Tavares, Fla. — All season long, The Villages High School girls bowling team played itself into the discussion of the strongest programs in the area.

The Buffalo spoke loud and clear Wednesday evening in Tavares, as VHS captured the Class 1A-District 4 championship in thrilling fashion at Lakeside Lanes.

The Villages outlasted a head-to-head duel with East Ridge (Clermont) in the postseason event's final round, surging back from an early deficit to win the program's second straight district title.

After entering the double-elimination championship round with an undefeated mark and its state bid clinched, the Buffalo stumbled in a 3-2 opening defeat to East Ridge for the district crown. VHS then found itself down 0-2 to the Knights in the second match, before rallying for three wins — including five consecutive strikes late in a decisive Game 5 — to bring the first-place trophy back to Middleton.

The Buffalo will now look ahead to the 2023 Florida High School Bowling State Championships, set to begin Nov. 1 at Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center in Orlando. Along with the VHS girls team, the Buffalo boys squad will be represented by individual qualifier Cayden Tjoe.


Cody Hills can be reached for questions or comment at cody.hills@tvcs.org or by calling (352) 259-6890.