Postseason hopes for Doral and Palmetto in tennis could lead to clash in region finals
It’s tennis postseason time, and Palmetto is once again on its way to making a run at the state title.
Doral Academy is on the same path. Showdown in the region finals?
The Firebirds swept the team titles (boys and girls) in the District 15-4A Tournament. Palmetto did the same in District 16-4A.
That gives Doral seven district titles for the girls’ program and seven district titles for the boys’ program, under the direction of coach Justin Puppo, who is in his 11th year at Doral.
The district champion girls’ team features: No. 1 singles Payton SeidleLubowitz, No. 2 Stefany Zamora, No. 3 Samantha Ruiz-Delarbol, No. 4 Lila Huckstep and No. 5 Valery Pelaez. The district champion boys’ team features No. 1 singles Ezequiel De La Plaza, No. 2 Gabriel Cottone, No. 3 Romain Azais, No. 4 Carlos Grimaldi and No. 5 Andres Matos.
They advance to the region semifinals on Tuesday. The boys will battle District 16 runner-up Ferguson, while the girls take on District 16 runner-up Coral Reef. Defending state champion Palmetto goes against Miami Beach in the other region semifinals. The winners compete for the region title.
DISTRICT 15-4A: Boys’ team: Champion Doral Academy. Runner-up Miami Beach. Individuals (Advance to state):
No. 1 Singles Champion Ezequiel De La Plaza (Doral Academy). No. 1 Doubles Champions Max Goldemberg/Valentino Canas (Miami Beach).
Girls’ team: Champion Doral Academy. Runner-up Miami Beach. Individuals (Advance to state): No. 1 Singles Champion Payton Seidle-Lubowitz (Doral Academy). No. 1 Doubles Champions Payton SeidleLubowitz/Stefany Zamora (Doral Academy).
DISTRICT 16-4A: Boys’ team: Champion Palmetto. Runner-up Ferguson.
Individuals (Advance to state): No. 1 Singles Champion Stefan Correa (Palmetto). No. 1 Doubles Champions Henry Stoler/ Thomas Rheault (Coral Gables).
Girls’ team: Champion Palmetto. Runner-up Coral Reef. Individuals (Advance to state): No. 1 Singles Champion Mia Sorrentino (Palmetto). No. 1 Doubles Champions Mia Sorrentino/Camille Chellas (Palmetto).
MORE DISTRICT TENNIS
In District 16-2A, Gulliver Prep boys and MAST girls won team titles. The MAST boys and Raiders girls were runners-up.
MAST girls play Don Soffer Aventura on Tuesday in a region semifinal. The boys compete against Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines. Gulliver girls battle Somerset AcademyPembroke Pines. Gulliver boys play ATM.
DISTRICT 16-2A: Boys’ team: Champion Gulliver Prep 18, Runner-up
MAST 17, 3. LaSalle 7, 4. Key West 5, 5. Mater Lakes 1. Finals: No.1 Alessandro Sanchez (MAST) d. Timeo Milon (GP) 6-4, 6-2; No.2 Sebastian Felice (MAST) d.
Maximo Lopina (GP) 7-6 (7-5), 6-1; No.3 Sasha Zelenov (GP) d. Pablo Lopez De Lopez (MAST) 7-6 (7-0), 3-0 retired; No.4 Gabriel Karam (GP) d. Sergio Balsamo (MAST) 2-6, 6-3 (10-3); No.5 Jack O’Brien (GP) d. Pedro Ribas (MAST) 1-6, 6-3 (10-7).
Individuals (Advance to state): No.1 Singles Champion Alessandro Sanchez (MAST). No.1 Doubles Champions Timeo Milon and Lorenzo Martinez (GP).
Girls’ team: Champion MAST Academy
19, Runner-up Gulliver Prep 16, 3. LaSalle 6, 4. Key West 5, 5. Keys Gate 2, 6. St. Brendan 1. Finals: No.1 Isabella Porto (MAST) d. Valentina Rossi (GP) by inj. default; No.2 Valentina Donoso (GP) d. Micaela Tarazona (MAST) 7-5, 6-1; No.3 Valentina Palanda (MAST) d. Maya Quintero (GP) 6-3, 6-2; No.4 Nila Nahuz (MAST) d. Hanna Matuk (GP) 6-2, 6-4; No.5 Kayla Carey (GP) d. Daniela Sanchez Zaccari (MAST) 7-5, 6-4.
Individuals (Advance to state): No.1 Singles Champion Isabella Porto (MAST). No.1 Doubles Champions Isabella Porto/ Micaela Tarazona (MAST).
DISTRICT LACROSSE
The Belen Jesuit boys’ lacrosse team defeated Archbishop McCarthy 13-4 to win the District 15-1A championship.
The Wolverines won their fourth consecutive district title, seventh overall.
Jack Consuegra had four goals to lead the offense against the Mavericks, and Rafael Antun added two goals and two assists. Nicholas Hernandez, Luke Collings, Max Erdmann, Max Cabanas, Jaime Torres, Andres Lieviano, and Jack Balsersa each had a goal, and Jack Balsera went 90% from the Faceoff X. Plus, Andrew Candela made 10 saves in goal to help secure the postseason win.
REGION FLAG FOOTBALL
After winning its first district title, True North flag football defeated Hialeah to advance to a region semifinal on Tuesday where the Titans play Edison.
Region Quaterfinal: True North 26, Hialeah 0: QB Aliyana Henry (Sr) 10-18 passing, 2 TD, 108 yds, 1 rushing TD, 49 yds, 1 TD catch, 33 yds; Sasha Santos (Sr) 3 catches, 53 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; Aaliyah
Perez (Fr) 2 catches, 43 yds; Hannah Chio (Sr) 3 catches, 16 yds; Jaelyn Montero (Fr) 4 solo tackles.
BASEBALL
The McArthur baseball team clinched the top seed for the District 15-6A Tournament by beating Everglades 15-7.
Miami Beach improved to 13-8, after edging Hialeah 6-5. Trailing 4-3 in the top of the sixth, Hialeah scored twice to take the lead, but in the bottom of the inning, the Hi-Tides responded with two runs for the margin of victory.
Senior centerfielder Jacob Gaynor, who went 2 for 3 with a double, a walk, two runs and a stolen base, started another key double play this season, catching a fly ball and then throwing out a runner at the plate. Sophomore reliever Daniel Garcia pitched a perfect seventh inning, including two strikeouts, for the save.
Palmetto scored twice in the top of the 10th to defeat Pace 8-6. Behind 3-0, Palmetto plated four runs in the top of the fifth. Pace tied the game in the bottom of the fifth and took the lead in the sixth. The Panthers again rallied, evening things in the seventh to force extra innings.
McArthur 15, Everglades 7: McA: WP Devin Grazzal (4-3) 5 IP, 4 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 5 K; Raymond Gonzalez 2-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI; Haiven Gil 2-2, R, 2 RBI; Adrian Cruz 2-4, R, 2 RBI; Evg: Nathan Caboverde 3-4, 3 RBI; Alexander Mota 2-4, R. McA 14-7, Evg 9-9-1.
Miami Beach 6, Hialeah 5: WP Luis Morales 6 IP, 5 R, 3 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K; P Daniel Garcia 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K, Save; Jacob Gaynor 2-3, 2B, BB, 2 R, SB; Brody Minick 2-3, BB, 2 RBI, R, 2 SB; Yeiber Vivas 2-3, HBP; Matthew Vega 1-4, 2B, RBI, R; Adrian Corniel 0-3, RBI. MB 13-8, Hia 9-7.
Palmetto 8, Monsignor Pace 6 (10 inn.): Plm: WP Max Sotolongo 4 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K; Jack Gordon 1-4, 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 2 R; Ryan Ortega 2-5, BB, RBI, 2 R; Sebastian Hernandez 2-6, 2B, R; Sebastian Font 1-4, 2B, 2 BB, 2 R; Mike Arnold 2-5, Sac, RBI, R; Christian Dixon 2-4, 2 BB; Max Sotolongo 1-3, 2 BB, RBI. MP: Sean Duffin 1-4, HR, BB, RBI, R; Nicolas Bermudez 3-4, HR, 2 RBI, R; Dyson Joseph 3-5, R. Plm 12-9, MP 15-6.
SOFTBALL
Braddock 15, Coral Park 4: WP Veronica De La Torre; Joy Vidal 3-5, 2 2B, 3-Run HR, 5 RBI; Catherine Fuerte 2-4. Brd 7-9-1.
Flanagan 23, Carol City 8: WP Jurnee Bent 9 K; Amy Chacko 3-4, HR (GS), 4 R, 6 RBI, 2 SB; Emily Arias 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI;
Jurnee Bent 3-5, 4 R, 2 RBI, 5 SB; Jasmine Gonzalez 2-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 3 SB; Alessandra Uzcategui 1-1, 3 R, 1 RBI, 3 SB. Flan 6-8.
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
Reagan d. Ransom Everglades 25-18, 25-22, 25-17: Michael Perez 9 kills, 5 blocks, 13 digs, 11 serve received; Lucas Martinez 5 kills, 3 blocks, 3 digs; Diego Requena 15 assists, 4 kills, 7 digs, 3 aces, 2 blocks; Diego Cobena 4 kills, 4 digs, 1 ace, 1 block, 7 serve received; Fabrizio Aranibar 8 digs, 20 serve received, 2 aces, 3 assists. Rea 11-4.
MIAMI HALL OF FAME
Appalachian State offensive coordinator and former Miami Hurricanes assistant coach Frank Ponce heads the list of 10 graduates who will be inducted into the Miami High Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday at Miami High.
Before his 32-year coaching career, Ponce was the Stingarees’ starting quarterback in the late 1980s.
In addition to Ponce, the 2024 Hall of Fame class consists of football players Mike Johnson, Wilkie Perez and Sal Rivas, Vernon Delancy (boys’ basketball), Ashley Sanders and Tiara Jones (girls’ basketball), Fredie D’Agostino (crosscountry and track) and Elio Falcon (soccer). Terry
1. Doral (20-1)
2. Coral Springs Charter (19-3)
3. Western (17-3-1)
4. Somerset Silver Palms (14-5-1) 5. American Heritage (14-9)
6. St. Thomas Aquinas (13-8-1) 7. Westminster Academy (15-7)
8. West Broward (13-6)
9. Cardinal Gibbons (15-4)
10. Florida Christian (13-8)
Dropped out: 7. Westminster Christian (11-8-1).
On the cusp: Coral Reef (15-8), Cypress Bay (13-6), Archbishop McCarthy (9-5), Miami Christian (10-6-1), South Plantation (13-5), Stoneman Douglas (13-7).
Cuesta-Moore, who taught at Miami High for four decades and served as cheerleaders’ sponsor, will be an honorary inductee.
The event includes a dinner followed by induction ceremony at Miami High Auditorium. Tickets are $35 per person with tables of 10 available for $300. All proceeds benefit the Stingarees’ sports programs.
For information, visit the event website: www.miamihighsportshalloffame.com.
SUBMIT SPORTS INFO
For high schools in Broward and MiamiDade 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.
Roundup compiled