Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Coral Springs Charter, Romano strike at state
Senior helps Panthers bring home girls title
Coral Springs Charter School senior Harmony Romano closed out her sevenyear career at the school by helping the Panthers capture the FHSAA state bowling team championship at Boardwalk Bowl in Orlando.
Romano, who began bowling at the school as a sixth-grader, finished fifth overall after qualifying for the individual competition for the first time but turned in key performances in the baker games to help Coral Springs Charter battle back through the consolation round to defeat Circle Christian for the championship. They are the first Broward County school to win a team title since the sport was sanctioned in 2003.
“When we got to the final four, I wrote on a piece of paper and counted 12 to 1, and every time we won a game, I scratched off a number,” said Panthers coach Nelson Martin. “I told them we needed 12 wins for a championship. This is unbelievable. I am over the moon right now.”
Coral Springs Charter needed to beat the Centurions twice to win the title. The Panthers won the first match in five games, and after dropping the first game of the second match, 154-125, they swept the next three 173-169, 165-153 and 181-126 to win second the school’s seventh overall state championship – four softball and two cheerleading.
Entering the tournament, Martin admitted his team was an underdog since it graduated last year’s state individual champion and high school All-American Chrystal Singh, who is at Tulane University.
“Even though Chrystal was a big part of the team, we all made up the team,” Romano said. “This was my way of thanking her and thanking Jessica Mellott [state runner-up in 2013] for what they did to get us here. The seven years was one helluva ride. I will definitely miss all of these girls and can’t wait for college to happen.”
In addition to Romano, two other girls from South Florida reached the round of 16 including Coral Springs Charter School seventh-grader Katarina Hagler and Berean Christian senior Nichole Lewis. None were able to win state titles.
On the boys' side, Jupiter High senior Isaac Gorzynski reached the boys’ round of 16, but came up empty in his bid for a state title.
He also helped the Jupiter boys team to a second-place finish after falling to Oviedo in three games, 185-178, 187-180 and 208-179.
The Warriors had lost to Oviedo earlier in the competition and battled back in the consolation round and defeated Seabreeze in five games to reach the final round. Jupiter defeated Oviedo in three games to force a decisive match because the Lions were undefeated at that point.
“The boys worked hard all season and really came together as a team at the state competition,” said Jupiter boys coach Rick Emery. “I couldn't be more proud of the team and our captain Isaac Gorzynski who kept the team motivated and focused.”
Coral Springs Charter’s boys finished seventh, while the Stoneman Douglas girls fell to Coral Springs Charter in the consolation bracket in four games.