Chaminade’s Smith, South Florida HEAT’s Pelaez are the Broward 4A-2A Athletes of the Year
Chaminade-Madonna football star Jeremiah Smith and South Florida HEAT swimmer Erika Pelaez finished their high school careers as two of the most decorated athletes in their respective sports.
Smith, an Ohio State signee who was rated the top overall prospect in the nation by 247Sports and Rivals at the time he signed with the Buckeyes back in February, won MaxPreps’ National Player of the Year, the Nat Moore Trophy, the All-American Bowl’s Player of the Year and the Warren Henry South Florida Player of the Year.
Pelaez, an NC State University signee who competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials recently, won 12 state championships during her career and set five state records.
After memorable careers, Smith and Pelaez are the Miami Herald’s Broward County Overall Athletes of the Year for Classes 4A-2A.
Smith, whom many believe projects as a future star receiver in the NFL, caught 90 passes for 1,389 yards and 19 touchdowns this past season for the Lions. His efforts catapulted Chaminade to its third consecutive state title and sixth in the past seven seasons.
Smith, also the Miami Herald’s Class 2M-1M Offensive Player of the Year, helped elevate the Lions to a No. 2 national ranking.
In three seasons at Chaminade, Smith caught 177 passes for 3,030 yards and 45 touchdowns. He also competed in track and field his previous two years in high school, but did not this season after signing to play for Ohio State.
Highlighted by his 17-catch, 321-yard, three-touchdown game against Bergen Catholic (NJ), Smith had eight or more catches and 100 or more yards receiving in five games this season.
Pelaez broke state records in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly and as part of South Florida HEAT’s 400 freestyle relay. She won three state championships her senior year, setting state records in each.
Pelaez swam 21.98 seconds in the 50 freestyle, becoming the first female high school swimmer in state history to break the 22-second mark. She then reset her state record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 51.29 seconds. Pelaez originally set the state record during her sophomore season (52.34 seconds) and topped the mark as a junior (51.78 seconds) before breaking it again as a senior.
Pelaez led South Florida HEAT’s 400 freestyle relay team that finished in 3:19.39, more than a second faster than the state record set by Buchholz in 2017. She set her record in the 100-yard butterfly (52.12 seconds) at the end of her junior year, and the 100-yard freestyle mark (48.08 seconds), which came on the leadoff leg of the team’s 400 freestyle relay.
OTHER BOYS’ FINALISTS
▪ DJ Wimbley, Westminster Academy (football, basketball): Wimbley, a junior, was a force for the Lions on both the football field and basketball court. In football, he helped Westminster reach the independent SSAC state title game with 1,504 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns as well as 8.5 sacks and a blocked field goal. In hoops, he averaged 14.3 points and 6.1 rebounds to lead Westminster to the Class 3A regional finals.
▪ Griffin Pomper, NSU University School (football, baseball): Pomper totaled 119 tackles including 15.5 for loss as a linebacker on the Sharks’ defense. And in baseball, he was one of the county’s top catchers, hitting .469 with 21 RBI to lead University to regionals.
▪ Brandon Bennett, American Heritage (football, track and field): A sophomore, Bennett’s blazing speed helped him finish as the county’s fastest sprinter in the 100 meters (10.57 seconds at state) and as a second team All-Broward wide receiver on the Class 2M state semifinalist Patriots’ squad.
▪ Kaii Winkler, South Florida HEAT (swimming): Winkler, a senior who is headed to NC State, set two national records - in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle events - to finish his stellar swimming career.
OTHER GIRLS’ FINALISTS
▪ Jasleen Green, American Heritage (basketball): Green, a sophomore, continued to impress by averaging 17 points and four rebounds to lead the Patriots to their sixth state title in seven seasons.
▪ Alexa Schwartz, North Broward Prep (basketball, track and field): A junior, Schwartz was a state champion in the javelin throw in Class 2A this season. She also averaged 17 points and 5.4 rebounds per game to lead the Eagles’ basketball team to the regional playoffs.
▪ Dianna Montidoro, Westminster Academy (softball, soccer): Montidoro, a junior, hit .417 and scored 35 runs to lead the Lions’ softball team to the Class 2A regional semifinals. She also led Westminster’s soccer team to the regional semifinals.
▪ Alicia Marzouca, Pine Crest (softball, basketball): Marzouca, a senior, earned first team All-Broward softball honors after hitting .552 and was one of the top basketball players for the Panthers.
