Palmetto boys, girls win state tennis titles
As it turned out, when the Palmetto boys and girls tennis teams dominated play in the GMAC tournament a few weeks ago, that was only a prelude of things to come.
With both teams on a much bigger stage on Thursday, the Palmetto boys and girls both brought home team state titles in the Class 4A state tennis finals at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs.
It marked the fifth state title for both the boys and girls teams but the first time since 1996 for the boys and first time since 1986 for the girls. If you were looking for a real “first,” it was the first time both teams won it together and the first time the same Miami-Dade County school has turned the trick since Krop in 2009.
“How exciting. What a great day for Palmetto tennis,” said coach Kelly Gibson, who coaches both teams. “It’s something these kids worked so hard for and for the boys and girls to do it together and bring these championships back to South Florida is truly an honor.”
With doubles matches being played first, the boys jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Tampa Steinbrenner in the final when the No. 1 team of Matthew Fung and Randy Wilson and No. 2 team of Dillon Blake and Daniel Martin won their matches.
“We really had a great mix of young guys and experienced players this year and everything just came together,” said Fung. “It feels great to be a part of history.”
The girls took on Sarasota Riverview in the finals and, like the boys, the doubles teams of Samantha Alicea/Ally Hayduk (No. 1) and Isabella Montana/Natalie Vanderreis (No. 2) won their matches. Montana quickly won her No. 2 singles match before Vanderreis, just a freshman, won the clinching match in No. 4 singles.
In other individual action, Coral Gables No. 1 Daniel Krulig captured a 4A individual title when he defeated David Gorshein of Lake Mary 6-0, 6-1 and then teamed up with his partner Jack Lee to win the No. 1 doubles title, defeating Finn Anderson and Charles Putrino from Sarasota Riverview in a nailbiter, 4-6, 7-6, 1-0 (10-6). Under the state’s new format this year, they will return Friday to play against a No. 1 from a team champion.
In 4A girls singles, it was an all-Dade semifinal when Ferguson’s Slade Coetzee defeated Camilia Ordonez of Krop 6-1, 6-4. Coetzee dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision to Alana Wolfberg of Orlando Timber Creek in the final.
Despite her singles loss, Ordonez wasn’t done. She teamed with Juliana Martinez to win the No. 1 doubles title, defeating Timber Creek’s Wolfberg and Candace Carmouche 6-0, 6-2.
In Class 2A boys doubles final, LaSalle’s Diego Amilibia and Stefano Viel defeated Andrew King and Andrew Slack of Ft. Pierce Lincoln Park Academy 6-0, 6-4.
In 2A girls singles, Gulliver Prep’s Sophia Fornaris defeated Hannah Hogg of Lakeland McKeel in the semifinals (6-1, 6-1) but then lost to Melissa Sakar of Delray Beach American Heritage in the final, 6-2, 6-0.
The Gulliver doubles team of Sofia Restrepe and Chiara von Gerlach lost to Heritage’s Sakar and Hayden Bethea 6-1, 6-2 in the final.
The Plantation American Heritage girls team won the 2A title, topping Montverde 4-2.
BASEBALL
District 8-4A semifinal: Westminster Christian 8, Coral Shores 0: WP: Jarret Bond, CG, 7 Ks; Jayden Melendez 2-3, HR; Alec Jacomino 1-1, 2B; Bruno Ghiselinni 1-3, 3B. WC: 18-9
District 14-9A championship: Miami Beach 7, Coral Park 2: WP: Sam Weintraub CG, 3H, 2R. MB: 13-11.
District 12-9A championship: Flanagan 10, Cypress Bay 4: WP: Frank Gonzalez, 9H, 4Ks; Miguel Useche 2-2, R, 4 RBI; Edinson Renteria 1-3, R, 3 RBI; Jesus Delgado 1-3, 2 RBI; Daniel Rodriguez 2-4, R, RBI. FLAN: 23-1
District 14-5A semifinal: North Broward Prep. 4, Cardinal Gibbons 0: WP: Parker Foss CG, 4Ks; Gabriel Esquivel 3-3, 2B, R, 2RBI; Chase McBean 1-3; Dylan Goldstein 1-4, R; Jonah Diaz 1-3; Logan Clyatt 1-4, 2R; Sawyer Feller RBI. NBP: 19-8
District 14-5A semifinal: Pompano Beach 3, Coral Springs Charter 1: WP: Mike Schuler, CG, 1H, 8 Ks; Matt Stephenson 1-2, R; Trevor Kniskern RBI; Jake Nord RBI. PB: 18-6
District 13-8A championship: Coral Glades 1, Boca Raton Spanish River 0: WP: Matt Russo 5.1IP, 2H, 9Ks; SV: Steve Rega 1H, 4 Ks; Gustavo Lino 1-3, HR, R, GW-RBI; Cole Lea 2-2. CG: 14-9
District 15-8A championship: Nova 3, Cooper City 0: NOV: 20-3.
SOFTBALL
Region 4-9A quarterfinal: Coral Gables 15, Hialeah 0: WP: Sydney Pell (7-6) 3IP, 1H, 4Ks; Gabby Cutie 2-3, R, 3 RBI; Tatiana Campos 2-3, 3R, RBI; Kassandra Mendez 2-3, R, 2 RBI; Pell 2-3, 3 R, RBI. CG 16-11▪ Region 4-9A quarterfinal: American 16, Coral Park 1: WP: Ashley Alfonso (12-1), 4 IP, 4-inning no-hitter, 10 Ks; Sabrina Contreras 3-3, R, 2 RBIs; Melanie Arauz 2-4, 2B, 3B, 2R, 3 RBI; Tyenna Colon 1-3; 2B, 3R, RBI; Erika Castroman 1-3, R, RBI. AM: 14-5
Region 4-7A quarterfinal: Doral Academy 16, South Broward 1: Gaby Ruiz and K.C. Machado combined two-hitter with 6 Ks; Janelle Figueroa, Mikaela Roig three hits and three RBI each. DOR: 18-5.
SIGNINGS
Three Archbishop McCarthy student/athletes signed their National Letters of Intent this week. Lauren Bandera (girls volleyball) signed with Georgia State University, Ramsey Baty (football) signed with the University of Michigan and Colin Bertsch (baseball) signed up to attend the University of Rochester
COACHING HIRE
Former Booker T. Washington girls basketball coach Clyde Glover has a new gig. Glover, who led the Monsignor Pace girls basketball program to three state titles in a four year span (2002, 2003, 2005), will return to the private sector as he was named the new girls basketball coach at Schoolhouse Prepatory School in Miami.
This story was originally published May 3, 2018 at 10:01 PM with the headline "Palmetto boys, girls win state tennis titles."