09-05-2025
New ADs at Chaminade-Madonna. Plus more state tennis, baseball, boys' volleyball
Miami Divine Savior senior Lauren Kettlewell ended her high school varsity tennis career in style by winning an FHSAA State Championship at girls' No.1 singles in Class 1A to become the first Divine Savior tennis player to win state.
Kettlewell is the daughter of Divine Savior tennis coach Jenny Sotomayor. This was her first and only season playing high school tennis for Divine Savior as she did online schooling prior, and Divine Savior does not allow online students to participate in school sports. As a 6th-8th grader, she competed high school varsity tennis for state and national champ Doral Academy.
Kettlewell, who reported to Divine Savior for the 2024-25 school year, defeated last year's state champ Maria Navarro, a sophomore from North Palm Beach The Benjamin School, 6-3, 7-5 in the state finals.
In the state semifinals, Navarro eliminated Miami True North senior Daniela Chica, while Kettlewell ousted senior Laziza Talipova of Winter Park Trinity Prep.
Kettlewell also recorded state wins over 8th grader Emily Kao of Community School of Naples, junior Anna Philliips of Niceville Rocky Bayou Christian and junior Gabriela Rocker of Tampa Prep.
Chica later bounced back (teaming with senior Alba Martinez) to win state at girls' No.1 doubles by beating Kettlewell and senior Anabella Parente in a battle in the finals 6-3, 3-6, 11-9. Prior, True North girls won their third consecutive team state title.
Kettlewell finished the 2025 high school season undefeated in singles play at 17-0 with a 2025 state title. In doubles, her and Parente went 11-2, culminating with a state runner-up finish.
Some other accomplishments by Kettlewell
Sportsmanship Awards: Recognized for outstanding sportsmanship at national tournaments, received 5 times of 8 nominations.2019 Leadership Award: Doral Academy High School Tennis Team's Florida Bobby Curtis State Tournament Individual Champion 2021.2X FHSAA State Team Champion while playing for Doral Academy.2019 High School National Team Champion while playing for Doral 50 Class of 2025 Recruiting.5 Star to play for NCAA Division I Boston University (Commencing Fall 2025).Part of Billie Jean King Cup Team Puerto Rico (2023, 2024, 2025).
Note: After playing varsity high school tennis for Doral Academy (6th-8th grade), she opted to focus more on her circuit tennis schedule (her freshman-junior years). She became a Florida virtual school student (home schooled) to keep up with that tournament schedule (Level 1s and Level 2s with USTA and ITF tournaments as well as being a member of Billie Jean King Cup Team Puerto Rico).
Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy 8th grader Lexie Bursa was a state semifinalist in girls' No.1 singles in 1A. Miami LaSalle sophomore Sabrina Casareale was a state quarterfinalist.
In 1A boys, sophomore Lorenzo Lopez and senior Oscar Bergier of Miami Country Day reached the state semifinals at No.1 doubles.
In 4A girls, Parkland Stoneman Douglas senior Savita Bagirathan won state at No.1 singles for the second consecutive season. She also teamed with her sophomore sister Dhea, and they were state semifinalists at No.1 doubles, after winning districts and regionals
Miami Doral Academy freshmen Payton Seidle-Lubowitz and Stefany Zamora teamed to finish runner-up at state in girls' No.1 doubles in Class 4A.
Coral Gables junior Kira Acevedo was a state semifinalist at 4A girls' No.1 singles.
The Miami Gulliver prep boys' tennis team was a FHSAA Class 2A state finalist, defeating Orlando Lake Highland Prep in a state quarterfinal and Naples Aubrey Rogers in a state semifinal.
In the finals, Delray American Heritage beat the Raiders. The runners-up are Lorenzo Martinez (soph.), Alexander Zelenov (soph.), Tomas Orrego (soph.), Maximo Lopina (jr.), Juan Beltran (jr.), and Jack O'Brien (fr.).
Coconut Creek North Broward Prep sophomore Max Freedman was a state semifinalist in 2A at boys' No.1 singles. The defending state champ was up 4-1 in the first set but then a hand injury effected his play, and he lost the match to Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy senior Quentin Gabler 6-4, 6-3. Gabler reached the finals, finishing as state runner-up.
In 2A boys' doubles, Miami MAST Academy senior Pedro Ribas and sophomore Ricardo Watson were state semifinalists.
Miami Downtown Doral senior Samuel Uribe was also a state semifinalist in Class 2A at boys' No.1 singles. It marked his second consecutive season reaching the state tournament.
Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest senior Bridget Chalich not only won a state title at girls' No.1 singles in Class 2A, but she also teamed with freshman Sophia Ead, and they were state finalists at girls' No.1 doubles.
Senior Sophia Pacheco and sophomore Rowan Cicero of Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas were state finalists in girls' No.1 doubles in Class 3A. Faith Valentine and Riddhi Thakur of Naples Gulf Coast beat them in the finals.
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy junior Jessica McLean was a state semifinalist in girls' No.1 singles in 3A.
On the boys' side in 3A, top seeded Bosko Matovic, a Miami Beach junior, was upset in the state quarterfinals in a tiebreaker at No.1 singles by Riverview Spoto sophomore Luka Torres-Sigler 4-6, 6-2, 10-4. St. Thomas Aquinas junior Conor Reeser reached the state semifinals at No.1 singles.
The FHSAA State Tennis Championships were at three parks in Seminole County in the Orlando area. They were at Sanlando Park (for all matches in 3A and 4A), Red Bug Lake Park (for team competition in 1A and 2A) and Sylvan Lake Park (for individual competition in 1A and 2A).
Chaminade-Madonna ADs
The Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory administration is pleased to announce that two new athletic directors have been hired. After a nationwide committee led search, Caytie Lagrange and Gerard Albert have been named to lead Lions sports and will begin their new roles starting July 1, 2025.
'It's a new day for Lions' athletics,' Head of School Dr. Judith Mucheck said. 'The model we used for years could not keep up with the pace, prowess, and success of all our programs. It is virtually impossible for one person to offer the support and supervision which is called for in today's high school athletic programs.'
Lagrange will be athletic director for the women's program. She is no stranger to South Florida athletics, having served as an athletic trainer at Monsignor Pace High School before teaching science and sports medicine at Chaminade-Madonna the past 13 years. She is a founding moderator of the Women Engaged Club and is the chairperson of the Mission Integration committee.
'I am both grateful and excited to be named the new athletic director for the women's program,' said Lagrange. 'What a way to support our female athletes by reinforcing a growth mindset, integrity, resilience, leadership and sense of self in the classroom and to encourage them to shine on the athletic fields.... Always moving toward a better world.'
Albert has served in an athletic administrative capacity and is also well known in the baseball arena. He most recently served as the athletic director at West Boca Raton High School. He also spent part of his tenure at Belen Jesuit and Coral Springs Charter high schools.
'I look forward to getting back into the Catholic School environment, where I have spent the majority of my career,' said Albert. 'After my first meeting with Dr. Mucheck, I immediately realized that our vision, values and goals for an athletic program at the high school level were very much aligned. I am excited about joining the leadership team at Chaminade-Madonna and am confident that Mrs. Lagrange and I will be able to facilitate a major jump in all aspects of the Lions athletic program in the very near future.'
Mucheck added, 'I was pleased to see the deep interest in our school and programs from all candidates that applied. Our student athletes are clearly making a positive impact on high school sports in South Florida. We are committed to providing comprehensive support to nurture their development.'
Region boys' volleyball
Region 4-2A Quarterfinal: Reagan d. Hialeah-Miami Lakes 25-11, 22-25, 25-20, 31-29: Yeison Gonzalez 22 kills, 27 serve received, 3 aces, 9 digs; Diego Cobena 17 kills, 19 serve received, 5 digs; Diego Requena 47 assists, 8 kills, 4 blocks; Zhayed Lacruz 5 kills, 1 ace; Santiago Mejias 27 serve received, 3 aces, 16 digs; Felipe Rivero 5 aces; Michael Perez 6 kills, 8 digs. Rea 22-4.
Region baseball
Region 4-6A Semifinal: Doral Academy 10, Braddock 0: Gabriel Milano 3-3, RBI; Leandro Hernandez 2-3, HR; Kobe Carrion 1-2, HR, 2 RBI; Dylan Prince 2-2, 2 R, HR; Winning Pitcher Marcelo Rodriguez 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 8 K. Dor 25-5-1.
All-County Ballots
High school coaches of spring varsity sports should have received their ballots to send Miami Herald All-Dade and Miami Herald All-Broward nominees. If you have not received a ballot, email hssports@
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.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@
