Latest news with #Barracudas
The Independent
20-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Mexico mourns naval cadet killed when training ship collided with Brooklyn Bridge
Dozens of people gathered overnight in the street where one of the Mexican naval cadets who died when their training vessel hit the Brooklyn Bridge lived. América Yamilet Sánchez, 20, was in the final year of her studies at the naval academy when she was killed aboard the naval teaching vessel Cuauhtemoc on Saturday. A small crowd gathered near her home in the early hours of Tuesday, many holding white roses and their cell phones to illuminate the way for the hearse carrying her body. Naval officers accompanied her arrival around midnight at the orange painted house in Veracruz's state capital Xalapa. Sánchez was the pride of her family, a standout student and athlete, who had already distinguished herself — scoring top marks in her naval systems engineering studies. She was a squadron leader and among those selected for the special group that accompanied President Claudia Sheinbaum at her inauguration. 'I'm going to carry you in my heart. My daughter is the pride of all of Mexico, for all the world,' Cosme Sánchez said, holding a photograph of his daughter in her dress uniform. 'I'm devastated, but we're going to move forward. My daughter was an example for everyone, she's going to be remembered as she should be.' Among the flower arrangements at her family's home was one with a one with a white sash reading, 'Barracudas family, with love.' It came from the local swimming school where Sánchez learned to take her first strokes a decade ago. At the naval academy she won medals and represented the institution nationally in open water swimming competitions. Her most recent honor was being awarded a place aboard the Cuauhtemoc, which planned to visit 22 ports in 15 countries. On Saturday, she sent her parents photos, told them she loved them and spoke excitedly of the ship's next stop: Iceland. Sánchez was high in one of the Cuauhtemoc's three masts Saturday night when it slid out of its dock in New York, authorities told her family. It's a ceremonial practice to greet and pay respects entering and leaving ports. 'It's a display of discipline, skill and respect, common in training sailboats,' said her uncle, Rodolfo Hernández Sayago. 'She was the pride (of the family),' Hernández said. 'My girl stood out in everything she did.' U.S. investigators laid out a timeline Monday showing the Cuauhtemoc was underway for less than 5 minutes before its masts crashed into the historic span, and radio calls indicating it was in distress went out only 45 seconds before the deadly collision. With the help of a tugboat, the Cuauhtemoc backed away from a Manhattan pier filled with cheering people at 8:20 p.m. on Saturday, U.S. officials said. Four minutes after the ship left, a radio call went out asking for help from any additional tugboats in the area, followed by other requests for assistance, National Transportation Safety Board investigator Brian Young told a media briefing Monday. Forty-five seconds after the first call, the ship, struck the bridge, snapping its three masts. After a few minutes, the ship separated from the tug and picked up speed, still moving in reverse, heading for the bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge escaped major damage but at least 19 of the ship's 277 sailors needed medical treatment, according to officials. Seven officers and 172 cadets who were aboard the Cuauhtemoc arrived early Monday at the port of Veracruz, where Mexico's naval school is, the Mexican navy said in a post on X. The body of the other sailor killed, 23-year-old Adal Jair Maldonado Marcos, was also returned to Mexico on Monday.
Miami Herald
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Coral Reef dominant as it cruises to third consecutive GMAC softball championship
Losing a starting pitcher to injury can sometimes derail a team's season. Coral Reef's softball team didn't let that happen. Despite losing one of its two regular starters, junior Erin Zambrano, to injury last month, the Barracudas have endured and remained one of the top teams in South Florida thanks to their depth and a core of players who have stuck together for the past four years. On Thursday afternoon, Coral Reef showed why it is still one of the more dominant teams in the state by blanking longtime rival Miami Palmetto 15-0 in three innings in the GMAC championship game at South Dade High School. The Barracudas (17-5) won their third consecutive GMAC title and are looking to solidify their seeding in a tough Region 4-7A bracket when the district playoffs begin on April 28. Zambrano, who suffered a stress fracture in her cervical spine, could be back in time for either districts or regionals according to Coral Reef coach Zach Segal. But junior lefty Quinley Wylie, who split starts with Zambrano in the past, has thrived as the Barracudas' ace. 'We've had to play around with some stuff to save our pitcher's arm,' Segal said. 'But (Wylie) has been a bulldog. We went to the Kissimmee (Klassic) recently with the mindset that we wanted to at least win three of the five games we played. She was like 'No, I'm pitching all five.' And she did.' Wylie didn't have to pitch much on Thursday against Palmetto (8-12), going just three innings before the 15-mercy rule took effect. To rest Wylie's arm for the upcoming postseason run, senior infielder Avery Clegg pitched during Coral Reef's 14-0 win over Hialeah and 15-0 win over Hialeah-Miami Lakes in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. Clegg and Wylie have been huge at the plate as well for the Barracudas and led the team in hitting in Zambrano's absence. Junior Brianna Fields' three-run home run in the second highlighted the offensive barrage for Coral Reef. Freshman Aliyah Quinones belted a two-out triple in the first that ignited the Barracudas' offense. All nine Barracudas starters got a hit and scored a run. Coral Reef has leaned on the experience of players like Wylie and Fields, who have been on the team for the past four seasons. As of this week, the Barracudas stand to be the No. 2 seed in Region 4-7A behind Lake Worth Park Vista and just ahead of projected No. 3-seed and defending state champion Davie Western. The Barracudas finish the regular season with a game Saturday against Fort Myers Bishop Verot before playing as the top seed in District 16-7A. 'This whole group has been in and knows our culture and follows it,' Segal said. 'Pitching and defense have been our strong points. We hit the ball like we could, but we have to keep it going.'
