State honors for American Heritage soccer coach. Doral baseball 2nd at big event. Plus lacrosse and softball
Cindy Marcial of the Plantation American Heritage girls' soccer team won the Florida Dairy Farmers State Girls' Soccer Coach of the Year award (of all classifications) as voted by a panel of the state's girls' soccer coaches and preps media.
She is the first girls' soccer coach with a South Florida team (Broward and Miami-Dade counties) to win that honor, since Coach Everton Edwards of Miami Gulliver Prep in 2011 and first with a Broward team since Coach Laura Rountree of Parkland Stoneman Douglas in 2006.
Marcial, who prior was named the state's Class 4A Girls' Soccer Coach of the Year, guided Plantation American Heritage to a 19-1 record and its third consecutive state championship (5A titles in 2023 and 2024).
Marcial's squad was ranked No.1 in Florida and No.1 in the nation via MaxPreps. In 14 years at American Heritage, Marcial's teams have won eight state championships (2013-16, 2019, 2023-25) and compiled a 261-31-10 record.
In the final voting for Florida's overall girls' soccer coach of the year, Marcial received six first-place votes and 101 points to finish ahead of Class 6A Coach of the Year Jen Rodriguez of Bartram Trail (86) and Class 5A Coach of the Year Dave Silverberg of Ponte Vedra (80). Class 2A COY Hillary Carney of The Benjamin School (63) finished fourth followed by Class 1A COY Mike Pickett of St. Johns Country Day (61), Class 7A COY Chistian Eissele of Lake Mary (37) and Class 3A COY Oscar Narvaez of Somerset-Canyons (34).
On the player side, Giovanna Waksman from The Pine School was voted the Florida Dairy Farmers 2025 Miss Soccer. Class 4A Player of the Year Courtney Caruso of state champion Plantation American Heritage was seventh in the voting.
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers commitment to the state's youth. This is the 33rd year of these awards as they honor the state's top athletes and coaches in all FHSAA sanctioned sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.
Baseball
The Doral Academy baseball team finished second at the prestigious IMG Academy National Spring Break Classic in Bradenton.
The Firebirds (17-3-1) went 3-1 in the 12-team tournament, spanning four days. They beat Florida Palmetto 13-1, Illinois St. Laurence 6-0 and North Carolina TC Roberson 6-2 to reach the finals. TC Roberson was ranked 27th in the country by Perfect Game. Doral ran out of pitching, and IMG Academy won the championship 15-3.
Three players from Doral Academy earned special recognition. Marcelo Rodriguez was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher, and teammates Leandro Hernandez and Gabriel Milano made the All-Tournament team.
The tournament featured teams from Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New York, North Carolina and Washington D.C.
Doral Academy 13, Palmetto 1: Dylan Prince 1-3, HR, 3 RBI; Bryan Mesa 1-2, 2 RBI; Tyler Rodriguez 1-2, RBI; Winning Pitcher Matthew Paez 3 IP, 0 ER, 4 K. Dor 15-2-1.
Doral Academy 6, Illinois St. Laurence 0: Gabriel Milano 3-3, 2 RBI; Caleb Hernandez 3-3, 2 RBI; George Pardo 1-2, 2 RBI; Winning Pitcher Aaron Elissalt 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 5 K. Dor 16-2-1.
Doral Academy 6, North Carolina TC Roberson 2: Leandro Hernandez 1-3, 3 RBI; Jadyn Nunez 1-2, RBI; George Pardo 1-2, 2 R; Marcelo Rodriguez 5 IP, 7 K; Winning Pitcher Jadyn Nunez 2 IP, 2 K. Dor 17-2-1.
IMG Academy 15, Doral Academy 3: Gabriel Milano 2-2, 2 HR, 3 RBI; Tyler Rodriguez 1-2, 2B, R; Kobe Carrion 1-2, George Pardon 1-2. Dor 17-3-1.
Softball
The Westminster Christian softball team traveled to Gulf Shores, Alabama during Spring Break for the Gulf Shores Classic III High School Softball Tournament.
The Warriors (7-6) finished 2-2.
Westminster Christian beat Alabama Hatton 8-0 and Ohio Marysville 7-4. The Warriors lost to Alabama Jasper 6-5 and Alabama Central 4-2.
Westminster Christian 8, Alabama Hatton 0: Erin Perez 3 H, 2 R; Mya Rodgers 3 H, RBI; Jasmine Armenteros 2 H, 4 RBI; Abi Barboza 2 H, RBI; Kaley Dyer H, R. Winning Pitcher Kaley Dyer 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB 1, K 2; P Mya Rodgers 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K. WC 6-4.
Alabama Jasper 6, Westminster Christian 5: Kelsie Kenney H, Grand Slam HR, 4 RBI; Casey Lesman 2 H, R; Kaley Dyer 2 H, RBI; Erin Perez 2 H; Mya Rodgers H, R. WC 6-5.
Alabama Central 4, Westminster Christian 2: Mya Rodgers 3 H, RBI; Gaby Perez H, RBI; Erin Perez H, 2 R; Gigi Khoury H; Kaley Dyer H, BB; Jasmine Armenteros H. WC 6-6.
Westminster Christian 7, Ohio Marysville 4: Winning Pitcher Kaley Dyer 4 IP, 4 R, 6 H 2 BB, 4 K; Elise La Rosa 3 H, 3 RBI; Abi Barboza 2 H; Jasmine Armenteros 2 H, R; Casey Lesman 2 H, 2 R; Gigi Khoury H, HR, RBI; Erin Perez H, RBI; Mya Rodgers H. WC 7-6.
More softball
Carrollton 11, Lourdes 4: Winning Pitcher Madelyn Althage (5-3); Sylvia Figueroa 3-3, 2B, RBI; Allyson Wolfson 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI; Grace Diez 2-5, 2B, 3B, RBI. Carr 5-3.
Carrollton 11, LaSalle 0: Winning Pitcher Madelyn Althage (6-3) 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 K; Allyson Wolfson 2-3, 2B; Isabella Whitby 1-1, RBI; Emma Althage 1-1, 2 RBI. Carr 6-3.
Carrollton 11, Marathon 4: Winning Pitcher Madelyn Althage (7-3); Emma Althage 2-4, 4 RBI; Grace Diez 2-5, 2 RBI; Amalia Neff: 2-4. Carr 7-3.
Lacrosse
The Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy girls' lacrosse team defeated Key West 18-6.
Senior Carson Kroll had 10 goals and 1 assist for the Mavericks (6-10). Freshman Ava Valdivieso added 4 goals and 8 groundballs, and Eva Andrade had 2 goals and 1 assist. Julia Ayers-Golik scored, and Gaby Laffler had 1 goal and 1 assist. Blaire Gordon recorded 3 groundballs. Goaltender Josephine Mens made 4 saves.
For Key West (5-7), Deanna Mercier had 3 goals and 1 assist, and teammate Kaitlyn Piloto totaled 2 goals and 1 assist.
Archbishop McCarthy (6-11) ended the regular season with a 20-9 defeat to Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest (9-5).
Valdivieso closed her first high school regular season with 139 draw controls, 51 goals, 19 assists, 111 ground balls, and 29 caused turnovers. Senior Carson Kroll finished her last regular high school season with 82 goals, 27 assists, 14 ground balls, 5 caused turnovers and 38 draw controls. Senior Hayden Hughes was an impact player, completing the regular season with 26 goals, 2 assists, 14 ground balls, 5 caused turnovers and 63 draw controls.
Send high school sports results
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.
---
Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
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