State playoffs continue in lacrosse, beach volleyball, boys’ volleyball. Plus basketball honors
The Stoneman Douglas girls’ lacrosse team won district and region championships to qualify for the state semifinals of the FHSAA Class 2A State Tournament, where the Eagles (15-3) will play undefeated Tampa-Plant (22-0) on Friday at Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples.
In the District 14-2A Tournament, top seed Douglas beat Boca Raton-Spanish River 19-1 and Boca Raton 16-6 for the championship.
In the region tournament, the Eagles defeated Boca Raton again (this time 20-4) and Jupiter 12-6 to reach the region finals. Douglas then won a 2A region title with a 15-8 victory over Martin County (16-3). Prior, Martin County edged St. Thomas Aquinas 12-11 in overtime. The Raiders (8-9) had eliminated Western 20-2.
In the region championship victory against Martin County, Douglas senior Taylor McGovern had five goals, five assists and four groundballs, and junior Kaitlyn Irwin scored five times. Sophomore Chloe Resnik added three goals and three groundballs, and senior Stephanie Bilsky had one goal and two assists. Gracyn Haynes, also a senior, scored and had three groundballs, and junior Caroline Lam and freshman Patricia Phang each recorded an assist. Sophomore goalie Marissa Gallagher made 11 saves and allowed six goals in 43 minutes, and senior goalie Addy Sacks had two saves and allowed two goals in five minutes.
In Class 2A boys, St. Thomas Aquinas (12-8) won district and region championships to also qualify for the state semifinals, competing against Lake Mary (22-1).
In District 15-2A, the Raiders defeated Coral Springs 20-0 and Stoneman Douglas 21-2 for the title. In regionals, St. Thomas Aquinas eliminated Stoneman Douglas 21-2, Boca Raton 20-3 and Jupiter 11-4 to win a region championship.
In Class 1A girls, Plantation-American Heritage (16-2) reached the region semifinals. There, Delray Beach-American Heritage (20-) beat the Patriots 11-5. In District 15-1A, top seed Plantation-American Heritage won the title by defeating Calvary Christian 17-5 and Pine Crest 11-6. Then the Patriots beat Vero Beach-St. Edwards 14-5, before facing their Palm Beach County namesake.
In Class 1A boys, Gulliver Prep (18-3) advanced to the region semifinals where Boca Raton-St. John Paul II won 8-4. In the District 16-1A Tournament, the top seed Raiders beat Westminster Christian 16-1 and Ransom Everglades 10-6 for that title. They eliminated Plantation-American Heritage 10-8 to advance to the region semifinals.
Beach volleyball
The True North beach volleyball team went 10-0 in the regular season, including wins over Lourdes, Florida Christina School and Pace. St. Brendan beat the Titans 3-2 in the district semifinals.
Samantha Rodriguez and Veronica Fumero led True North, going 11-2 at No.1. They dropped just five sets throughout the season. Natasha Galindo and Ella Hernandez also went 11-2 at No.2. Dayleen Valdes (team high 104 kills) and Andrea Aguirre were 11-2 at No.3, and Giuliana Guerrero and Gracie Ruiz went 12-1 at No.4.
More beach volleyball
By beating True North and St. Brendan at regionals, Westminster Christian (13-2) advanced to the field of 16 of the FHSAA State Tournament where it will play New Smyrna Beach (16-2) on Friday at the FSU Beach Volleyball Courts in Tallahassee.
Zoey Matias and Gigi Artiles (11-2) lead the district and region champion Warriors at No.1. Alyssa Cadvid and Alexandra Washington are unbeaten at No.2 at 13-0, and Gianna Romero and Lia Gonzalez (at No.3) also are faring well this season at 11-2.
Undefeated St. Thomas Aquinas (17-0) also advanced by defeating Boca Raton Christian and Calvary Christian in regionals. The district and region champion Raiders opponent on Friday is Merritt Island (13-2).
Winners compete in the state quarterfinals.
Boys’ volleyball
Belen Jesuit boys’ volleyball (22-5) hosts True North (19-8) in a region semifinal on Friday.
More region semifinal matchups: Coral Springs at Cardinal Gibbons. Boca Raton at Pompano Beach. South Broward at Mater Lakes Academy. Cypress Bay at Archbishop McCarthy. Hialeah-Miami Lakes at Miami High. Hialeah at LaSalle. Southwest at Palmetto.
Region Quarterfinals: Belen Jesuit d. Ferguson 25-10, 25-22, 25-15: Nicholas Hernandez 9 kills, 8 digs, 2 aces; Morrison Hadad 12 kills, 12 digs, 2 blocks; Max Klemick 8 kills, 4 blocks. Bel 22-5.
Basketball honors
Source Hoops presents the 2023-24 Class 7A Boys’ Basketball All-State Team.
These fifteen players represent the best of the best for those schools that participate in Class 7A. Players were selected based on in-person evaluations, a review of all-area teams selected by media from around the state, and without regard to a player’s travel team or high school affiliation or his ranking by other outlets.
CLASS 7A: FIRST TEAM: Cameron Boozer, 6-9 JR, Miami Christopher Columbus; Cayden Boozer, 6-4 JR, Miami Christopher Columbus; Isaac Celiscar, 6-6 SR, Winter Haven; Jamier Jones, 6-6 JR, Orlando Oak Ridge; Tyler Johnson, 6-5 SR, Orlando Oak Ridge.
SECOND TEAM: Hedrens Bartelus, 6-5 SR, Lake Worth; Matthew Curprew-Elsy, 6-5 SR, Coral Springs; Jamie Phillips, 6-4 SR, Winter Haven; Jalen Reece, 6-0 JR, Orlando Oak Ridge; Jas Richardson, 6-4 SR, Miam Christopher Columbus.
THIRD TEAM: Josephy Gayle, 6-4 JR, Fort Pierce Central; Jordan Tillery, 6-5 SR, Orlando Oak Ridge; Elyjah Freeman, 6-6 SR, Wellington; Alex Pierre-Louis, 6-4 JR, Coral Springs; Romari Robinson, 6-5 JR, Miami Senior.
Submit sports info
For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have varsity results and top performers (with stats), email hssports@miamiherald.com.
They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. Send after the game, the next day or weekly. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
