Vinnie Cammarano
Key Points
The 2026 bowling season is underway, with both Apopka and Wekiva looking to build competitive teams with a mix of returning experience and new faces.
For the Blue Darters, both the boys and girls teams enter the season with familiar leadership and several new bowlers. Girls head coach Jason Ramos, boys head coach Doug Campbell and assistant coach Brittany Hardy return to lead Apopka this season.
The Apopka girls team has three returning bowlers and three newcomers. Seniors Madelynn Scofield and Eviannah Escalante and junior Samantha Carlyle return from last season, while senior Jillian Fessia and sophomores Taylor Blaszak and Jamison McMillen join the team.
Fessia enters her first season of competitive team bowling after spending three years in color guard. However, bowling is not completely new to her. Her grandmother has a history of playing professionally, and Fessia grew up playing with her.
On the boys side, Apopka returns six bowlers from last season while welcoming six new faces to the team.
The new bowlers are Joshua Drayton, Jacob Gillespie, Oliver Schrock, Eli Sowers, Logan Todd and Bentley Trapp. The returning group includes Lucas Antunez, Cayden Bennett, Dominick Brown, Maven Cardenas, Logan Licavoli and Colby Todd.
Apopka was scheduled to open its season Thursday, Sept. 10, at home at Apopka Bowlero against Jones. The Blue Darters will then host Winter Park, West Orange and Windermere next Wednesday.
Wekiva enters the season with a boys team built around two returning leaders and a pair of returning sophomores, while also adding two freshmen to the squad.
Juniors William Warren and Nathan Karcher return as the Mustangs’ top leaders from last season. Coach Lenin Vazquez said the two are neck and neck as they push each other to continue improving.
Sophomore Anthony Darwin and junior Jordan Bowen return as well. Vazquez also said Wekiva’s two freshmen Blake McAulife and Jayden Delaney have been doing great things to start the season.
Wekiva does not currently have a girls team after graduating its entire squad from last season. The Mustangs, along with multiple schools around Orange County, are continuing to recruit students to participate in bowling and fill their teams.
The Mustangs got their season started Wednesday afternoon at AMF Sky Bowl, where they competed against Olympia, Lake Buena Vista and West Orange. Wekiva came away with wins against each opponent, opening the season undefeated.
The Mustangs will return to Apopka Bowlero next Wednesday for their next matchup against Bishop Moore.
With both programs underway, Apopka and Wekiva will look to their returning bowlers to provide experience while their newcomers settle into the competition as the season progresses.