Aquinas’ flag football rallies to upset Western
In exciting fashion, the St. Thomas Aquinas flag football team came from behind to upset Western 21-14, handing the Wildcats their first loss this season.
Western (17-1) is 69-5 the past four seasons, including three trips to the FHSAA Class 2A State Final Four and one state title.
St. Thomas Aquinas coach Derek Duque said: “We’re just extremely grateful that our girls were given the opportunity to play flag football three years ago. Hats off to Coach O’Brien and the young ladies at Western. They set the bar extremely high over the last four years, and their success has pushed us and motivated us as coaches and players to get better. We are just grateful and Blessed to be able to spend another week together as a team and may this journey continue as long as it can.”
Beating Western gives the Raiders confidence for the postseason.
St. Thomas Aquinas is now 12-4, celebrating its biggest victory in program history (that 12th win by beating Western).
Tied at 14 with 19 seconds remaining, St. Thomas Aquinas senior Stella Gutierrez caught the winning touchdown pass from senior Ahlani Packer.
Trailing 14-6 with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, St. Thomas Aquinas drove the field. The Raiders then scored with two minutes to play on a crucial 4th down pass from Packer to senior Kamryn Corporan from the Western 5-yard line. Freshman Maja Varhalmi snagged the game-tying 2-point conversion.
The St. Thomas Aquinas defense stood strong on the Wildcats’ ensuing possession. The Raiders’ offense took over with 58 seconds remaining, setting up the winning touchdown.
St. Thomas Aquinas also received standout efforts from junior Sherice Newton (6 catches for 78 yards) and senior Elena Clark (4 catches for 32 yards).
SOFTBALL
Lourdes avenged an earlier defeat to Carrollton in softball action.
There are parallels. In their first meeting this season, Carrollton rallied from a 7-run deficit en route to a comeback victory.
This time Lourdes was the one rallying. Trailing 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bobcats scored four times in their final at-bat to record a dramatic walk-off win.
On Senior Night, senior Julia Perez-Abreu drove-in the winning run, singling to right field which allowed her sister Jaqui to cross home plate to end the game.
In other action, Westminster Christian freshman pitcher Kaley Dyer tossed another no-hitter in a 10-0 victory over AIE.
Lourdes 8, Carrollton 7: Lour: WP Mia Rivera (5-1) CG, 7 IP, 2 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 9 K; Julia Perez-Abreu 2-4, R, RBI; Jaqui PerezAbreu 1-3, 2B, BB, 2 R; Mia Rivera 2-4, RBI; Maria Bendixon 1-4, 2 R; Sophia Pierro 1-3, BB, BI; Isabella Astudillo 1-2, Sac, R, RBI; Cristina Alfonso 1-4, RBI; Sofia Vilomar 0-1, BB, R; Eva pozo 0-1, R. Carr: LP Madelyn Althage 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 4 K; Allyson Wolfson 3-3, 2 R, RBI; Elizabeth Moss 3-4, R, RBI. Lour 9-6-1, Carr 12-4.
Westminster Christian 10, AIE 0: WP
Kaley Dyer 5 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K; Gigi Khoury H, R, RBI; Dylan Lesman H, 2 R, RBI; Mya Rodgers H, R, RBI; Kaley Dyer H, 2 BB; Casey Lesman H, R, 2 RBI; Alexa Bender H, R; Jas Armenteros 2 RBI; Madison Rodgers 3 SB; Angie Fernandez SB. WC 13-8-1.
Westminster Christian 12, St. Brendan’s 2: WP Kaley Dyer 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K; Gigi Khoury 2 H, 2 R; Dylan Lesman 2 H, R, RBI; Kaley Dyer 2 H, 2 RBI; Abi Barboza 2 H, 2 R, RBI; Mya Rodgers H, 2 R, RBI; Casey Lesman H, R, RBI. WC 12-8-1.
Braddock 13, Varela 3: WP Joy Vidal 7 K; Anais Gonzalez 3-5, 2B, 2 R; Melanie Tapanes 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI. Brd 9-8.
Flanagan 20, Northeast 7: WP Jurnee Bent 9 K; Amy Chacko 2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI; Jasmine Gonzalez 3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI; Jurnee Bent 4-5, 4R, RBI, 4 SB; Jade Reeves 2-4, R, 4 RBI; Alessandra Uzcategui 1-3, 2 R, RBI. Flan 7-8.
BASEBALL
With winning pitcher Lucas Ramirez leading the way, a big win for Palmetto baseball as the Panthers edged Columbus 3-2. Tied at 2, Palmetto scored the winner in the bottom of the sixth.
Doral Academy won another, giving them 23 victories, while Miami Beach ended the regular season with a come-frombehind 10-5 win over Varela. Trailing 5-2, the HiTides scored two in the bottom of the fifth and six more in the sixth.
Palmetto 3, Columbus 2: WP Lucas Ramirez 4 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K; P Jake Cruz 3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 1 K; Alec Fuller 1-2, 2B; Mike Arnold 2-2, Sac, RBI, R; Jack Gordon 2-3, R; Ryan Ortega 1-3, R. Plm 13-10, Col 17-6.
Doral Academy 9, JC Bermudez 0: Sebastian Berries 3-3, HR, 2 RBI; Gabriel Milano 1-2, 2 RBI; WP Jose Roig 3 IP, 0 R.
Dor 23-2.
Miami Beach 10, Varela 5: Jacob Gaynor 2-3, 2B, BB, R, 2 RBI; Brody Minick 4-4, R, RBI, 2 SB; Matthew Vega 2-3, 2B, BB, R, 2 RBI; Melvin Mitchell 1-2, 2 R, RBI; Lenonx Munoz 1-4, 2 R, RBI; WP Luis Morales 6 IP, 5 R, 7 H, 7 BB, 4 K; Ryan MacDonald 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K (Save).
MB 16-8.
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
Belen Jesuit boys’ volleyball won two more to reach the 19-win mark.
Belen Jesuit d. Archbishop McCarthy 25-19, 25-21: Federico Marino 4 kills, a .500 hitting percentage, 2 blocks; Lorenzo Torres 18 digs, 3 aces, 4 assists; Billy Essig 8 kills. Bel 19-5.
Belen Jesuit d. TERRA 25-13, 25-21: Morrison Hadad 10 kills, 5 digs. 2 aces, 3 blocks; Nicholas Hernandez 9 kills, 2 aces. Bel 18-5.
True North d. Columbus 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-20: Christopher Rivero 25 kills, 15 digs, 1 block; Daniel Avella 16 kills, 10 digs; Roberto Romero 15 kills, 13 digs; David Quinones 55 assists, 7 digs. TN 16-8, Col 15-9.
BASKETBALL HONORS
Source Hoops presents the 2023-24 Boys’ Basketball Class 2A All-State Teams.
These fifteen players represent the best of the best for those schools that participate in Class 2A. 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.
FIRST TEAM: Lorenzo Cason, 6-2 JR, Lakeland Victory Christian Academy; Ramon Seals, 6-5 JR, Tampa Sports Leadership and Management Academy; Ameer Ramadan, 6-0 SR, Orlando Christian Prep; Patrick Liburd, 6-5 JR, Weston Sagemont; Mario Forbes, 6-7 JR, Tallahassee St. John Paul II.SECOND TEAM:
Landen Harwood, 6-3
JR, Lake Worth Christian; Andrew Powell, 6-4 SR, Gainesville Oak Hall; Tony Bryant, 6-9 SO, North Tampa Christian; Kevin Thomas, 6-6 SO, Weston Sagemont;
Jasen Lopez, 6-0 SO, Miami True North Classical.
THIRD TEAM: Mike Andino, 6-0 SR, Lakeland Victory Christian; Taylor Thompson, 6-2 SR, Jacksonville Impact Christian; Javier Rowell, 6-0 SR, Mount Dora Christian; Xavian Charles, 6-1 JR, Boca Raton Grandview Prep; Isaiah Brown, 6-5 SR, Orlando Christian Prep.
REGION TENNIS
Region Championship Results
BOYS: Class 4A: Doral Academy 4, Palmetto 3. Cypress Bay 5, West Broward 0. Class 3A: St. Thomas Aquinas 4, Belen Jesuit 1. Class 2A: MAST Acdemy 4, Gulliver Prep 3. American Heritage-Delray 4, Pine Crest 1. Class 1A: True North 4, Ransom Everglades 0.
GIRLS: Class 4A: Palmetto 4, Doral Academy 2. Stoneman Douglas 5, Cypress Bay 0. Class 3A: St. Thomas Aquinas 5, Lourdes 0. Class 2A: MAST Academy 4, Gulliver Prep 1. American Heritage-Delray 4, American Heritage-Plantation 3. Class
True North 4, Riviera Prep 3.
The FHSAA State Tennis Championships are ongoing this week at Sanlando Park, Red Bug Lake Park and Sylvan Lake Park in Seminole County.
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