The Kegel High School Challenge is second only to the FHSAA state finals when it comes to challenging bowling tournaments for Florida varsity teams.
But East River’s girls and South Lake’s boys made things look easy when they ran away with the team and individual championships Saturday at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales.
The two-time defending state champ East River girls, on an unbeaten streak that began with a perfect 2023 season and includes the 2024 Kegel crown, knocked down 3,006 pins to dominate, finishing ahead of second-place Bell Creek Academy (2,747), a Tampa area team. Winter Park, which is 7-0 in regular-season matches, was third at 2,274.
East River junior Larielle Tharps, the Sentinel player of the year as a sophomore, bowled a stellar 493 two-game series to claim the individual title ahead of Falcons teammate Camdyn Nielsen (443).
“Getting a 3,000 score, which is a 200 average per game, was big,” Falcons coach Tom Tagye said. “That was about the best I’ve ever seen our girls bowl. They were just on fire.”
The East River girls score would have placed fourth in the boys tournament.
The South Lake boys, also undefeated this season, had an even bigger margin of victory with a 3,503 total. Somerset College Prep of St. Lucie West was second (3,067), followed by Seabreeze (3,018) and East River (2,948).
“We were so far ahead, I took out three of our starters for the last Baker game, and we still shot 258,” said 10th-year South Lake coach Matt Sanderlin. “I really think our 6, 7 and 8 bowlers could start on most other teams in the state.”
Ryan Sapp had a 506 series and Dale Hull added a 500 to lead the Eagles.
The boys individual champion was East River junior Francis “Poncho” Johnson (515), who was the state runner-up in 2023 and 2024.
East River’s Kegel High School Challenge girls bowling title team, left to right: Aynilee McKay-Levine, Mya Vidal, Emily Marmolejo, Camdyn Nielsen, Larielle Tharps (individual champ), Jada Vidal, Emmalou Molina, and Tara Vidal (East River courtesy photo)
Boys bowling
Windermere High’s boys racked up a school record 3,018 score to beat tradition-rich Apopka (2,541) for the first time. Ryan Martina bowled a 672 three-game series. Andrews De La Rosa, a district tournament winner as a junior last season, added a 638 and Juan Pablo Rodriguez Flor shot 614.
Dr. Phillips totaled 2,395 in a tri-match win that saw Edgewater’s Kohl Vandenburg post a 259 game and 637 series.
Hagerty improved to 9-0 with a 2,449 to 2,318 win over Oviedo.
Boone dealt Timber Creek (7-1) its first loss.
East River freshman FHSAA runner-up Francis Johnson leads Orlando All-Area boys bowling
Hoops happening
The 17th Annual Hoop Exchange Fall Festival on Saturday (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) brings nearly 100 teams and more than 800 boys high school basketball players to The Big House in Tavares.
Local entries include Oak Ridge, Edgewater, Olympia, Windermere, Dr. Phillips, Lake Highland Prep and Windermere Prep and a burgeoning Southeastern Prep franchise that has landed two of the nation’s top four sophomore prospects in CJ Rosser (6-foot-9) and Obinna Ekezie Jr. (7-0).
The long list of 4-star prospects includes Toni Bryant, 6-foot-9 Sr. (Zephyrhills Christian); Joe Philon, 6-8 Sr. (Montverde); and Windermere Prep’s Brandon Bass Jr., 6-4 Sr., who recently committed to FSU.
Admission is $20.
Cross country
Oviedo’s boys won the West Orange Invitational on a fast track with Colin Aysun (15:31), Aiden Aysun (15:38.9) and Levi Mollica (15:42.0) running season-best times. They were the 2-3-4 placers behind East Ridge sophomore Alex Sallault (15:24.2).
Hagerty’s boys remained unbeaten with a win at the Joe McKinney Classic in New Smyrna Beach. Boone won the girls race.
Montverde Academy’s Will Moss ran 15:39.91 to win at the Tohopekaliga Invitational.
Circle Christian was the boys and girls winner at the East River Invitational.
Lake Minneola won both team titles at its own Hawks on the Hill Invitational.
East Ridge’s depth gave the Knights girls first place at the West Orange Invitational.
Windermere won the Tohopekaliga Invitational girls race.
The 18:40.37 run by East Ridge senior Rhyen Foley at the North Port Invitational is second fastest among area girls behind Lake Nona sophomore Arabela Duffell (18:36.40). Third on that list is Boone senior Layla Sahaydak (18:40.4).
The Ocoee Invitational is Saturday, including Oviedo’s boys.
Winter Park’s girls volleyball team won the Metro Conference East Division championship for the fourth consecutive season. Pictured are: Front row, leaning forward: Dari Adams, Paige Lehman, Sophia Stallworth, Jordyn Lehman, Isabel Bertelsen, Ashley Pagan. Back row, standing, left to right: coach Paul Furukawa, coach Tom Snodgrass, coach Emily Ewing, Autumn Salmon, Sophia Brown, Ellie Rodriguez, Isabel Incinelli, Amber McClain, Amelia Mancino, head coach Stephanie Gibson, athletic director Charlie Battaglini. (Angie Lehman courtesy photo).
Volleyball
Class 7A No. 1 Winter Park (15-1) won the Metro Conference East tournament, topping Innovation (14-4) in the final, 25-16, 25-21.
Olympia (16-2) won 25-16, 23-25, 15-10 against Horizon (14-3) to claim the Metro West crown.
Olympia coach Semei Tello Ponce says setter Madison Wehr and Libero Eliza Perdue, both seasoned seniors, have made the Titans go.
“You can have the best hitters in the world, but if you do not have a good setter or a good libero, you will struggle to get your offense going,” Ponce said.
That duo feeds rightside junior Mia Diouf and senior middles Larissa Gibson and Milana Holland.
The Titans, No. 6 in 7A, host higher-ranked Lake Brantley (9-7) on Tuesday night.
Lilly Kirby (17 kills, 17 digs), Ella Jane DeLoach (16 kills, 25 digs) and Evelyn Hammer (45 assists) led International Community (13-6) in an epic 18-25, 27-25, 25-15, 19-25, 15-11 district win against Geneva School (12-3), which is No. 2 in the 1A state rankings.
East Ridge (10-6) senior setter Breylan Fairley reached 1,000 career assists in a Tuesday win.
Boys golf
Ayden Febres broke the Osceola County record with a 6-under-par 30 as St Cloud posted a stellar 137 score in a tri-match win at Kissimmee Bay Country Club,
Wensheng Liu shot 3-under 32 at The Timacuan Club to lead Lake Mary Prep in a 141-148 win against Lake Highland Prep.
Lake Mary edged Oviedo 295-296 to win Monday’s 12-team Winter Springs Invitational at Tuscawilla Country Club.
The Wolverines vs. the World tournament, hosted by Windermere High on Friday and Saturday at the Legends at Orange Lake Resort, has 25 Florida teams alongside Arizona state champ Notre Dame Prep.
Girls golf
Circle Christian won last week’s Sam Ryder Invitational, hosted by Bishop Moore at Dubsdread. The Centurions, with Ana Boone and Isabella Dovhey both shooting 33, were 2-under-par in a tournament shortened from 18 holes to nine due to stormy weather. Lake Mary Prep, led by Tatiana Ang (34), was second at 152, followed by Winter Park (163).
Lexington, South Carolina, shot 336 to win the Central Florida Tournament of Champions ahead of host Lake Mary (338) and Winter Park (367) at Heathrow.
Correspondent Steve Gorches contributed to this report. Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
FHSAA contemplates reducing state championships, adding invitationals
