Oviedo, Apopka on a roll
The Oviedo girls are on a roll heading into the FHSAA bowling playoffs, but the defending state champion Lions aren’t the only Central Florida team with title aspirations.
Circle Christian is surging at just the right time.
Oviedo is undefeated at 16-0 and won the Oct. 1 Kegel High School Challenge by over 300 pins against a strong field that included Circle Christian.
“I feel like getting in that tournament zone gives you even more energy,” said Oviedo’s Amelia Vasquez, who won the Kegel Individual title with games of 224 and 245. “You’re focused on your team and block everything out. I think that happened at Kegel and that could happen again at States.”
Oviedo has four strong bowlers, including Shauna Rodgers, who led Seminole County with an average of 195 pins per game. But the Lions are looking for one of their freshmen to step up and fill the fifth scoring spot as they open postseason play in Monday’s District 6 tournament at the Oviedo Bowling Center.
That tournament features one of the premier boys players in the area, Hagerty’s Logan Furlong, who averaged 215 in the regular season.
The top two teams in each district qualify for the state tournament Nov. 1-2 at Orlando’s Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center, along with the top two individuals from teams that fail to advance out of district competition.
Circle Christian (13-1), the 2015 state champ, is loaded again with a lineup led by the Chambers sisters: Ainsley, Alexa and Elise. Winter Park (16-1), which owes its only loss to Circle Christian in a close match, will compete against the Centurions in Tuesday’s District 7 tournament at Colonial Lanes.
On the boys side, Apopka (14-0) is looking to win its fifth straight state title, this time without Petey Vergos, who was the individual state champion twice and runner-up once in his stellar high school career.
The 2017 Blue Darters are led by seniors Keith Horton, who averages 211 pins per game, and Gage Stelling.
“You would think after four straight you wouldn’t be hungry, but these guys come to practice every day and work hard,” said firstyear Apopka head coach Eddie Jenkins.
“They want to be better because Pete set the bar so high and everyone is chasing it.”
Apopka faces competition in District 7 from Circle Christian (14-1) and West Orange (13-2).
At least one of the best teams in Central Florida will be shut out of the state tournament.
Orange City University, state runner-up to Apopka last year, is also one of the favored teams with five bowlers averaging over 200 pins per game:
“With these numbers, anyone would have high expectations,” Orange City University coach Shawn McMann said. “As for Apopka, I know they lost their major scorer, but they didn’t earn this streak because of one bowler. It’s going to be an uphill battle to beat them.”
The Titans play in the District 2 tournament at Ormond Lanes on Tuesday.