Posted on Fri, Jun. 27, 2008

Miami Booker T. Washington senior distance runner Benedick Hyppolite has signed a letter-of-intent with Florida A&M. ''Benedick will be a great addition to our program, as we are gearing up to compete on the national level,'' FAMU coach Rey Robinson said in a press release.

Hyppolite finished fourth at the Class 3A state meet in the 800 meters, and was a part of the Tornadoes' 1,600- and 3,200-meter relay teams that won state championships.

• Wrestling: South Dade coach Victor Balmaceda was named the state's Overall Wrestling Coach of the Year by the Florida Dairy Farmers Association this week.

Balmaceda led the Bucs to the Class 3A state championship -- their first in five seasons and eighth overall, a record for Miami-Dade County schools. South Dade also ended Class 2A champion Brandon's national-record 459-match winning streak.

The association chose Brandon's Eric Grajales, who went 57-0, as the Wrestler of the Year. He edged South Dade's Tico Baez and Fort Myers' Riverdale's Scotti Sentes.

• Baseball: Florida Christian pitcher Andrew Webster signed with Appalachian State. Webster went 6-2 this season with a 1.80 ERA to help the Patriots advance to the Region 4-3A semifinals.

• Golf: Miami Palmetto's Ernesto Marin and Plantation American Heritage's Shelby Coyle were the overall winners at the 29th annual South Florida PGA junior golf championship in Boca Raton.

Marin, who will be a senior this fall, and Coyle, a junior, qualified for the Junior PGA championship to take place Aug. 13-16 at the TPC River's Bend in Mainville, Ohio.

Columbus senior Derek Wilcox won the boys' 16-18 age group and Miami's Jordan Portal won the 13-15 division.