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Miami Herald
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
North Miami boys' volleyball sets mark. Mater Lakes wrestling coach earns state honor. Plus more.
The North Miami boys' volleyball team is 11-2, after starting the season a program best 10-0 to open some eyes in Miami-Dade County. The Pioneers defeated Miami Killian twice, Miami Mourning, Miami Carol City, Miami Southridge, Miami Booker T. Washington, Miami Jackson, Westland Hialeah, Miami American. and Homestead. They also beat Hialeah Gardens. Their two losses (each 5-set battles) to Mourning and Southridge. North Miami's success is a testament to the hard work of Coach Emerson Torres, whose commitment and leadership have been instrumental in preparing the team for this school history-making run. Standout players include Benthly Osias, Victor Chrisley, Oussenaile Bernard, Christopher Borrego, and Darnel Samedy. More boys' volleyball ▪ Columbus d. Reagan 25-10, 25-23, 25-21: Lucas Riva 13 kills, 1 ace, 1 block, 2 digs; Daniel Rubi 7 kills, 1 ace, 3 digs; Dante Muñecas 7 kills, 1 ace, 3 blocks, 2 digs; Matias Claure 6 kills, 2 blocks; Charlie Friguls 31 assists, 2 kills, 2 blocks, 7 digs; Matthew Fernandez 3 assists, 1 ace, 3 digs. Col 18-2, Rea 13-2. Wrestling award Miami Mater Lakes Academy's Brandon Neifeld was named the Florida Dairy Farmers State Boys' Wrestling Coach of the Year, after leading his squad to the Class 1A team and dual meet state championships -- both firsts for the program. Neifeld, also the state's Class 1A Coach of the Year, won the overall state's coaching honor over Class 3A Coach of the Year Vince Balmeceda of 3A state champ Homestead South Dade and Class 2A Coach of the Year Joe Blasucci of 2A state champ Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy. 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 unique awards honoring the state's top athletes and coaches in FHSAA-sanctioned sports. District Water Polo Miami Gulliver Prep girls' water polo won the district title with an easy victory over Miami Cutler Bay. Coach Carroll Vaughan is in her 16th season with Gulliver Prep, and the girls' team has won districts everytime, 16 times. The Raiders (22-1) advance to the region quarterfinals. ▪ GIRLS: District Championship: Gulliver Prep 19, Cutler Bay 1: Sophia Beltran (freshman) 11 blocks, 3 assists, 1 steal; Isabella Ten Have (sophomore) 4 goals, 1 assist, 1 steal; Fernanda Cerqueira (junior) 3 goals, 1 block; Kathleen Serig (senior) 4 goals, 1 assist. GP 22-1. ▪ BOYS: District Semifinal: Gulliver Prep 20, Cutler Bay 0: Captain Alberto Escobedo (senior) 2 goals, 3 assists, 6 steals; Jonas Schoenwald (junior) 2 goals, 3 assists, 1 steal; Piero Checa (sophomore) 3 goals, 2 steals; Javier Kodsi (junior) 2 goals, 1 earned exclusion, 1 steal. GP 14-7. Softball Kaley Dyer pitched a shutout and also scored as the Westminster Christian softball team edged Plantation American Heritage 2-0. The Warriors scored twice in the bottom of the second and held on for the victory. Prior, the Patriots shut out Parkland Stoneman Douglas 3-0 with pitcher Isabella Benton tossing a complete game, four-hitter. In a scoreless battle through four innings, Doral Academy scored three times in the bottom of the fifth and eight more in the sixth to defeat Coral Reef 11-0. That's 20 wins for the Firebirds. Miami St. Brendan scored seven runs in the bottom of the third to key an 8-5 victory over Miami Palmer Trinity, and Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy broke a tie with three runs in the top of the seventh and then held on for a 6-5 win over Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy. ▪ AIE 11, Chaminade-Madonna 1: Winning Pitcher Mia Gonzalez 5 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K; Selenia Martinez 2-3, BB, R, RBI; Emily Gonzalez 2-4, 2B, BB, 3 R, RBI; Mia Gonzalez 3-3, HR, 2B, 2 R, 6 RBI; Alexa Garofalo 1-3, 2B, R, RBI; Lily Gil 2-3, 2B, 2 R. AIE 6-4. ▪ Archbishop McCarthy 6, Westminster Academy 5: Krista Confessore 2-3, 2 2B, R, RBI; Elizabeth Varona 2-4, R; Angie Sanchez 2 R; Sophia Jimenez 1-3, 2B, RBI. AM 9-5, WA 9-9. ▪ Braddock 8, Hialeah Gardens 4: Winning Pitcher Emely Ramirez 6 K; Braelen Cintron 3-4; Vanessa Builes 2-3, 2 RBI; Veronica De La Torre 2-4. Brd 10-4. ▪ Cooper City 8, Fort Lauderdale 5 (8 inn.): CC: Rylee Hedden 3-4, 3B, BB, 2 R, RBI; Lola Pedicelli 2-5, 2 R, RBI; Marina Recht 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI; Aileen Laffita BB, 2 R. FtL: Quinn McFadden 3-4, 2B; Tannar Keenan 2 R, RBI; Kylie Keenan 2 BB, 2 R. CC 4-9, FtL 7-4. ▪ Coral Springs Charter 9, West Palm Beach Dwyer 1: Winning Pitcher Courtney Wahlbrink 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 5 K; P Sophia Bertorelli 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K; Mia Rodriguez 3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI; Heather Robertson 2-3, 2B, BB, R; Gio Gurgel 2-3, 2B, BB, R, RBI; Addi Brown 2 BB, 2 R. CSC 14-3. ▪ Doral Academy 11, Coral Reef 0: Winning Pitcher Meagan Villazon 1.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K; P Camila Diaz 4.1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 10 K; Lauren Ali 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Alondra Aldebol-Borrero 1-2, 2 R; Meagan Villazon 2-4, 2 RBI; Anabela Abdullah Sac Fly, RBI; Leyani Viruet 1-3, R; Zoey Abdullah 2-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI; Ashley Tremont 1-2, Sac, R, RBI; Kyla Paul 1-1, R; Sarah Breaux 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI. Dor 20-1. ▪ Plantation American Heritage 3, Stoneman Douglas 0: AH: Winning Pitcher Isabella Benton 7 IP, CG, 0 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 K; Arianna Reynolds 1-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; Bria Villano BB, R; Kylie Diaz 1-3, 2B; Samantha Santana 1-2, 2B, BB. SD: P Addison Zajkowski 7 IP, CG, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 9 K; Antonia Nelke 2-3. AH 11-1, SD 6-8. ▪ South Dade 23, Homestead 7: SD: 3-4, HR, 3 R, 5 RBI; 3-4, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI; 1-2, 2 BB, 4 R, RBI; 2-2, 2B, BB, 2 R, 4 RBI; 1-2, BB, 2 R, RBI; 1-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI; 2-3, 2B, BB, 3 R, 3 RBI; 2-3, BB, 4 R, RBI. Hst: Beyonce Almaguer 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI; Anahi Davalos 1-1, 2 BB, 2 R; Carla Romero 1-1, BB, 2 R, RBI. SD 10-5, Hst 3-2. ▪ St. Brendan 8, Palmer Trinity 5: StB: Leah Lorenzo 3-3, R, 2 RBI; Madisyn Llerandi 2-3, BB, R; Kristin Stoia 1-2, R, 2 RBI; Gabriella Barrueta 1-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI; Taylor Nielson 2-3. PT: Kinsey Cerda 1-3, 2B, BB, 2 R; Hailey Rodriguez 1-2, BB, 2R. StB 11-9, PT 9-4. ▪ Westminster Christian 2, Plantation American Heritage 0: Winning Pitcher Kaley Dyer 7 IP, CG, 0 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 9 K; Abi Barboza R; Kaley Dyer R; Gigi Khoury H; Erin Perez H; Jasmine Armenteros H. WC 12-6-1, AH 11-2. ▪ Westminster Christian 10, Schoolhouse Prep 0: Winning Pitcher Kaley Dyer 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 6 K; Gigi Khoury 3 H, 2 RBI; Kaley Dyer 3 H, 2 RBI; Abi Barboza 2 H, 3 R; Mya Rodgers H, R; Gaby Perez H, 2 RBI; Elise La Rosa H, RBI. WC 13-6-1. 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@ 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@
Miami Herald
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Mater Lakes' Neifeld and South Dade's Balmeceda are the Dade Wrestling Coaches of the Year
Mater Lakes' boys made school history. And South Dade's boys added to their already historic state championship run while their girls got close to their first title. Both wrestling programs won state championships this past season in both the duals and individually-bracketed tournaments in their respective classes. As a result, their coaches - Brandon Neifeld at Mater Lakes and Victor Balmeceda and Gamaliel Duran at South Dade are the Miami Herald's Wrestling Coaches of the Year for Miami-Dade County. Neifeld and Balmeceda share Boys' Wrestling Coach of the Year honors while Duran wins on the girls' wrestling side. After coming close in recent years, Neifeld led Mater Lakes' boys to its first ever state duals title in Class 1A and the Bears followed that up with a dominant performance to capture the 1A title in the individually-bracketed tournament earlier this month in Kissimmee. Mater Lakes totaled 212 points to finish clear ahead of second-place Zephyrhills Christian's 149. The Bears placed six wrestlers in the championship matches and five came away with state titles, including Kellen Mesina (113), Keagan Mesina (120), Ethan Tran (126), Kalias Nazario (165) and Damian Soto (190). Christopher Greene finished as state runner-up at 132. 'This team has been around for four and five years. It's been the same group of guys,' Neifeld, who has been the school's coach for 13 years, said at the state meet. 'We should have won last year but we lost a tough one at the end. This year we just knew it was going to be our year and it's been incredible.' Balmeceda, meanwhile, directed the South Dade boys to another stellar season that included state titles in both formats once again. South Dade now has 27 wrestling state championship trophies having also won its seventh Duals state title earlier this year. The 20 IBT titles is the most for any Miami-Dade program and trails only Brandon High's 28 on the state's all-time list. The Bucs won their 12th in a row, which is the second-longest title streak in state history behind Brandon's 16 in a row from 2001-2017. South Dade placed nine wrestlers in the finals and came away with six individual champions, including Guillermo Jaramillo (126), Jovani Solis (138), Elvis Solis (144), Armand Williams (150), Tyree Graham (157) and Willie White (165). 'Realistically, anyone would have been happy to get four or five guys in the finals, but we went 18-0 on Day 2 with the quarterfinals and semifinals,' Balmeceda said after the state IBT meet. 'They answered the bell.' On the girls' side, South Dade had its own successful season under Duran's tutelage as they tied for the second-most points in the state (106) behind Flagler Palm Coast's 150. Willow White led the Bucs at 120 pounds by completing an unbeaten state championship season.
