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Miami Herald
6 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Miami Edison's Rakyia Louis is the Miami-Dade Flag Football Player of the Year
Rakyia Louis knew she had enough time. Miami Edison's junior starting quarterback had two minutes left in a tie game in the state championship, and an array of talented receivers she knew she could count on. 'We had a game-winning drive this season that took 40 seconds,' Louis said. 'We had two minutes left when we started this drive, so I knew there was no way we were going to overtime.' Louis marched her team past midfield and then executed one of the state's most memorable state title-clinching moments when she fired a Hail Mary touchdown pass to teammate Poetry Auguste as time expired to lift Edison to its first ever state championship. The play, the drive and the accomplishment are some of the main reasons that Louis is this year's Miami Herald Flag Football Player of the Year for Miami-Dade County. Louis did more than just throw one clutch pass. She spent the entire season at the heart of Edison's march to a 19-1 season as one of the most prolific scoring teams in the state. Louis threw for 4,705 passing yards and threw 78 touchdown passes. The journey took her and the Red Raiders to Tampa where they made their sixth appearance at the state final four. But this time, things ended differently than they had in the past. Louis and her teammates are still a predominantly young team, which graduated only four seniors. They took pride in being the first to bring home a state championship for Edison, which has been a regular at state since 2017 under longtime coach Vince Hall, but hadn't experienced a breakthrough until this season. 'It took a while to hit me. All I knew is we had to win the game,' Louis said.
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Miami Edison's Vince Hall is the Miami-Dade Flag Football Coach of the Year
Miami Edison's flag football team had come close so many times in recent years to winning a state championship. It was only fitting that the finish was worth the wait for Red Raiders and their longtime coach Vince Hall. After five previous trips to state ended with losses in either the state semifinals or finals, Edison finally cleared the remaining hurdle. And the Red Raiders did it in style with a Hail Mary touchdown pass with no time remaining to secure a 26-20 victory in the final over Wildwood. Hall has seen the rise of the program, which has become a state title contender for nearly a decade to finally being a champion. And so, once again, Hall is the Miami Herald's Flag Football Coach of the Year. The triumphant moment came when Miami Herald Player of the Year RaKiya Louis heaved a pass to the end zone to Miami Herald first team selection Poetry Auguste, who was standing all alone and caught it for the winning score. 'As soon as Rakyia let it go, I knew it was six points,' Hall said after that game. Hall led Edison to a 19-1 record with its only loss coming during the regular season against crosstown rival Homestead. The Red Raiders stormed through the playoffs and scored two nail-biting wins at the state final four including a 21-14 semifinal win over Tallahassee Florida High. Hall had previously led Edison to state in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2023, including state runner-up finishes in the first two of those seasons. Edison figures to have a strong chance to repeat its success next season as it is set to return six freshman on its roster. 'It's a very well-deserved championship. We finally got one and Coach (Hall) finally got one under his belt,' Louis said.
Miami Herald
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
South Florida basketball icon Sylvia Fowles to be inducted into Naismith Hall of Fame
It's been over two decades since Sylvia Fowles last played high school basketball in Miami-Dade County. To this day, she is still regarded by almost anyone asked as the greatest female player to ever come out of South Florida. Fowles spent most of the time since increasing her legacy on the college and pro levels and on the international stage as now many regard her as one of the greatest of all-time. On Saturday, Fowles learned she'd be immortalized among the game's greats when she was selected for induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Fowles, a former McDonald's All-American who played for Miami Edison her first three years of high school and her senior year at Gulliver Prep, enters the Hall as part of a memorable 2025 class which will include some of the greatest ever in the women's game. Along with Fowles, former Team USA teammate Sue Bird and Maya Moore will also be inducted. 'I don't think either of us went into this thinking we'd be Hall of Famers,' Fowles said during an interview with ESPN speaking about her fellow inductees. 'You just do your job, you go out there and have fun and enjoy the company. When it's all said and done, the job is complete. And here we are.' Fowles, a 6-6 center, was an eight-time WNBA All-Star, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year and retired as the league's all-time leading rebounder before Tina Charles surpassed her mark last season. She is regarded as one of the best defenders in league history and had her jersey retired by the Lynx. During her 14 seasons, Fowles played for the Chicago Sky from 2008-2014 and later the Minnesota Lynx from 2015-2022. Fowles won two league titles with Minnesota and Finals MVP honors in both seasons as well as league MVP honors in 2017. She even was an all-WNBA second team selection in her final season at age 36. In international competition, Fowles won four Olympic gold medals from 2008 to 2021. Fowles led LSU to the Final Four all four of her seasons in college and earned All-American honors as a junior and senior, becoming the sixth woman to dunk in a basketball game during her senior year. Fowles' basketball career began at Miami Edison, where she made headlines by dunking as a freshman. Before long, Fowles would become the most dominant player in the state and led the Red Raiders to two state championships her freshman and sophomore seasons, and a berth in the state semifinals appearance as a junior. Fowles transferred to Gulliver for her senior season and led the Raiders to an undefeated season and to their lone state championship in 2004. The Class of 2025 has multiple headliners overall including Carmelo Anthony, former University of Florida coach Billy Donovan and Miami Heat owner Micky Arison. The induction ceremony will take place on Sept. 5-6 in San Antonio.
