McCarthy’s Kerns, Aquinas’ Sangha are Broward Large School Athletes of the Year
Robert Kerns was one of the focal points for the ascent of two major programs at Archbishop McCarthy.
Kerns was the starting quarterback during a historic season for the Mavericks’ football team and a versatile outfielder/first baseman for their baseball team, which has become a perennial contender again in recent years.
Isabella Sangha was one of Broward County’s most versatile athletes even before she transferred to St. Thomas Aquinas.
Upon joining the Raiders’ volleyball and basketball teams, Sangha became an impactful presence on both, resulting in a state title and a state runner-up finish.
Kerns and Sangha are the Miami Herald’s Broward County Large School Athletes of the Year.
Kerns, a senior who is headed to Valdosta State to play football, is the Boys’ Sports winner after leading the McCarthy football team to its best season in school history.
Just two years removed from being an independent team, the Mavericks won a district championship, beat Plantation American Heritage, and advanced to the regional finals with a 10-3 record before losing in a rematch with Heritage.
Kerns, who finished with a 4.0 GPA and was a four-year starter, completed 109 of 178 passes for 1,726 yards and 27 touchdowns while also rushing for 516 rushing yards during his senior season.
“Just to think about where we were when we started my freshman year going 2-7, it’s been a lot of growth,” Kerns said earlier this year. “The most important thing was the people in the program, as we were growing, that stuck together the whole time and really pushed through any adversities we had.”
Kerns then excelled on the baseball diamond where the Mavericks went 16-15 and advanced to the regional finals in Class 5A before losing to Mater Academy in a best-of-3 series. Kerns hit .383 with two home runs and 27 RBI, and finished with a .480 on-base percentage.
Sangha, a Notre Dame commit for both basketball and volleyball, joined what was already a talented volleyball team in the fall and brought an intimidating presence in the middle with her 6-foot, 4-inch frame.
Sangha totaled 266 kills with a .521 kill percentage, and blocked 65 attempts.
Her efforts helped the Raiders’ volleyball team advance to the Class 6A state final.
A foot fracture after the season sidelined Sangha for the first couple of months of the basketball season. But there was no denying how valuable her return on Jan. 2 was for that squad.
Sangha averaged 15.3 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, and helped St. Thomas clinch the Class 6A state championship, and secure their fifth title in the past six seasons.
“The injury was a big test to my faith and I’m grateful to be back out here,” Sangha said during the state basketball final four. “Taking a step back and looking at the game and why I love it and being able to reconnect with it was helpful.”
MORE BOYS’ FINALISTS
Mason Mallory, St. Thomas Aquinas (football, basketball): Mallory was the starting quarterback for the Raiders, who won their seventh consecutive state championship, and the Herald’s 7A-5A Offensive Player of the Year honors. Mallory, a Middle Tennessee signee, was also a part of Aquinas’ repeat state championship in basketball.
Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas (baseball): Rated a top-10 prospect in next month’s Major League Baseball draft, Rojas earned Miami Herald’s Pitcher of the Year honors for 7A-5A after leading the Eagles to their sixth consecutive state title.
Clarence Westbrook Jr., St. Thomas Aquinas (basketball): Westbrook Jr., a junior, averaged over 23 points per game and earned Miami Herald Boys’ Basketball 7A-5A Player of the Year honors after pacing the Raiders to their second state title in a row.
Jacob Thomas, Flanagan (track and field): Thomas, a junior, was the centerpiece of a historic first team state championship for the Falcons, and earned Miami Herald Track Athlete of the Year honors.
MORE GIRLS’ FINALISTS
Jaelynn Housey, Nova (basketball, flag football): Housey, an FAU signee, proved her versatility by leading the Titans to the Class 6A regional finals in basketball and earning Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year honors. She then earned first team All-Broward honors in flag football.
Emmi Merhi, St. Thomas Aquinas (volleyball, flag football): Merhi was one of the top wide receivers in the state and led the Raiders’ flag football team to its first state finals appearance. Merhi won Player of the Year honors along the way. In the fall, Merhi was also a key member of the Raiders’ volleyball team’s run to the state finals, earning first team honors as well. She is headed to Nebraska.
Shynah Collins, Dillard (cross-country, track and field): Collins, a freshman, continued to be one of the top performers for the Panthers in both sports earning first team All-Broward honors in both. She ran the fastest time at state by a Broward runner in cross-country.
Ronneisha Thomas, St. Thomas Aquinas (basketball, flag football): Thomas, a talented point guard, helped the Raiders win their fifth state title in six seasons before earning first team honors in flag football and leading that squad to a state final.
Madison Ojeda, Western (basketball, flag football): Ojeda was a strong force as a wide receiver and safety for the Wildcats’ flag football team, earning first team All-Broward honors. She was also a top-performing guard for Western’s basketball team, leading that squad to the regional playoffs.
