Broward, Palm Beach teams fill state roster
When the state tournament begins Friday at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, three local teams — Spanish River, Seminole Ridge and Cardinal Gibbons — will look to add to their state championship banner count.
Spanish River won it all in 2006 and 2007; Seminole Ridge in 2011; and Gibbons, the lone Broward County team to earn a state title, in 2005.
Hoping to join the ranks of state champs are Wellington (20-8) as well as Monarch (23-2) and Archbishop McCarthy (20-8), who will meet in the quarterfinals Friday night.
Archbishop McCarthy returns to state after a twoyear absence, while Monarch this season earned its first state berth.
“We have a lot of physical talent, so it was a matter of trying to get as much experience as we could in those two months of high school volleyball and see how far we could take it,” said Mon- arch coach Walt Drexl, who led his team to a district title this year.
Drexl’s son, Sean, a sophomore setter, has helped the Knights to the best season in school history. Currently on a 10-game win streak, the team’s only two losses were to Wellington in March and Douglas on April 1.
The Monarch/Archbishop McCarthy winner will advance to Saturday’s state semifinal against the quarterfinal winner between Orlando Timber Creek and Miami Columbus.
The last Broward team to reach the state finals (2012), Archbishop McCarthy this season features junior out- side hitter Michael Moreiras, junior setter Luis Vazquez and senior middle blocker Nicholas Covone.
“Missing out on being part of it the past two years has been the driving force behind the focus, discipline and improved performance of this year’s team,” McCarthy coach Karen Frank said.
Battling injuries all season to key starters MB Keegan Sullivan and OH Yannick Feurich, both seniors, Wellington has relied on senior setter Alex Ng and middles Richie Green and A.J. Starkins.
Orlando Bishop Moore, the 2012 state champion, and Miami Palmetto play in the other state quarterfinal.