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Miami Herald
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Doral, Mater Lakes win Dade All-Sports Awards. Columbus, Northwestern, Westminster also honored
It was another successful season of high school sports in Miami-Dade County, with schools from the area combining to win 25 state titles over the course of the academic year. Doral Academy and Mater Lakes Academy are the winners of the Miami Herald's All-Sports Awards in Miami-Dade County for the 2024-2025 athletic season. In addition to the overall All-Sports award, the Herald also gives out the Boys' Major Sports Award, which recognizes success across six sports (football, basketball, soccer, baseball, track and field, and wrestling), and the Girls' Major Sports Award, which looks at how schools fared across five sports (indoor volleyball, basketball, soccer, track and field, and softball). Doral was a double-winner, also taking home the Girls' Major Sports Award in the large school division. The other winners: Columbus for the Boys' Major Sports Award in large schools, Northwestern for the Boys' Major Sports Award in small schools, and Westminster Christian for the Girls' Major Sports Award in small schools. Doral Academy's biggest success this season came in softball, with the Firebirds winning their second state title in the sport. Beyond that, Doral had state runner-up finishes in both competitive cheerleading and boys' tennis as well as a state semifinal berth for girls' basketball plus regional final appearances in boys' soccer and baseball. The Firebirds' girls' golf team finished ninth at state, the highest finish among teams from the county. Girls' volleyball, football, boys' basketball and girls' soccer also made appearances in their respective regional tournaments. Columbus won its fourth consecutive state title (and a national title) in boys' basketball as well as its second consecutive state title in track and field. The Explorers also reached the state semifinal in football and finished fifth at state in Class 3A for wrestling. Mater Lakes had a breakout year. The Bears won three state titles in boys' swimming and wrestling, sweeping the duals and individual bracket tournament formats. They also had four teams — girls' swimming, girls' volleyball, boys' soccer and boys' water polo — finish as state runner-up. The girls' basketball team also made the regional final, the boys' cross country team finished eighth at state and 12 of the school's 20 teams won district titles. Northwestern won the Class 3A state title in football, finished fourth at state in boys' track and field and went 23-4 in boys' basketball before falling in the regional semifinal. (While this doesn't factor into their award, the Bulls also finished as state runner-up in girls' track and field.) As for Westminster Christian, the Warriors won a state title in girls' volleyball, reached the state semifinal in softball and made regional appearances in both girls' basketball and girls' soccer. Other schools of note (in alphabetical order) ▪ Belen Jesuit: The Wolverines won state titles in boys' cross country and boys' track and field while also making regional final appearances in boys' soccer, baseball and boys' tennis. They also finished eighth at state in boys' swimming. ▪ Booker T. Washington: The Tornadoes reached the state semifinals in football. ▪ Braddock: The Bulldogs won a state title in boys' swimming - the school's first in any sport - while also finishing sixth at state in girls' swimming and ninth in girls' cross country. ▪ Brito: The Panthers reached the state semifinal in baseball. ▪ Carrollton: The Cyclones won a state title in girls' track, finished fourth at state in girls' cross country and advanced to the regional final in girls' basketball ▪ Edison: The Red Raiders won a state title in flag football and reached the regional final in football ▪ Florida Christian: The Patriots made it to the state semifinal in boys' soccer and the regional final in softball ▪ Gulliver Prep: The Raiders won a state title in girls' water polo; were state runner-up in boys' tennis; finished third at state in girls' swimming; made it to the state semifinals in girls' volleyball, boys' soccer and girls' tennis; and advanced to the regional final in boys' basketball. ▪ Homestead: The Broncos were state semifinalists in flag football. ▪ JC Bermudez Doral: The Thunder were state semifinalists in boys' volleyball. ▪ LaSalle: The Royal Lions were state runners-up in competitive cheerleading and reached the regional final in both football and boys' volleyball. ▪ Lourdes: The Bobcats won a state title in competitive cheerleading, were state runners-up in girls' volleyball and girls' soccer, reached the regional final in girls' tennis and finished seventh at state in girls' cross-country. ▪ Mater Academy: The Lions won a state title in baseball. ▪ Miami Christian: The Victors reached the state semifinal in softball. ▪ Miami Country Day: The Spartans won a state title in girls' basketball, advanced to the state semifinal in girls' water polo, and made regional final appearances in boys' basketball, boys' tennis and boys' water polo. ▪ Miami Springs: The Golden Hawks won a state title in baseball - the school's first in the sport and first overall since 1988. ▪ Palmetto: The Panthers won a state title in girls' tennis, reached the state semifinal in flag football, finished fourth at state in boys' wrestling and made a regional final berth in boys' tennis. ▪ Ransom Everglades: The Raiders advanced to the state semifinal in girls' soccer and the regional final in both boys' and girls' water polo. ▪ Reagan: The Bison made the state semifinal in boys' volleyball. ▪ Riviera Prep: The Bulldogs won a state title in boys' basketball and reached the regional final in girls' tennis. ▪ SLAM Academy: SLAM was the state runner-up in girls' golf, reached the state semifinal in girls' basketball and made regional final appearances in boys' soccer and flag football. ▪ Somerset Silver Palms: The Stallions won their first state title in softball. ▪ South Dade: The Bucs won two more boys' state wrestling titles and finished third at state in girls' wrestling. ▪ Southridge: The Spartans had a pair of state runner-up finishes in girls' basketball and boys' wrestling plus a state semifinal berth in football. ▪ Southwest: The Eagles were state runners-up in boys' volleyball and finished third at state in wrestling. ▪ St. Brendan: The Sabres won a state title in cheerleading and made the regional final in boys' basketball and baseball. ▪ True North: The Titans won state titles in both boys' and girls' tennis while reaching the state semifinal in boys' volleyball.
Miami Herald
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Columbus' Moran and Doral's Viruet are the Miami-Dade Overall Coaches of the Year
Both the Columbus boys' basketball team and the Doral Academy softball team shone brightly at a national level seldom, if ever, achieved by a Miami-Dade County team in their respective sports. Columbus' coach Andrew Moran helped build a state championship dynasty, which set a state milestone and achieved something never done in the long and storied history of Dade boys' basketball when they won a national title. And at Doral, Willie Viruet has built one of the most dominant programs in the sport in recent memory and capped this stellar season with a state championship. Moran and Viruet are the Miami Herald's Miami-Dade County Overall Sports Coaches of the Year for the 2024-25 season. Moran is the Boys' Sports Coach of the Year after leading the Explorers to their fourth consecutive state title and their first national championship. Led by their star twins, Cameron and Cayden Boozer, Columbus became only the second team in Miami-Dade County history, joining Miami Norland, to win four consecutive state titles. They took things up a notch after the season when they became the first Dade team to win the prestigious 16th annual Chipotle Nationals, cementing their No. 1 national ranking. They are the first Dade boys' basketball program to secure a national title. Moran, who joined new University of Miami head coach Jai Lucas' staff after the season, led the Explorers to a 138-32 record during his six seasons at Columbus and 109-13 over the past four seasons. Moran, who has won five state titles overall, was also named the Naismith Boys' Basketball National Coach of the Year. 'It's obviously amazing and an incredible feeling,' Columbus coach Andrew Moran said after the Explorers' title-clinching win at Chipotle Nationals. 'It's the cherry on top. These kids won everything they set their minds to win. It was always their mindset and they played their (butts) off. It's an incredible feeling.' Doral Academy had been seeking a similar feeling for years. But despite setbacks at the state final four in recent years, Viruet has kept his team as the best in South Florida and one of the best in the state overall. Viruet is the Coach of the Year for Girls' Sports. This season, the Firebirds finally ended their six-year state title drought, winning their second state title ever and losing only one game all season. Viruet's team, led by University of Texas commit Anabela Abdullah and Clemson signee Sarah Breaux, spent the season ranked among the best in the nation and finished ranked No. 3 in the country by MaxPreps. 'It's been six years since we won a state title. We were long overdue,' Doral coach Willie Viruet said after the state final victory over Santa Rosa Pace. 'The community, the school, well, I think we deserved it.' BOYS' SPORTS FINALISTS ▪ Frankie Ruiz, Belen Jesuit cross-country: The running dynasty for the Wolverines continued to reach new heights as they secured their eighth consecutive state title and once again finished among the top 10 teams in the nation. ▪ Anthony Shahbaz, Riviera Prep basketball: Despite having their top player transfer out in the offseason and having two key players suffer season-ending injuries late in the regular season, Shahbaz steered his team to a historic third consecutive state title in Class 2A. ▪ David Fanshawe, Miami Springs baseball: Fanshawe led the Hawks to a historic first state title for their program and first for their school in any sport since 1988 when they won the Class 3A championship. ▪ Teddy Bridgewater, Northwestern football: Bridgewater returned to his alma mater with a goal of restoring their program to former glory. In one season, the Bulls accomplished their mission winning the Class 3A state championship in dominant fashion. ▪ Katia Garcia, Braddock swimming and diving: Following back-to-back state runner-up finishes, Garcia made sure the Bulldogs didn't settle for anything less than first place, winning their school's first state championship this past fall when they won the Class 4A title. ▪ Brandon Neifeld, Mater Lakes wrestling: After coming close in recent years, Neifeld led the Bears to their first ever state duals title in Class 1A and followed with a dominant performance to capture the 1A title in the individually-bracketed tournament. GIRLS' SPORTS FINALISTS ▪ Gator Rebhan, Somerset Silver Palms softball: Rebhan saw a five-year process culminate with the Stallions first state championship for their program and their school when they secured the Class 3A title. It was Rebhan's third after leading Palmetto to titles in 2000 and 2003. ▪ Julie Doan Kurenuma, Westminster Christian volleyball: After five years of leaving the state tournament with runner-up trophies and medals, Doan Kirenuma and her players finally celebrated a state championship when the Warriors won Class 2A. It was the school's third all-time and first since 2016. ▪ Ochiel Swaby, Miami Country Day basketball: Swaby's Spartans made it a decade of state titles when they won their third in a row and 10th overall, tying them for the most by any South Florida team. ▪ Dylan Hermelee, Carrollton track and field: In a sport often dominated by the larger schools, Hermelee guided the Cyclones to their first state championship. A squad of nine competitors made every point count as they edged Montverde Academy by half a point for the 2A team crown. ▪ Stephasia Doctor, Southridge basketball: Doctor spearheaded one of the most remarkable runs to the state tournament in recent memory by a Dade team when she coached a roster of just seven players within one victory of the school's first state title. ▪ Antonio Boada, Ransom Everglades soccer: After years of contending as one of the county's better programs, Boada's squad took the next step and advanced to the state final four for the first time in program history.
Miami Herald
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Doral's Villazon voted state's Miss Softball. Plus Bobby Curtis tennis results
Senior pitcher Meagan Villazon of Miami Doral Academy is the Florida Dairy Farmers 2025 Miss Softball following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school softball coaches and media representatives. Villazon led her squad to the Class 6A state title with a 26-1 record. She posted an 0.63 ERA, while striking out 261 batters in 145 innings pitched. At the plate, she batted .475 with nine doubles, two home runs and 45 RBI. She has signed to play softball at NCAA Division I Florida International University in Miami. She is the third player from Miami-Dade County to win the award since 1993. Villazon, who was earlier named Class 6A Player of the Year to become eligible for Miss Softball honors, won the overall award with 12 of the 22 first-place votes and 159 points overall to finish ahead of Class 5A POY Leah Stevens of Palm Coast Matanzas, who had 105 points and Class 2A POY Morgen Talley of Clearwater Calvary Christian (83). Fourth in the voting was Class 3A POY Charley Butler of Crawfordville Wakulla (65), followed by Class 7A POY Tori Payne of West Palm Beach Wellington (43), Class 4A POY Alyx Hall of Fort Walton Beach (12), Rural Class POY Allison Allaire of Trenton (10) and Class 1A POY Keaunna Green of Fort Myers Evangelical Christian (7). ▪ PLAYER, SCHOOL, TOTAL POINTS (FIRST PLACE VOTES) 1. Meagan Villazon, Doral Academy 159 (12) 2. Leah Stevens, Matanzas 105 (4) 3. Morgen Talley, Clearwater Calvary Christian 83 (2) 4. Charley Butler, Wakulla 65 (4) 5. Tori Payne, Wellington 43 (0) 6. Alyx Hall, Fort Walton Beach 12 (0) 7. Addison Allaire, Trenton 10 (0) 8. Keaunna Green, Evangelical Christian 7 (0). ▪ FHSAA MISS SOFTBALL: 1993 – Jodi Hughes, Palmetto (Fast Pitch) Mary Babb, Barron Collier (Slow Pitch) 1994 – Jean Bonnici, Naples 1995 – Monica Triner, East Bay 1996 – Michelle Moschel, Naples 1997 – Kellie Wilkerson, Jacksonville Mandarin 1998 – Jennifer Gladding, Martin County 1999 – Jennifer Joiner, Bell 2000 – Claire Sua, St. Thomas Aquinas 2001 – Julie Henneke, Sickles 2002 – Erin Horn, Tallahassee Leon 2003 – Stacey Stevens, Gainesville Buchholz 2004 – Allison Kime, Valrico Bloomingdale 2005 – Dani Hofer, Palm Harbor University 2006 – Kelsi Dunne, Port Orange Spruce Creek 2007 – Kelsi Dunne, Port Orange Spruce Creek 2008 – Kelly Saco, Miami Palmetto 2009 – Erin Schuppert, Neptune Beach Fletcher 2010 – Kasey Fagan, Dunnellon 2011 – Emily Sanders, Bartow 2012 – Shelby Turnier, Palm Beach Gardens 2013 – Stephanie Texeira, Gulliver Preparatory School 2014 – Korina Rosario, West Florida 2015 – Morgan White, Ocala Forest 2016—Lauren Mathis, West Orange 2017 – Ally Muraskin, Coral Springs Charter 2018 – Lexi Kilfoyl, Academy at the Lakes 2019 – Lexi Kilfoyl, Academy at the Lakes 2020 – No Winner Named 2021 – Darian Ingram, Trenton 2022 – Jasmine Francik, Melbourne 2023 – Katelynn Oxley, Bartow 2024 – Jayden Heavener, Pace 2025 – Meagan Villazon, Doral Academy Local coaches in Top 8 Mark Boretti of Wellington High School is the Florida Dairy Farmers 2025 Softball Coach of the Year, following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school softball coaches and media representatives. In his 16th year as Wellington's head coach, Boretti led his squad to a 23-4 record and the Class 7A state title, the school's first state championship. Boretti's 2017 team was the Class 8A state runner-up. Boretti, who previously was selected the Class 7A Softball Coach of the Year to become eligible for the state's overall Softbll Coach of the Year kudos, won the overall award with six of the 20 first-place votes and 122 points, to finish ahead of Class 4A COY Taryn Gray of Fort Walton Beach who had four first-place votes and 84 points. Class 6A COY Willie Viruet of Doral Academy finished third in the voting with six first-place votes (like Boretti) and 74 points, followed in order by Class 5A COY Farrah Gordon of Winter Springs (62), Class 2A COY Amy Smith of Clearwater Calvary Christian (34), Rural Class COY Kevin Benson of Trenton (27), Class 3A COY Gator Rehban of Miami Somerset Academy Silver Palms (15) and Class 1A COY Johnny Manetta of Evangelical Christian (10). All eight finalists led their teams to state titles. ▪ COACH, SCHOOL, TOTAL POINTS (FIRST PLACE VOTES) 1. Mark Boretti, Wellington 122 (6) 2. Taryn Gray, Fort Walton Beach 84 (4) 3. Willie Viruet, Doral Academy 74 (6) 4. Farrah Gordon, Winter Springs 62 (0) 5. Amy Smith, Calvary Christian 34 (2) 6. Kirk Benson, Trenton 27 (2) 7. Gator Rehban, Miami Somerset Academy Silver Palms 15 (0) 8. Johnny Manetta, Evangelical Christian 10 (0). ▪ FHSAA SOFTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: 1993 – Jean King, Niceville (Slow Pitch) Marilyn Bevetta, Ridgewood (Fast Pitch) 1994 – Robert Iamurri, Naples 1995 – Leslie Black, Cardinal Mooney 1996 – Robert Iamurri, Naples 1997 – Mike Clamon, Bloomingdale 1998 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep 1999 – Bryan Baucom, St. Thomas Aquinas 2000 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep 2001 – Mark Schusterman, Gulliver Preparatory 2002 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow 2003 – Becker Downie, Miami Palmetto 2004 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow 2005 – Chuck Poetter, Palm Harbor University 2006 – Glenn Rutenbar, Bartow 2007 – Kathy Finnucan, Trinity Prep 2008 – Coy Adkins, Wewahitchka 2009 – Kevin Fagan, Dunnellon 2010 – Kevin Fagan, Dunnellon 2011 – Danny Hensley, Niceville 2012 – Mark Schusterman, Gulliver Preparatory 2013 – Bryan Baucom, St. Thomas Aquinas 2014 – Amanda Schuerman, Bloomingdale 2015 – Melinda Wyatt, Tate 2016 – Todd LaNeave, West Orange 2017 – Christina Thompson, Oakleaf 2018 – Mark Montimurro, Coral Springs Charter 2019 – Mark Huaman, Winter Springs 2020 – No Winner Named 2021 – T.J. Goelz, Lakewood Ranch 2022 – Lindsay Ingram, Deltona 2023 – Erin Spivey Parrish Community 2024 – Lexi Alexander, Pace 2025 – Mark Boretti, Wellington 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 honoring the state's top athletes and coaches in FHSAA sanctioned and recognized 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. USTA Florida tennis tournament Dhakshish Aryan of Parkland won the boys' 16s tennis title during the annual Bobby Curtis Junior State Championships for 16s and 18s at the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona/Orlando. Defending champ Shravani Chennamsetty of Weston was the runner-up in girls' 18s. Miami's Caleb Chow, who played high school boys' tennis for Class 1A state champ Miami True North Classical Academy, was third in boys' 18s, and Key Biscayne's Isabella Porto of girls' state champion True North placed fourth in girls' 16s. USTA Florida's most prestigious junior tournament drew hundreds of athletes. ▪ BOYS: 16s: Championship: Dhakshish Aryan (Parkland) d. Aiden Phoebus (Orlando) 6-2, 7-5. Third/Fourth Place: Chase Bowden (Palm Beach Gardens) d. Ivan Rybak (Palm Coast) 6-4, 2-6, 10-2. Fifth/Sixth Place: Juan Benite (Weston) d. Abner Yu (Bradenton) 6-4, 6-3. Consolation Final: Ivan Urbanovich (Winter Garden) d. Adrian Baerga-Torres (Hollywood) 6-1, 0-6, 10-6. ▪ BOYS: 18s: Championship: Alex Feies (Orlando) d. Matthew Shapiro (Boca Raton) 6-3, 6-2. Third/Fourth Place: Caleb Chow (Miami) d. Alessandro de Bernardo (Seminole) 2-6, 6-3, 11-9. Fifth/Sixth Place: Brayden Campion (Boca Raton) d. Joaquin Blanco (Delray Beach) Wo. Consolation Final: Diego Paternostro (Parkland) d. Noah Bayon (Gainesville) Wo. ▪ GIRLS: 16s: Championship: Nikol Davletshina (Boca Raton) d. Gabriella Harper (Boca Raton) 6-0, 6-0. Third/Fourth Place: Chernor Abie Barrie (Bradenton) d. Isabella Porto (Key Biscayne) 6-3, 6-0. Fifth/Sixth Place: Payton Seidle-Lubowitz (Weston) d. Sanjana Sashidhar 6-2, 6-2. Consolation Final: Ashley Narath (Orlando) d. Mehar Kaur (Boca Raton) 6-4, 6-4. ▪ GIRLS: 18s: Championship: Lyla Messler (Largo) d. Shravani Chennamsetty (Weston) 7-6, 7-5. Third/Fourth Place: Maria Navarro (Palm Beach Garden) d. Kira Farrakhova (Boca Raton) 6-4, 6-4. Fifth/Sixth Place: Emily Morgan (Boca Raton) d. Saanchi Dalal (Zephyrhills) 6-2, 4-6, 10-4. Consolation Final: Anastasiya Muravia (Boynton Beach) d. Tatiana Martinez (Miami) 7-6, 6-3. Send sports results For high school and middle school athletes in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have summer sports results and top performers (with stats), email hssports@ They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online. New athletic directors, coaches For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade, if you have new sports administration and/or coaching hires to announce, email hssports@ --- Compiled by Jim Varsallone jvarsallone@
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Columbus' Rios, Mater's Rosario, Doral's Milano are Dade 7A-5A Baseball Players of the Year
Columbus' Mathew Rios, Mater Academy's Alfrin Rosario and Doral Academy's Gabriel Milano - all seniors - all shared a common trait during their respective high school careers. Each often found a way to deliver when their teams needed them most. For their accomplishments this season, the three earn the Miami Herald's Miami-Dade Baseball Player of the Year honors. Rios and Rosario share the honors of being the Dade Co-Pitchers of the Year for Classes 7A-5A. And thanks to a prolific bat and strong defense, Milano is the Dade 7A-5A Player of the Year. Rios, a South Alabama commit, was the clutch ace at the top of Columbus' rotation once again this season. An already deep pitching staff, Rios went 8-3 and struck out 70 in 66 innings pitched while maintaining a 1.27 ERA. For two seasons, Rios pitched in the biggest of games for the Explorers and led them back to the Class 7A regional semifinals after another 20-plus win season. Unfortunately for Columbus, its bid to reach the state final four fell short for the second year in a row in that round thanks to West Broward. 'I'm very happy with the way the season went even though I wish we could have made it to Fort Myers,' Rios said. 'Hopefully in college, I'll have the same success I had in high school. I'm eager to compete and prove to everyone what I can do.' Rosario filled a similar role for Mater Academy both on the mound and at the plate this season, leading the Lions to their first state championship since 2014 and second ever. He compiled a 1.51 ERA and struck out 71 batters in 60 ⅓ innings while hitting .380 with five doubles and 15 RBI. Rosario, who will play at Western Oklahoma this fall, closed out the final inning of Mater Academy's state title-clinching victory against Fort Myers and gave up only one run in 6 ⅓ innings while striking out seven in a state semifinal win against Wesley Chapel. 'It was a dream (winning a state title),' Rosario said. 'I hadn't won one, but it was worth it finally happening my senior year to wrap it all up.' Milano won't have to go too far to play his college ball as he has signed with the University of Miami. Milano showed what a versatile infielder he could be with great defensive skill and a prolific bat. Milano had a career season at the plate, hitting .520 with 11 home runs, 13 doubles and 42 RBI to lead the Firebirds to the Class 6A regional finals before losing to eventual state champions Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas in the decisive game of a best-of-3 series. 'It was a rough ending, but I'm proud of the boys and everything we were able to accomplish,' Milano said. 'The program at Doral is special and top notch and I learned so much from my coaches there.'
Miami Herald
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Doral's Abdullah and Villazon are the Dade 7A-4A Softball Player and Pitcher of the Year
The pressure was on this season for the Doral Academy softball team. After three consecutive trips to the state final four had not resulted in a state championship, junior shortstop Anabela Abdullah didn't want another opportunity to slip away. Senior Meagan Villazon felt it too. She stepped into the primary pitching role this season and didn't want to let her teammates down. For Villazon and Abdullah and the rest of the Firebirds, it was mission accomplished. The duo was at the heart of Doral's march to its second state title, its first since 2021, and a top 3 national ranking. The Firebirds finished the season 31-1 and capped their season with a dramatic 5-4 comeback win in eight innings over Valrico Bloomingdale in the Class 6A state semifinals before beating Pace 1-0 in the final. 'It's even more special since it came our senior year,' Villazon said. 'We worked so hard to get to this and it was definitely worth it.' As such, Abdullah is the Miami Herald's Miami-Dade County Softball Player of the Year and Villazon is the Dade Pitcher of the Year for Classes 7A-4A. 'It was more like relief because that was our goal and we had been there like six years in a row,' Abdullah said. 'We've been No. 1 in the state the entire year so we had to make sure we won it this time. Our seniors are a group of five girls that played together since the sixth grade and I joined that in the seventh grade so we were really close as a team. We had no holes and we were just a big family and everyone was in synch.' Abdullah, who won a gold medal with Team USA's Under-15 team three years ago, earned a chance at another as she will participate on the Under-18 squad this September in Oklahoma City. Abdullah, a University of Texas commit, is regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops in the country, which she credits to the tutelage of her longtime coach at Doral, Willie Viruet - the Herald's 7A-4A Coach of the Year. '(Viruet) is the only defensive coach I've had since I was six and he works with me every single day,' Abdullah said. But Abdullah added some power to her already strong hitting tools this season. Abdullah hit .582 and belted a career-high 15 home runs. She also hit 12 doubles, four triples and drove in 59 runs overall. 'My travel coach, Scott Smith, helped me with the mental part,' Abdullah said. 'But I also got in the gym and added some power. I was a lot more comfortable with my swing.' Villazon split some starts last season with former Doral ace Yessenia Lopez, who now pitches at UCF. She knew the responsibility was hers to carry on a pitching legacy at the school. Villazon, an FIU signee, more than lived up to expectations, going 26-1 with an 0.63 ERA, and striking out 261 batters in 145 innings. Villazon also hit .475, with two home runs, nine doubles and finished with 45 RBI. 'It felt like I had big shoes to fill, but I just worked as hard as I could to perform well enough for my team and win it, and pushing myself was so much fun,' Villazon said.
