Olympia High junior James Nowells said he was just out having fun in the Titans’ 68-50 season-opening boys basketball win against Dr. Philips on Tuesday night. It’s the 5:45 a.m. practicing before school, five days a week, that’s the hard part.
“Whatever we’ve got to do to win,” the 6-foot-2 junior said after delivering 19 points and eight rebounds in a backyard rivalry game that drew a big crowd to Olympia. Both teams expect to be near the top of Class 7A.
Henry “CJ” Thomas scored 17 points and Jamison Blake scored 10 off the bench. Bishop Wenze Jr. added 8 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots for a Titans team that started five juniors. Olympia has just one senior.
Jonathan “JJ” Watts, a 6-foot-7 forward who was listed as the Orlando area’s top junior prospect in the FHSAA ranks, left Olympia last week and landed at Riviera Prep, a Miami small-school power program. So far, the Titans have shaken off that transfer loss.
Josiah Gillard, a sophomore point guard playing his first official game for DP, scored 13 points — most of them in traffic. Malachi Baker, another transfer to the Panthers, scored 12 in the loss.
Olympia led from start to finish but had to stave off several surges by the Panthers.
“We kept our composure and trusted each other,” said Titans coach Justin Shipp. “We’re going to see (DP) multiple times. By the time we see them again they’ll be way better. But so will we.”
Both face strong opponents on Friday night. Olympia hosts Bartow while DP is home against Central Florida Christian Academy.
More basketball
FSU recruit Brandon Brass Jr. scored 42 points, including the game-winning basket at the buzzer, for Windermere Prep in a 70-68 season-opening win vs. Oviedo. The Lakers play North Tampa Christian at home Thursday night before traveling to Louisiana to play two games in the Baton Rouge Thanksgiving Classic.
Montverde Academy, in its first official game with new head coach Steve Turner, lost 74-73 in overtime against Central Pointe Academy of Kissimmee on Monday. The Eagles play Friday in the Miami Tip-Off event against Southeast Prep Academy, an Orlando independent that was 10-0 going into a Wednesday game.
Oak Ridge plays SoCal Academy of California on Saturday in that South Florida event.
Montverde’s girls, again a contender for national title acclaim, opened with a 68-38 win against Lake Highland Prep, another perennial power. Missy Odom had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Eagles. She signed with FSU with intentions to play basketball and softball.
Dr. Phillips senior Isaiah Gillard (12) shoots over Olympia’s Jamison Blake (3) and Bishop Wenze Jr. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Boys XC
Oviedo overwhelmed 2024 Class 4A state champ Buchholz 22 points to 71 in the 4A Region 1 cross country meet, stamping the Lions as a heavy favorite to claim the FHSAA big-school championship on Saturday at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.
But Oviedo coach Joe Hazera said his team is aiming for even more than the victory. The Lions, with five seniors in their top seven, want to run fast enough to be invited to the Nike Nationals meet, which is Dec. 6 in Portland, Oregon.
Top Florida teams can’t participate in the Nike south qualifier because it is also Saturday in North Carolina. But Hazera said it’s possible that 3A Belen Jesuit of Miami — rated No. 1 in Florida — can be invited and he hopes his team will also be considered.
“We want to run as fast or faster than Belen,” he said. “We’re not trying to push Belen out of it. We want to get in on their curtails.”
Oviedo’s frontrunners last Saturday were senior triplets Aiden (14:57.06), Colin (15:02.42) and Brody Aysun (15:38.0), along with junior Levi Mollica (15:06.12).
Hagerty, last year’s 4A champ, was third in the regional race and figures to again finish high.
Montverde Academy junior Will Moss ran 16:00.0 to win the 2A Region 2 race.
Oviedo cross country coach Joe Hazera (middle) jogs with cross country team members in October. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Girls XC
Bishop Moore ninth grader Annabella Tomasic ran what was by far the best 3A state qualifying time (17:23.7) in her Region 2 victory. She’ll seek to lead the Hornets to a high finish and win her second cross country state title.
Mount Dora’s girls won the 2A Region 2 team title.
The Tavares Middle School’s Red Sea Running Club placed second for girls and third for boys in the Middle School XC Nationals meet in Louisville.
Boys soccer
Windermere Prep (6-0) had outscored foes 42-1 in its first six games. Hugo Magalhaes Stallone, a junior, scored 21 of those goals.
Lake Mary is 5-0 with four one-goal victories.
Olympia is also 5-0.
Girls soccer
Montverde takes a 4-0-1 record into a three-game trip to Mississippi. The Eagles tied a reigning state champ, Ponte Vedra, 0-0.
Lake Mary started 6-0 with five shutouts.
Lake Minneola is 6-0 with six shutouts.
Horizon is off to a 7-0-1 start.
Timber Creek is 5-0.
Mount Dora Christian is 5-0 with four shutouts.
Oviedo was 5-0 before playing Lake Brantley (2-1-1) to a 1-1 tie Tuesday.
Volleyball
Here’s the list of area players nominated for consideration in the Dairy Farmers Miss Basketball awards program.
7A: London Atkins, Lake Brantley; Nora Kretchman, Timber Creek; Amelia Mancino, Winter Park; Ella Mottola, Boone, Cate Palmi, Kissimmee Osceola.
6A: Emily Caldwell, South Lake; Natasha Casey, Lake Howell; Stefany Ortiz, Horizon; Delaney Sloane, Oviedo; Eva Woolm, Oviedo.
4A: Kaylee Winkler, Bishop Moore.
3A: Isa Umpierre, Lake Highland Prep; Natalia Bacquerizo, Montverde.
2A: Ellie Enger, Orangewood; Haley Higgins, Foundation Academy.
1A: Lilly Kirby, International Community.
Enger missed a region final win and state semifinal loss while starting for Team USA in its dominating victory in the 17U NORCECA Continental Championship in Costa Rica. The USA Volleyball team, freshman playing up in age, went 5-0 and cruised past Mexico in the final.
Winter Park repeats as 7A girls volleyball state champion
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
