Top Miami-Dade teams make memories — and history
Miami-Dade County teams provided memorable moments and a little history from South Florida all the way to New York and famed Madison Square Garden this winter.
A total of six teams in three sports brought home state championships, with a few basketball teams achieving some pretty lofty accomplishments.
In a season that began with adverse circumstances following the departure of seven players to nearby schools, the Miami Norland boys’ basketball team found the resilience to keep its championship run intact, becoming the first Dade squad to win four state titles in a row.
The Vikings joined Miami High as the only schools to win six state titles in the span of a decade.
Norland coach Lawton Williams III now owns the most state titles of any Miami-Dade County coach and has the most in Florida history at one school.
Also in boys’ basketball, Miami Christian capped a strong second half of the season by winning its first state title since 2002. The Victors’ star-studded squad dominated at the Class 2A tournament in Lakeland.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
A little more than a month after it won its second consecutive Class 3A state championship, Miami Country Day became a part of a scenario that might not be seen again for quite some time.
The Spartans found themselves playing against Fort Lauderdale Dillard in a battle of nationally-ranked local powerhouses — at Madison Square Garden in New York — in the championship of the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals championship game.
Miami Country Day took full advantage of the rare opportunity by dominating Dillard nearly from start to finish in the ESPN-televised game to win the tournament title and finish in the top five nationally.
Miami High star center Beatrice Mompremier capped a memorable career by guiding the Stingarees to a second consecutive state championship and garnering a number of postseason honors.
Mompremier, a Baylor University signee, won Miss Florida Basketball for the second year in a row, Gatorade’s Florida Player of the Year, and earned a chance to play in the McDonald’s All-America game and Jordan Brand Classic. The Stingarees became the sixth Dade school to win back-to-back state titles.
WRESTLING
South Dade continued to crush the competition in wrestling.
Led by a perfect season from senior state champion Patricio Lugo III, who went 67-0, the Bucs routed the field in Class 3A to win the school’s 10th state title in wrestling. Lugo was one of three state champions for South Dade.
SOCCER
Gulliver continued its dominance in soccer by cruising to the Class 2A state championship for the second year in a row. The Raiders outscored their five playoff opponents 22-2.
Among the other highlights was a new face at state as young SLAM Academy advanced to its first boys’ final four.
And the Miami Country Day girls’ soccer team reached the state finals for the first time led by a talented roster of mostly eighth-graders.
This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Top Miami-Dade teams make memories — and history."