St. Thomas Aquinas leads after first day of Class 3A state golf
There are few athletic teams at St. Thomas Aquinas that have never won a state championship before.
The boys’ golf team is one of them and that could end Saturday.
The Raiders head into the second and final round of the Class 3A state tournament at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills leading the field after collectively shooting a score of 304.
Aquinas leads Boca Raton by three strokes and Ocala Forest by four.
The Raiders’ girls’ program has won five state titles in the past, including a string of four in a row from 1982-1985. But the boys’ best finish was state runner-up in 2001.
Sophomore Brett Roberts leads the Raiders individually after shooting a 2-under-par 70 at the El Campeon course. He is tied for second with Boca Raton Spanish River’s Luke Gifford and trails the leader Jonathan Yaun from Lake Minneola by one stroke.
Senior Joe Lewis was Aquinas’ next-highest finisher, shooting 5-over 77 to finish the first round tied for 17th.
Columbus’ Roberto Nieves is Miami-Dade County’s highest individual after the first day. He is tied for 26th at 6-over 78. Columbus is 11th after the first round with a score of 326.
On the girls’ side, Palmetto’s Alexa Rivas is tied for third place with three other golfers after shooting an even-par 72 at the Las Colinas course. She trails the co-leaders Madison Hewett of Tarpon Springs East Lake and Erika Smith of Orlando Lake Nona by two strokes.
Lourdes’ Daniela Spillert shot a 3-over 75 and was the next-highest South Florida finisher tied for 14th.
No South Florida girls’ team is within striking distance of the title. Doral Academy is the highest among the contingent after the first round in 11th place with a team score of 344. Niceville leads the field after shooting 297. Cypress Bay is 15th at 370.
FOOTBALL
▪ Coral Gables 38, Southwest 0 Coral Gables scored 24 unanswered points in the third quarter to pull away from Southwest and close out its season Friday night at Tropical Park. With the win, the Cavilers (4-5) won the ceremonial Turkey Bowl trophy.
"We started slow and it has been a rough season, but were are going to pick it up," Coral Gables coach Tim Neal said. "We are going to head in the right direction, it just takes time, but we can't wait to get back at it."
Neal had coached Southwest for the past eight years and was an assistant coach at Coral Gables for 10 years prior.
The Cavilers were held scoreless in the first quarter. Sophomore Frank Gore Jr. scored the first points of the game with a 27-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to give Gables a 7-0 halftime lead.
Coral Gables extended the lead with three third quarter touchdowns and a 40-yard field goal by Sebastian Riella. Te'Corey Tutson scored on a 73-yard run. Gilbert Frierson scored on a 36-yard pass from Gerald Williams and Nadarien Jones scored on a fumble recovery in the end zone.
Gore Jr. scored his second touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a four yard run. Gore Jr.'s father Frank Gore still holds most Coral Gables rushing records and Miami-Dade county records with 2,953 rushing yards in his senior season and 419 rushing yards in a single game.
Southwest (1-9) was led by freshman Devin Everett who caught four passes for 81 yards. Jordan Worley passed for 95 yards and rushed for 27 yards.
Coral Gables was led by Gore Jr. with 97 rushing yards on seven carries with two touchdowns. Tutson rushed for 93 yards on six carries with a touchdown.
"The season didn't go as planned, but I told the younger guys to keep their heads up," Tutson said.
Darren Collette
CROSS-COUNTRY
▪ Region 4-4A: St. Thomas Aquinas swept the team titles at Tradewinds Park. Aquinas’ Bridget Alex won the girls’ individual title with a time of 19:50.76. Columbus’ Deshay Fernandes won the boys’ individual title in 16:40.02.
Boys’ team: 1. St. Thomas Aquinas 56; 2. Columbus 98; 3. Braddock 103; 4. Ferguson 105; 5. Coral Reef 115; 6. Coral Park 127; Individuals: 1. Fernandes, Deshay (COL) 16:40.02; 2. Rischar, Nicholas (STA) 16:44.89; 3. Dobbs, Hunter (CR) 16:47.41; 4. Wilson, Cavan (Gables) 16:58.70; 5. Rojas, Guillermo (FER) 17:04.55; 6. Redondo, Austin (CR) 17:05.41; 7. Torres, Eliseo (BR) 17:05.59; 8. Morillo, Alejandro (FER) 17:06.99; 9. Breslin, Aidan (STA) 17:07.24; 10. McPhee, Giovanni (McA) 17:31.23; 11. Canarte, Alvaro (COL) 17:33.50; 12. Favard, Kevin (WES) 17:34.63; 13 Ferguson, Jamir (STA) 17:39.48; 14. Eaton, Charles (WB) 17:45.15; 15. Washburn, Brian (STA) 17:46.11; Girls’ team: 1. St. Thomas Aquinas 52; 2. Braddock 60; 3. Lourdes 63; 4. Ferguson 93; 5. Coral Gables 171; 6. Cypress Bay 175; Individuals: 1. Alex, Bridget (STA) 19:50.76; 2. Fernandez, Maria (BR) 19:58.49; 3. House, Valentina (STA) 20:16.74; 4. Bergnes, Rebecca (BR) 20:42.20; 5. Rodriguez, Ana (FER) 20:58.90; 6. Shapiro, Jordan (PAL) 20:59.36; 7. Batista, Alana Maria (LOU) 21:01.70; 8. Aristizabal, Isabella (WES) 21:01.76; 9. Banato, Bianca (FER) 21:04.08; 10. Andressohn, Rahyah (SD) 21:05.89; 11. Suarez, Emillie (BR) 21:24.25; 12. Areces, Isabelle Marie (LOU) 21:27.86; 13. Williams, Ashley (STA) 21:38.09; 14. Summer, Steere (CB) 21:48.92; 15. Rodriguez, Krystal (CR) 21:49.01.
▪ Region 4-2A: Pine Crest’s girls continued to dominate as they prepare to make a run at a second consecutive Class 2A state title next Saturday in Tallahassee. Sophomore Tsion Yared won the girls’ individual title in 18:54.44 to lead the Panthers to the team title at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. On the boys’ side, Ransom Everglades was the top local team with a third-place finish.
Boys’ team (winner plus local qualifiers): 1. Satellite 60; 3. Ransom Everglades 114; 4. Key West 121; 6. Calvary Christian 175; Individuals: 1. Smith, Troy (Rockledge) 16:34.34; 2. Pedroza, Robert (KW) 16:46.45; 3. Ferro, Danny (CC) 16:58.58; 4. Allen, Owen (KW) 17:03.58; 6. Rodriguez, Thomas (Arch. McCarthy) 17:18.19; 7. Cusack, James (RE) 17:21.90; 9. Ortega, Gabriel (Pine Crest) 17:38.50; 15. Appolon, William (Coconut Creek) 17:51.44; Girls’ team: 1. Pine Crest 34; 3. St. Brendan 122; 4. Cardinal Gibbons 131; 5. Ransom Everglades 147; Individuals: 1. Yared, Tsion (PC) 18:54.44; 2. Matysik, Nicole (KW) 19:24.26; 3. Faulhaber, Emily (PC) 19:43.64; 4. Beleznay, Maya (PC) 19:57.53; 5. Varela, Natalie (Gulliver) 20:13.40; 8. Gonzalez, Mariana (LaSalle) 20:37.98; 9. Kerjean, Noemi (SB) 20:39.73; 13. Bishop, Kathryn (North Broward Prep) 20:56.60; 14. Schwartz, Amanda (PC) 21:01.64; 15. Mondelo, Almudena (SB) 21:10.51.
▪ Region 4-1A: Palmer Trinity’s boys and Miami Country Day’s girls secured the team titles. Highlands Christian’s Ryan Szklany won the individual boys’ title with a time of 17:24.25. Westminster Academy’s Jasmine Hincapie won the girls’ individual title in 20:17.22.
Boys’ team qualifiers (winner plus locals): 1. Palmer Trinity 65; 3. Marathon 78; 4. Westminster Academy 92; 6. Florida Christian 188; Individuals: 1. Szklany, Ryan (HC) 17:24.25; 2. Child, Aydan (Mar) 17:51.43; 3. Pitchford, Jonathan (Mar) 18:02.57; 6. Edouard, Saahr (WA) 18:12.98; 7. Stark, George (PT) 18:14.76; 8. Rashid, Julian (FC) 18:14.77; 10. Stoner, Duncan (PT) 18:41.28; 12. DeAngulo, Joshua (WA) 18:53.70; 13. Pinkley, Matthew (Mar) 18:53.80; 15. Rey, Nicolas (PT) 19:03.12; Girls’ team qualifiers: 1. Miami Country Day 93; 3. Westminster Academy 115; 4. Westminster Christian 127; 6. South Florida HEAT 149; Individuals: 1. Hincapie, Jasmine (WA) 20:17.22; 3. McGaffic, Lauren (MCD) 20:52.96; 4. Kennedy, Claire (WC) 21:17.98; 6. Rashid, Abigail (FC) 21:30.17; 9. Kaufmann, Katherine (DS) 22:15.79; 11. Simonson, Hayley (SFH) 22:27.36; 12. Herschman, Alexandra (FC) 22:40.08; 13. Saville, Paige (SFH) 22:42.96; 14. Dunham, Estella (DC) 22:52.96; 15. Olave, Hannan (DS) 22:56.21.
▪ Region 3-4A – Boys’ team (Winner plus local qualifiers): 1. Spanish River; 5. Coral Springs 133; Individual (Winner plus local qualifiers): 1. Isaias De la Puente (Forest Hill) 16:22.47; 2. Isaac Louigene (CS) 16:23.51; 3. Khiro Hoilett (CS) 16:39.07; 7. Brandon Flagler (Monarch) 16:48.58; 13. River Valladares (Douglas) 17:00.71; Girls’ team (Winner plus local qualifiers): 1. Spanish River 75; 4. Douglas 141; Individual (Winner plus local qualifiers): 1. Pia Beaulieu (Boca Raton) 18:25.57; 6. Alyssa Fletcher (Douglas) 20:03.66; 12. Yasmeen Hammad (Coral Springs) 20:46.34.
PRESEASON GIRLS’ SOCCER
▪ St. Thomas Aquinas 8, Everglades 0: Chloe O’Neill 3 goals; Micaela Caliento 2 goals; Shay Miedema, Victoria San Juan, Morgan Armstrong 1 goal each.
This story was originally published November 3, 2017 at 11:24 PM with the headline "St. Thomas Aquinas leads after first day of Class 3A state golf."