Teamwork lifts Seabreeze to state boys bowling championship | Observer Local News

The Seabreeze Sandcrabs arrived at the Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center in Orlando on Wednesday, Oct. 29, as the District 1 boys bowling champions and rolled out as the Florida High School Athletic Association State Champions after defeating Leesburg in their final match on Thursday, Oct. 31.

The Sandcrabs rebounded after losing the first two games 188-184 and 201-195 to the Yellow Jackets in the championship Baker match. They took the last three games with 222-199, 188-176 and 204-200, finishing 3-2 to take the state championship trophy.

This is the first time the boys have won a state bowling title under coach Paul Shuler's tutelage. The girls won the sate championship in 2021. The closest the boys came was in 2012 when Jospeh Juhasq was the individual runner-up.

Seabreeze sophomores Xavier Subia and Katelyn Miller qualified to compete individually at the state level. Subia placed 13th in the boys competition after bowling against tournament winner Daniel Lynn of Cape Coral High School in the first round of the individual matches with each winning one of two games. Miller finished 41st out of 226 bowlers in the girls competition in her first individual state appearance. Matanzas' Olivia Rabbat was 77th.

Subia started bowling when he was 11 years old. He said he felt good during qualifying but fell apart during the match against Lynn.

"This experience is going to help me a lot," he said. "Now that I know what to expect, I'll have a chance to take it all (next year). I want to thank my coach for doing everything and helping us all."

Almost words cannot explain how I feel right now. I just feel so blessed. I'm just so happy for the guys winning the state tournament because I really feel they really, really did deserve it and they showed it here today. — PAUL SHULER, Seabreeze bowling coach

The Flagler Palm Coast Bulldogs girls team placed 20th with a 2,864 series and the boys finished 23rd with 3,451.

Shuler said he was not surprised that the Sandcrabs won the state championship after the strong season they have had.

"After this state tournament, the boys did not lose one Baker match during regular season, district or state," he said.

Seabreeze started the Baker matches as the No. 4 seed. They faced the Apopka Blue Darters in round one, lost the first game and won the following four, winning the series 843-708. The intensity grew in round two against the East Ridge Knights. Each teams won two games apiece. The Sandcrabs won the fifth game by only two pins,169-167.

Shuler said it was important to keep his players calm in the competitive environment and subsequent stressful situations.

"With any team, you have got to be a team, you've got to get together, talk amongst yourselves and not push issues," he said. "Then, if you have a bad frame, you just have to re-focus and go to that next frame. Forget that bad frame."

Shuler said they have been working on being a team throughout the year. They struggled initially but when it was time for districts, they were together as a team. He said team-wise, the boys hit their stride during the state tournament.

"At state, they were unbelievable. They were such a team," he said. "Absolutely amazing. Everyone stepped up and did their job when they needed them to."

Seabreeze went on to beat the Heritage Panthers in round three and Leesburg in the semifinal round which consisted of two tied games and ensuing roll-offs. Leesburg won the consolation bracket against the Heritage Panthers and returned for the final against the Sandcrabs.

Dalton Boice was the team's No. 5 bowler during the championships. He closed the deal in the the final frame of the tournament with a spare and a strike. Seabreeze finished a mere four pins over Leesburg.

Boice said between Subia's team-lifting performance earlier in the tournament, going undefeated the first day of Baker matches and throwing the last strike that ensured his team the championship trophy, it was an experience he will never forget.

"It was tied 2-2 so, no pressure," he said. "Luckily, I could pull through and get my boys the trophy. I think our performance did the talking. We couldn't have won this title without everybody here. We needed every person here. Every single person at this tournament contributed something of value. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have the win and coach wouldn't have the trophy."

Shuler said the final day of the tournament was a tough day. The games were way too close, he said, but it was amazing to see how his guys stepped up under pressure.

"Almost words cannot explain how I feel right now," he said. "I just feel so blessed. I'm just so happy for the guys winning the state tournament because I really feel they really, really did deserve it and they showed it here today."

Updated 11/5/2024