The Timber Creek High School boys bowling team took the long way around the state tournament last November before eventually reaching the finals against Daytona Mainland. But they could only come away with a runner-up finish.
It's the closest the Wolves had gotten to hoisting the trophy since capturing the school's first-ever state championship in any sport in 2006, the same day the girls bowling team accomplished that same feat.
What stung the most though was the reality that the Wolves underperformed at the most crucial part of the year.
"We just hit a wall at that point where everything and anything we needed to fall did not fall for us," said Timber Creek Coach Deb Scherr. "It was a wake-up call for us."
Following a regular season of dominance, it seemed as though the Wolves would have few challengers for the ultimate goal. The first roadblock of the year came when they opened the first day of competition against Apopka and were sent packing for the consolation bracket.
From there, the Wolves fought their way back against a number of top-seeded teams, doing away with their next six opponents until they were right where they figured they'd be all along — in the state finals.
But Mainland came away with the win in five games. In 2008, the Wolves lost in the consolation finals to eventual state champion Martin County.
Despite the loss of two starters from last year's team, Scherr feels confident that enough talent returns. Back for the Wolves are the team's top two bowlers — Dallas Aldridge and Kyle Greene, as well as last year's anchor at the state tournament, lefthander Justin Mandell.
"We picked up a couple kids from JV that should help us out and fit right into the starting lineup," said Scherr. "We're hoping to get right back to where we were a year ago."
Mandell helped get the Wolves off to a good start as he led the way when they handily defeated Boone to start the 2010 season.
The state tournament returns to Timber Creek's home bowling alley — Boardwalk Bowl — for the seventh-straight year in November, where they'll hope to have a little more to celebrate this time with family and friends backing them up.
"Anytime you can host a championship on your home turf it's an advantage with the crowd, the area, the facility," said Scherr. "But bowling is a game of doing the right things and hitting your marks most of all."