American Heritage's Smith and Marcial are the Broward Overall Sports Coaches of the Year
For American Heritage's football team, it was about finishing a quest for redemption that lasted two years.
For their girls' soccer team, it was about reaching another pinnacle for a program, which already ranks among the most decorated in state history.
Patriots football coach Mike Smith and soccer coach Cindy Marcial navigated each team on their paths to accomplish those respective goals this season.
As such, Smith and Marcial make it an American Heritage sweep as they are the Miami Herald's Broward County Overall Sports Coaches of the Year for the 2024-25 season.
Smith, who was promoted to the position of American Heritage's football coach in 2022 after serving as the team's strength and conditioning coordinator and running backs coach, led the Patriots to a state title for the first time.
He is the Boys' Sports Overall Coach of the Year after leading Heritage to its first state title since 2020 and sixth overall.
But it was that much sweeter for a program, which came up painfully short in the state final in 2022 and the state semifinals in 2023.
Even more so as it came two years after senior wide receiver Malachi Toney fumbled late in that 2022 state final loss. This time Toney started at quarterback in Heritage's three final playoff wins with starter Dia Bell hurt, and led the Patriots to the title.
'It's fitting how we ended this thing,' Smith said after the state final win. 'The adversity that kid battled through. He put the ball on the ground on the 28-yard line against Central two years ago and cried like a baby. For him to come back and do this, you can't make this up. Hollywood couldn't have written this ending better.'
Marcial is the Overall Girls' Sports Coach of the Year.
She led Heritage to its seventh state title since she became head coach in 2014, its 14th overall, and its third 'three-peat' in program history.
But even more meaningful was the fact that the Patriots went 19-1 and went wire-to-wire as the nation's top-ranked team, securing a mythical national title.
Heritage capped it off with a dominant 3-0 victory over Orlando Bishop Moore in the Class 4A state final.
The Patriots finished the season with 11 consecutive shutouts.
'We are all about tradition and we want to keep it going,' Marcial said after the state final victory.
BOYS' SPORTS FINALISTS
▪ Todd Fitz-Gerald, Douglas baseball: The Eagles added another milestone to their storied program's history by becoming the first team in the state of Florida to win five consecutive state championships. Fitz-Gerald has now led Douglas to six state titles overall and he has seven rings, having led American Heritage to one as well.
▪ Joey Wardlow, St. Thomas Aquinas baseball: Led by one of the most prolific lineups in recent memory, Wardlow guided the Raiders to their first state title since 2018 and his first as their coach.
▪ Julius Sandi, St. Thomas Aquinas basketball: Sandi coached one of the most talented teams in the state to their first state championship since 2001 and his first as the Raiders' coach.
▪ J.R. McNabb, Blanche Ely basketball: McNabb helped restore the proud tradition of the Tigers' program by leading them to their first state title since 2019 and ninth overall, which leads all Broward County programs.
▪ Edward Schuler, Stranahan, basketball: On the strength of a miraculous last-minute comeback, Schuler's squad won its fourth state title overall and first since winning three in a four-year span from 2019, 2020 and 2022.
▪ Roger Harriott, St. Thomas Aquinas football: Even after a regular season, which raised doubts after three losses, Harriott oversaw another state title run, which extended the program's state-record streak to six consecutive seasons.
▪ Dameon Jones, Chaminade-Madonna football: Jones' squad overcame roster turnover and an 0-2 start to secure its fourth consecutive state championship and seventh in the past eight years.
GIRLS' SPORTS FINALISTS
▪ Lisa Zielinski, St. Thomas Aquinas volleyball: Zielinski added to her storied resume by leading the Raiders to their eighth state title all-time and second in a row. It was the first time Aquinas repeated as state champions since winning three in a row from 2014-2016.
▪ Nicole Arnold, Cypress Bay volleyball: Arnold led the Lightning to an unbeaten season and best record in school history until their loss in the Class 7A regional finals. It was Cypress Bay's first appearance in the regional finals since 2018.
▪ Davidson Gil, Dillard track and field and cross-country: Gil led the Panthers to their second consecutive state championship, edging Miami Northwestern for the second year in a row. He also guided the Dillard cross-country team to a state runner-up finish in the fall.
▪ Toby Croke, American Heritage tennis: Croke led the Patriots girls to their first state championship since 2021 and their seventh overall.
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