Aquinas’ Goldenberg and Westminster’s Cercols are Broward County Water Polo Coaches of the Year
Michael Goldenberg guided the St. Thomas Aquinas boys’ water polo team to the mountaintop a year earlier.
He knew getting back would not be easy after losing multiple key players including his leading scorer and starting goalie.
But led by a mix of younger players stepping into bigger roles, the Raiders made it back to the state tournament.
Meanwhile, at Westminster Academy, coach Daniel Cercols is building back up what could be one of the state’s top teams for years to come.
For leading their respective teams on deep postseason runs, Goldenberg and Cercols are the Miami Herald’s Broward County Water Polo Coaches of the Year.
Goldenberg wins on the boys’ side again after guiding the Raiders back to state and helping them make a final-four appearance despite losing stars including Nicholas Santarsiero and Samuel Collingwood.
The Raiders regrouped led by a core of players who assumed larger responsibilities such as Samuel Eastaugh and Holden Harkins as well as Lev Konnikov and new starting goalie Marcel Varhalmi.
Aquinas navigated through some early struggles and finished with a 16-13 record after losing to state runner-up Orlando Dr. Phillips in the state semifinals.
On the girls’ side, Cercols led the Lions to an 18-5 record and an appearance in the regional finals where they were defeated by state runner-up Winter Garden West Orange.
Senior Olivia Weissman scored 105 goals and paced Westminster’s run. She won’t be easy to replace, but the Lions have a solid young core led by junior Lynn Rose Ruiz, freshman Marley Scott and freshman goalie Megan Ruiz. Cercols hopes the group can lead Westminster to state in 2025.