Calvary’s Marley, Gibbons’ Berent are Broward Small School Athletes of the Year
Both Cardinal Gibbons’ Lydia Berent and Calvary Christian’s Liam Marley combined athletic and academic excellence throughout their high school careers.
And each capped them with another terrific season during their senior year.
Berent was one of the toughest softball pitchers in the state once again, and joined rare company after signing with Stanford University.
Marley shined in two sports as a first team All-Broward athlete in both football and track and field for the Eagles, and earned the chance to attend Yale University.
Berent and Marley are the Miami Herald’s Broward County Small School Athletes of the Year.
Berent earns the honor for Girls’ Sports after leading the Chiefs to the regional finals in arguably the state’s toughest region and once again putting together an amazing season in the pitching circle.
Berent was the centerpiece of an evolution for Gibbons softball, which had a losing record when she began her career. Berent helped the program rise to new heights as both a pitcher and player. This season, Berent went 22-2 with an 0.65 ERA while striking out 194 batters in 117 ⅔ innings, and posting six shutouts. Berent also hit .388 with three home runs, eight doubles and 28 RBI.
Next for Berent is trying to do the same for a proud Stanford program looking to become a College World Series regular once again as it was when another South Florida star pitcher, Missy Penna of Southwest Miami, pitched there in the mid-2000s.
“My career really shaped who I am as a player,” Berent said last month. “But leaving this program so much better than I found it means way more to me. At Stanford, I can play at the highest level in college softball and I can succeed academically and pursue an engineering degree.”
Marley, a 6-3, 255-pound defensive end/tackle, brought a fierceness and intelligence to the Calvary Christian defense this past season, leading the Eagles to the Region 3-2A quarterfinals and a 7-3 record.
Marley totaled seven sacks, 41 tackles including 15 for loss and returned one fumble for a touchdown.
Marley then turned his attention to track and field where he helped Calvary Christian finish second in the state in Class 2A. Marley threw a distance of 53.13 meters to finish second in the discus, and tossed a 16.46 meters to also finish second at state in the shot put.
Marley was also a Miami Herald Scholar-Athlete finalist, maintaining a 3.99 unweighted and 4.46 weighted grade point average. He also scored a 1280 on the SAT.
MORE BOYS’ FINALISTS
Cayden Daughtry, Calvary Christian (basketball): Daughtry, a junior, proved himself once again as one of the most explosive point guards in the country while leading the Eagles to their second consecutive state championship and a top 5 national ranking. Daughtry is a 5-star prospect heading into his senior season.
Trey Hollandsworth, Westminster Academy (football, baseball): Hollandsworth proved himself a versatile multi-sport athlete, earning first team All-Broward honors as a linebacker in football and later as a first team outfielder in baseball.
Derrek Cooper, Chaminade (football): Cooper, an All-American and Texas signee, won a variety of accolades after another incredible season in which he led the Lions back to the state finals in Class 1A.
Stefan Lungescu, American Heritage (cross-country, track and field): Lungsecu was one of the best performers in Broward this season in both sports. He first ran the fastest time of any Broward runner at the state cross-country meet in November. He then finished with the top times in Broward in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
Hopeny Louis, Highlands Christian (soccer, track and field): Louis was once again a first team All-Broward selection in soccer after leading the Knights to the Class 1A regional finals. In the spring, Louis was one of the top pole vaulters in Broward, finishing fourth at state.
MORE GIRLS’ FINALISTS
Gio Gurgel, Coral Springs Charter (softball, bowling): After hitting 10 home runs, driving in 42 runs overall, and managing the Panthers’ pitching staff from behind the plate on their way to the Class 3A state title, Gurgel earned Broward 4A-1A Player of the Year honors. She also was a second team All-Broward selection and state qualifier in bowling.
Jayda Palumbo, North Broward Prep (volleyball, soccer): Palumbo, a junior outside hitter, was a key contributor on the Eagles’ run to their first ever state volleyball championship. On North Broward Prep’s soccer team, Palumbo was a key forward who helped the Eagles make it to the Class 3A state semifinals with 18 goals and 11 assists.
Elizabeth Sauby, Pine Crest (volleyball, track and field): Sauby, a junior, was a key part of the Panthers’ run to the state final four in volleyball and later won the state championship in the javelin in Class 2A with a throw of 43.27 meters.
Julia Hlatki, Pine Crest (basketball, lacrosse): An eighth-grade lacrosse phenom, Hlatki scored 80 goals to lead her team to the Class 1A regional semifinals and earn Broward Player of the Year honors. Hlatki was also a contributor on Pine Crest’s basketball team.
