Oviedo rolls ahead, Apopka faces uphill climb after Day 1

One defending bowling state champion is rolling, while the other has some extra work to do.

Five-time boys state champ Apopka looked to be on cruise control in the first day of the FHSAA state finals Wednesday at Boardwalk Bowl. It qualified second for the 16-team Baker bracket and won its first two best-of-5 matches by 3-0 scores.

But Jupiter proved to be a worthy challenger in the winners bracket semifinals, edging the Blue Darters 3-2 and pushing the champs into the consolation bracket.

“Sometimes it’s the luck of the carry,” Apopka coach Doug Campbell said. “We had six 9-counts in that fifth game while (Jupiter) carried.”

The Blue Darters will now have to win three matches in the consolation bracket and then defeat the remaining undefeated team twice to bring home a sixth straight crown.

“Two years ago we fought out of the losers bracket, so we know it can be done,” Campbell added.

Two-time defending girls team champion Oviedo, meanwhile, won three matches, even though the third one over Lincoln Park wasn’t easy.

“We sat for 25 minutes waiting to bowl our next match,” Lions coach Pat Costello said. “I’m happy where we’re at, but I’m not happy with our spare shooting today. Spares win championships.”

The Oviedo boys secured one of the final two unbeaten spots after coming from behind against Seabreeze.

The Lions will face Jupiter in the last winners bracket match, while the girls get Circle Christian, which was living on the edge in its final two matches.

The Centurions needed to come back from a 2-1 deficit against Orange City University (which included a tie and two-frame roll-off ) and Rockledge.

University defeated Space Coast in its first consolation bracket match to stay alive.

In the individual tournament, Patricia Rosales of Evans rolled games of 268 and 258 on her way to a four-game score of 983 to not only capture the top seed, but it was also the top score for boys or girls. East River’s Isabella Pohl was second headed into bracket play.

The top boys seed was Boone’s Jacob Hopper with a 943, while Hagerty’s Logan Furlong was the No. 2 seed at 926.