Amidst the noise of bowling pins being knocked over and squeaking shoes, the Coral Gables Senior High School bowling team entered the Bird Bowl alleys and prepared themselves for an intense matchup against G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School on Sept. 26. When the clock ticked 3 p.m. the boys walked up to their alley, ready to put their weeks of practice to the test.
”We have been practicing for such a long time, preparing ourselves for the competitors we have to go against. As a team, we have so much passion for the sport and whether or not we lost to Braddock, I’m proud of us for always putting our all into it,” senior Alejandro Garcia said.
The beginning of the first game was exciting for the audience, as the energy was high, but Braddock soon demonstrated why they are a top contender. The early challenge was the Bird Bowl lanes themselves, which appeared to be giving the players some issues as they struggled to find a consistent path to the pocket.
Despite this, sophomore Nick Bustamante sparked the Cavaliers with a 128 in the opening game, not only starting an early lead, but injecting the team with confidence. However, Braddock’s maintained control, following every strike Gables made with a clutch point, was not allowing the Cavaliers to lead comfortably.
“During the first game, I felt incredible. I bowled 128 points and I was doing great. Afterwards, though, my performance began to deplete, as well as the team as a whole, and although we all tried our best, we did not bring our total A-game. Personally, I did not have a good warm-up and I feel like that affected my bowls,” sophomore Nick Bustamante said.
In the second match, the momentum shifted in Braddock’s favor, but Gables kept their hopes up and fought to meet their own standards. As bowling balls rolled down the lanes, coaches, players and viewers yelled “strike” or “spare” with enthusiasm, continuing to root for their team.
“Bowling season is short and every frame counts. As a senior, setting the standard for the team is something I strive to do. This loss is just motivation towards the team to practice more and train harder. Even if we did not win, that just means we need to tighten up on our spares. We want to leave a legacy of dedication to the underclassmen to follow next year,” senior Marco Molinet said.
During the second match, senior Marco Molinet hit strikes left and right, setting an example for his teammates. His throws were textbook, a smooth release and perfect spin to reach the pins. These moves led to three excellent spares from Molinet that put the first real scare into their opponent’s bench, contributing 128 points to his team.
Similar to his teammate, sophomore Alexis Monti powered through the game and provided crucial points to the team. While some players struggled to adjust to the game, Monti remained focused, anchoring the team with an incredible 216 points overall. This individual effort ensured that even if Gables lost, the Cavaliers would still walk away knowing that they pushed Braddock until the final frame.
The match reached its critical point during its final frames with the pressure mounted and competitiveness rising. A difficult split between the last frames in the third and final match of the game allowed the Bulldogs to pull through and ultimately win.
“We know we can throw strikes, but this game put pressure on us as a team and showed us the difference between a good team and a great team could be just one singular practice. I don’t see this loss as a failure, but I see it as homework. We know what we need to work on and we have the rest of the season to work on it,” sophomore Alexis Monti said.
Despite the loss, the team wastes no time off and is ready to practice again, returning to the lanes and proving their resilience. Though Braddock may have walked away with the win, the Cavaliers left with a clearer vision and a determination to bounce back next week against Ronald W. Reagan Doral High School, eager to turn their solo successes into a team victory.
