Pine Crest senior named Gatorade Florida Cross Country Runner of the Year

Miles and miles of running paid dividends for Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest runner Tsion Yared on Monday. That’s when Gatorade announced its 2018-19 Florida Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winner and it was her name that was called.

The 5-foot-4 junior’s resumé is loaded. She raced to the Class 2A individual state championship this past season with a time of 17:26.63, leading the Panthers to a second-place team finish.

In addition, Yared took second at the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast Regional championships in 17:44.7 and finished 23rd nationally at the NXN Final. She also won the King of the Hill Invitational and the St. Thomas University Invitational and finished fourth at the prestigious Great American Cross Country Festival.

The award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse.

As the state winner, Yared, who maintains a 4.85 weighted GPA in the classroom, is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year award, which will be announced in February,

Also a talented musician, Yared has participated in service-mission trips to Ethiopia and has volunteered locally on behalf of the Beta Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“Tsion had a remarkable track season last spring and that propelled her into her best summer of training and her best cross country season ever,” said Pine Crest coach Paul Baur. “Her individual accomplishments are staggering, but how she brought the team together— despite our injuries — and to finish on the podium for a seventh year in a row will be something her teammates cherish forever.”

As a part of Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Yared has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of her choosing. She is also eligible to submit an essay to win one of 12 $10,000 spotlight grants for the organization of choice, which will be announced throughout the year.

Columbus wrestling coach reaches milestone

It has been a productive career for long-time South Florida high school wrestling coach Jim Husk.

And as he hits the midway point of his 54th season, Husk has another milestone to add to his resume: 1,000 career dual-meet wins.

His all-time record, which includes stints at Archbishop Curley, Southwest, Southridge and Columbus, is 1,004-118-4. Husk led Southridge to seven team state championship titles and has another seven team runner-up nods to his name while also leading 62 individual state champions. He was named the Florida Coach of the Year 11 times, named National Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2007 and was inducted into the FHSAA Hall of Fame in 2002.

He’ll have a chance to extend that record on Wednesday when Columbus hosts St. Thomas Aquinas for a rare outdoor wrestling match. The action starts with JV at 6 p.m. with varsity to follow. Columbus finished fifth in Class 3A at last year’s state championship. St. Thomas Aquinas finished third twice in the past three years.

-Jordan McPherson

BOYS SOCCER

▪ District 16-2A quarterfinal – Westminster Christian 8, Pinecrest Prep 0: Jack Butler 3 goals, Renzo Brambilla 2 goals & 2 assists, Max Maduro 2 goals, Matias Gutierrez goal, Jeremy Hewett 2 assists, Alex Brijbag 2 assists, Munir Reyes assist, Tyler Perez assist. Johnny Gleason recorded the shutout. WC: 13-5-1

GIRLS SOCCER

▪ District 15-2A semifinal - Ransom Everglades 2, MAST Academy 0: Lucia Font and Mather Davidson one goal each. Reading Beardslee 2 assists. GK Preston Edmunds shutout. RE: 10-4-2

▪ District 15-2A semifinal – LaSalle 6, Somerset Silver Palms 0: Kiki Maribona 2 goals, 2 assists, Sofia Concepcion 2 goals, assist, Jessica Saavedra and Valentina Pafumi 1 goal each, Anabel Toledo 2 assists. GK Miah Bermudez shutout. LAS: 13-4-4.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

GMAC QUARTERFINALS

▪ Krop 70, Southridge 44: Francois 14, Weingard 13, Joseph 12, Ali 9, Walker 8, Hornstein 6, Knowles 6, Collins 2. Rebounds: Francois 11 (double/double). Assists: Weingard 10 (double/double).

▪ Norland 74, Mourning 13: NOR:18-5.

▪ Miami High 65, TERRA 25: Bucknor 12, Hernandez 11, Daniels 10, Colon 9, Scott 9, Rachel 8, Cruz 6, Gutierrez 4, Agudelo 4, Whitley 2, Rodriguez 2, Ward 2, Lopez 2, Mack 2, Casandro 2, Quinn 1.

▪ Ferguson 61, Killian 52: FER – Torres 22, Abdala 13, Garcia 12, Charlton 8, Betancurt 5, Ravelo 1. KIL – Bell 20, Ta. Grant 15, Washington 8, Ti. Grant 5, Hall 2, Arias 2

MORE GIRLS BASKETBALL

▪ Westminster Christian 43, Ransom Everglades 38: WC – Coakley 21, Donovan 11, Arana 5, Alejo 4, Boulris 2. RE – Arnold 20, Lindsey 6, Sekoff 6, Weintraub 3.

▪ Florida Christian 36, Southwest 32: Marrero 16, Delgado 9, Diaz 5, Ledon 3, Rico 2, Milton 1.

▪ Coral Gables 47, Varela 46: CG – Mendez 15, Cohen 12, Arguello 8, Bilbao 5, Cruzata 3, Pinera 2, Forbes 2. VAR – Quesada 19, Dykharan 17, Sexton 6, Williams 4. Rebounds: Bilbao 8. Assists: Cruzata 4. Steals: Mendez 4. Blocks: Viciedo 1, Crabill 1.

▪ St. Brendan 58, Reagan 18: STB – Berrios 12, B. Silva 9, Armas 8, Fraga 8, A. Silva 5, Alvarez 4, Viaros 3, Escobar 3, Gonzalez 2, Jimenez 2, Diaz 2. RR – Sidella 10, Suriel 4, Guzman 3, Vega 1.

BOYS BASKETBALL

▪ Hillel 57, Somerset Central Miramar 34: HIL – Berkman 12, Taieb 11, Bacal 11, Acherman 6, Almkies 4, Ben-Shmuel 3, Assraf 3, Abitbol 3, D. Abbo 2, J. Abbo 2. SCM – Smith 10, Carrillo 8, J. Taylor 8, C. Taylor 6, Diejuste 2. HIL: 15-5.

▪ SLAM Academy 104, Archimedean 24: SLAM – Solano 31, Figueroa 20, Ray 17. ARCH – Hernandez 6, Borrell 5. Rebounds: Figueroa 6. Assists: Ray 8. Steals: Solano 4. SLAM: 15-6.