Last season with former head coach Frank Kurtz, the boys bowling team went 15-1 with their only loss to Lyman on Oct. 12, 2521- 2591. However, already this season, the team defeated Lyman in their first regular season game, 2277-2264 on Aug. 24 with new head coach Keith Coville. Although he has no prior experience of coaching in high school, Coville looks to bring a new sense of confidence and passion to the game this season.

Coville, who started substitute teaching last spring, immediately applied for the coaching job after he found out about Kurtz, and athletic director Jay Getty approved.

“I’ve always had a passion for the game, coaching from the recreational side and now the competitive side,” Coville said. “Hagerty has a great team, so I’m looking forward to stepping in and doing what I can to bring a conference championship here.”

The team already holds a 3-0 record, including wins over Lyman, Seminole (2401-1950) on Aug. 29, and Lake Howell (2,002-1664) on Aug. 31. Senior Logan Furlong has led the way for the team so far, averaging 228 points each game.

“I’m feeling very confident now,” Furlong said. “I just want to take it one match at a time. I’m not worried about making it to regionals or states right now because we have some tough competition in our district.”

Through the first three games, junior Riley Kane is confident  heading into the rest of the season and thinks this could be the year the team goes undefeated.

“Looking at just our first couple of matches and how we’ve come together more as a team this year, I think if we try our hardest and stay positive, even in tough situations, we could have a 16-0 season,” Kane said. “We’ve been 15-1 for the past few years and I really feel like this is the year where we can be 16-0.”

Despite the loss of senior leadership from last season, senior Taylor Tiedge doesn’t feel it will affect the team, as they bonded and bowled more together in the offseason.

“We now know each other a lot better than we did last year,” Tiedge said. “I just think because we’re much closer as a team this year that it helps our chances a lot.”

Already, the team also sees Coville as someone who has more experience.

“I have already developed a strong player-coach bond with [Coville],” senior Ryan Sarcevic said. “He is a very encouraging and uplifting coach, and there’s just nothing but positive things to say about him.”

However, other players, including Tiedge, feel there is no difference between Coville and Kurtz’s coaching styles.

“It neither surprised nor worried me when I found out about the coaching change, “Tiedge said. “So far there game plans have been, more or less, the same, but I like that he recognizes that we know what we’re doing.”

The team’s next game will be another district matchup against Lake Mary on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at Altamonte Lanes at 3:30 p.m.

“I have a solid team, who are all experienced, so I’m feeling pretty good about the rest of the season,” Coville said. “We just want everyone to come out and support us and bring a sense of energy and spirit.”