High school athletes select colleges

Several top Miami-Dade County baseball players have chosen their side in the Miami-FIU baseball rivalry.

Killian, Columbus, Florida Christian, Braddock and Krop all had players sign letters of intent with either school as the weeklong early signing period for all sports except football and soccer began Wednesday.

Players can continue to sign with colleges until Tuesday or choose to wait until the late signing period in April.

Braddock shortstop Harold Martinez, who is rated the No. 3 high school prospect in the nation by Baseball America, signed a letter of intent with the Hurricanes. Martinez (6-3, 195) had been rated the top defensive shortstop among juniors last year by Baseball America.

Columbus had five Division I signees and nine overall, headlined by infielder Vickash Ramjit, who signed with UM. Ramjit hit .383 with five home runs and 25 RBI last season.

''It's always been my dream to play for the Hurricanes,'' Ramjit said.

OTHER SIGNINGS

• The Explorers also had shortstop Rich Rodriguez and center fielder Mike Garcia sign with Eastern Kentucky; utility player Derek Vigoa sign with Pennsylvania; and pitcher Brian Valero sign with Columbia. Four players signed with St. Thomas University -- second baseman Eddy Alvarez, pitcher Chris Plascencia, pitcher Willy Leon and right fielder Jesse Fernandez.

• Killian and Florida Christian each had four Division I signees. For the Cougars, left-handed pitchers Daniel Miranda and Sam Robinson each signed with UM, and lefty pitcher Mason McVay and third baseman Mike Martinez signed with FIU. Krop shortstop Garrett Wittels, who hit more than .400 his past two seasons and was a third-team All-Dade selection, also signed with FIU.

• All-Dade outfielder David Villasuso headlines Florida Christian's class as he and infielder Nathan Melendres both signed with Miami. Villasuso hit .375 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI last season. Also for Florida Christian, first baseman Alfredo Brito signed with Marshall University and right-handed pitcher Manny Fernandez signed with Army. Miranda and McVay put up similar numbers last season. Miranda went 7-3 with 81 strikeouts and a 1.94 ERA, and McVay went 6-3 with 78 strikeouts and a 1.92 ERA. Martinez is the team's top returning defensive infielder.

• Shorstop Alan Abreu of Archbishop Carroll signed with Division I Eastern Kentucky of the Ohio Valley Conference. ``He is a five-tool player, Archbishop Caroll coach Tom Cetta said. ``The relationship has has built with Elvis [Dominguez, coach of Eastern Kentucky] is big. He is one of those can't miss kids.''

Basketball, swimming and tennis also had some big signees this week.

• Monsignor Pace All-State first-team basketball guard Ray Shipman and 6-7 forward Terrance Saintil officially signed with the schools they committed to over the summer. Shipman, the Class 4A state tournament MVP last season, signed with Florida, and Saintil signed with Virginia Commonwealth.

• Columbus also had a major swimming signee as Casey Sreenan signed with the University of Michigan. Sreenan was a state qualifier in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.

• Ransom Everglades had two of its top athletes also sign with Ivy League schools. Swimmer Monica Burgos, a former state champion in the 50 freestyle, signed with Harvard. Tennis star Rachel Saiontz signed with Princeton.

WEDNESDAY

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

• Archbishop Curley 34, Ransom Everglades 30: Allyson Porges had seven points and six assists.

AC (1-0): Porges 7, Bostik 12, Masseus 3, Joseph 6, Cabrisas 2, Antoine 2, R. Antoine 2. RE (0-1): Levitt 5, Schiff 4, Lorenzen 2, Sablotzky 6, Wyler 6, Elkin 7.

Halftime: Ran 18-15. 3-pointers: Porges, Masseus. Assists: Porges 6.

• Greater Miami 43 Calusa Prep 25: Betty Lira shot down Calusa, going 5-5 from three-point territory and scoring 17 points.

CP (0-1): Meza 10, Sebai 7, Wasserman 4, Belli 4. GM (1-0): Lira 17, Juarez 15, N. St. Come 4, Dias 4, Pierre 2.

Halftime: GM 12-10. 3-pointers: Lira 5. Rebounds: Dias 6. Assists: Juarez 10.

• Palmer Trinity 44, MAST 18: Christina Gil had 16 points.

MAST (0-1): Kortesis 6, Okany 2, Sanchez 4, Given 1, Benitez 5. PT (1-0): Gil 16, Nordjvsit 3, Buss 9, Ruced 6, Falcon 2, Connor 4, Merrit 2, Rodriguez 2.

Halftime: PT 25-6. Rebounds: Buss 5. Assists: Nordjvsit 11. Steals: Gil 5.

• Miami Country Day 45, Hillel 33: Christine Chancy had 12 points and six steals.

MCD (1-0): Chancy 12, Rivkind 2, O'Neal 14, Vlahovic 11, Gasparini 6. Hil (2-1): Schoonover 8, Zarko 11, Carmel 5, Wollihager 3, Yaelseaver 4, Goldman 2.

Halftime: MCD 17-12. 3-pointers: Carmel. Rebounds: O'Neal. Assists: Rivkind 5. Steals: Chancy 6.

• North Miami Beach 50, Braddock 41: Naomi Fequiere led the Chargers with 16 points, five steals and two assists.

NMB (1-0): Fequiere 16, Villard 14, Lewis 6, Sherizol 9, Candelerio 5. BRD: K. Gonzalez 6, M. Gonzalez 8, Perez 6, Sanchez 3, T. Gonzalez 13, Conciobello 2.

Halftime: NMB 17-13. 3-pointers: Fequiere 1, Candelerio 1, T. Gonzalez 1. Rebounds: Sherizol 8. Assists: Sherizol 3. Steals: Fequiere 5, Vallard 5.

• Gulliver Prep 63, Florida Christian 42: Alyssa Baron led the Raiders with 26 points, nine assists and seven steals.

FC (0-1): Gutierrez 13, Jimenez 4, Abreu 2, Bueno 9, Donta 3, Morgado 11. GP (2-0): Baron 26, Berenson 6, Toledo 2, Amaya 12, Wolf 2, Pasalodos 12, Melamud 3.

Halftime: GP 29-13. Fouled-out: Toldedo. 3-pointers: Donta 1, Gutierrez 1, Bueno 1. Rebounds: Amaya 8. Assists: Baron 9. Steals: Baron 7.

• Archbishop Carroll 37, St. Brendan 34: Marcela Barrios led the Bulldogs with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

AC (1-1): Barrios 14, Sanchez 8, A. Diaz 7, Gil 5, Bush 3. STB (0-1): Cruz 10, Duarte 6, Alfonso 5, Castellanos 4, Quevedo 4, Padilla 2, Tarktikos 3.

Halftime: AC 21-15. 3-pointers: A. Diaz 2, Sanchez 2, Bush 1, Alfonso 1, Tarktikos 1. Rebounds: Barrios 13. Assists: Bush 2. Steals: Bush 5.