By Abigail Dumas
This past season the Bell Creek Academy girls bowling team celebrated a huge victory, placing seventh in the country at the High School Bowling Foundation National Championship in Columbus, Ohio, the highest the school has ever ranked and one of the top-10 finishes for any Florida high school ever. The historic win came after an already impressive season, with the girls capturing a district championship and finishing as Florida Class 1A state runner-ups.
The talented 2025-26 Bell Creek Academy girls bowling roster included Captain Kendall Reighard, who tied for 84th in the nation; Malayna Calo, who was the Florida Class 1A Girls Singles runner-up; Alexa ‘Lexi’ Serniotti, who placed sixth overall at the Florida Class 1A Girls Singles Championship; Melanie Carter; Emma Pocalyko; Madisyn Kowal; and Berlyn Kowal.
Head coach Bobby Reighard shared just how proud he is of the team not only for what they accomplished but also how they did it.
“Finishing seventh in the nation and becoming the highest-finishing team in Bell Creek Academy history is certainly something we’re proud of, but what makes me proudest is the way they represented our school. They competed with integrity, sportsmanship and resilience every step of the way. As a coach, that’s the legacy you hope your players leave behind,” Reighard said.
Reighard also expressed how rewarding it was as a coach seeing the team working together to overcome adversity, becoming stronger in the process and growing as young women. The team practiced together multiple times a week after school at Brandon Crossroads Bowl in Tampa to prepare.
In bowling, there’s no room for error, every shot counts and every slipup could cost you the game, especially at such a competitive national level. Such a high intensity environment would rattle most people, but not this team. The girls stayed positive and collected throughout the competition, making sure to cheer each other on above all else.
“One moment I’ll always remember was watching the team continue to encourage one another regardless of the score. Every player celebrated a teammate’s success just as much as her own. That kind of culture doesn’t happen overnight; it’s built through trust and shared experiences,” said Reighard.
The win is not only a huge triumph for Bell Creek but also for the community who cheered on the players every step of the way, providing the girls with support and confidence along their journey to nationals.
“Our seventh-place finish in the nation wasn’t just a victory for Bell Creek Academy — it was something our entire community helped make possible. We were proud to bring that accomplishment back to Hillsborough County, and we’re incredibly grateful to Acme Unconventional (a local business who stepped up as a community partner for the team) for believing in our program,” said Reighard.
Overall, the season was a great showcase of the girls’ skills and determination, and a testament to how far the program has come. The Bell Creek Academy bowling team was founded in 2017 as a coed program due to lack of female participation. By 2021, the separate girls team was already making a name for themselves, snagging district titles and individual accolades. And now, in 2026, they have finished their season as seventh in the nation.
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