins to advance to the finals of the state tournament. Marvin Nixon led the Trojans, placing 28th overall at 227-203-236-193 -- total 859, making him the fourth top finisher of Broward and Miami-Dade state qualifying bowlers. Merritt Island Edgewood and Lake Worth Park Vista then eliminated the Trojans in the team finals.
Western: Lucas Gonzalez was 19th overall individually, missing the cut for the final 16 by 14 pins. At 223-203-248-196 -- total 870, he was the top scorer of any state qualifying boys’ bowler from Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Teammate Jorge Torres was 23rd at 176-211-225-254 -- total 866, second best of area bowlers. They helped the Wildcats place 12th with 3,829 pins in the team standings, qualifying for the team finals of the state tournament. Then Clermont East Ridge beat the Wildcats, but they bounced back with a win over Apopka. Then Tampa SLAM ended the road for Western in 12th place.
GIRLS
Archbishop McCarthy: The Mavericks were 29th with 2,583 pins. Their top bowler Allysa Metellus (65th overall at 150-169-171-181 -- total 671 pins).
Coral Park: The Rams were 33rd at 1,898 pins. Their top bowler Samantha Orellanos (150th at 101-96-107-141 -- total 445 pins).
Coral Springs Charter: The Panthers were 18th with 2,911 pins. Their top bowlers Faith Tucker (84th at 151-178-161-142 -- total 632 pins) and Cameron Thiele (85th at 128-161-141-201 -- total 631 pins).
Dr. Krop: Lightning top bowler Joselyn Reyes-Clark (92nd at 156-190-123-137 -- total 606 pins).
Ferguson: The Falcons were 27th at 2,629 pins. Their top bowler Karla Portillo (100th at 136-155-144-154 -- total 589 pins).
Hialeah Education: Bulldogs top bowler Krystal Fernandez (133rd at 129-163-107-114 -- total 513 pins).
JC Bermudez Doral: The Thunder were 34th with 1,797 pins. Their top bowler Melanie Rodriguez (161st at 89-101-93-113 -- total 396 pins).
South Plantation: Joss Collins placed third overall in the qualifier to reach the finals of the state tournament with 237-192-204-221 -- total 854 pins. In that qualifier, she topped the list of girls’ state qualifiers from Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Teammate Sofia Montefusco (159-171-233-199 -- total 762 pins) was 22nd overall, and she and Collins helped the Paladins (3,458 pins) take fourth in the team division, qualifying for the finals. There they beat St. Petersburg Northeast, before losing to Rockledge. They rebounded by beating Vero Beach, but then was eliminated by Jensen Beach to finish seventh. Collins was 16th.
Southridge: The Spartans were 31st at 2,361 pins. Joysbeliz Reyes was the state runner-up in the girls’ individual division. She was 15th overall, just making the cut of the top 16 to qualify for the finals of the state tournament individually at 163-213-225-192 -- total 793 pins. She scored second best of girls’ state qualifiers from Broward and Miami-Dade counties. She reached the championship match in the round of 16 finalists by winning four consecutive matches (the first three after dropping the first game).
TERRA: Wolves top bowler Tatiana Chin (95th at 124-152-160-160 -- total 596 pins).
Western: Wildcats top bowler Kellie Monahan (51st at 191-160-183-157 -- total 691 pins).
This story was originally published November 3, 2024 at 1:09 AM.
