Miami Country Day girls’ basketball team falls to Master’s Academy in 3A state semifinal
Miami Country Day came into the girls’ Class 3A basketball state semifinal young and lacking championship experience.
In the end, it perhaps was the reason why the Spartans had a 10-point lead slip away to lose 76-70 in overtime to Master’s Academy in a Class 3A state semifinal at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland on Wednesday.
The loss snapped a state championship run over six seasons.
“I thought the last three minutes of the game was a microcosm of how our season had gone,” Country Day coach Ochile Swaby said. “We were up and down and inconsistent in our performance.
We showed enough to take the lead but couldn’t finish the deal.”
The Spartans led 64-54 following a three-pointer by Sydney Shaw with under four minutes to play before they saw they lead evaporate.
Hannah Kohn tied the score 68-68 for Master’s on a drive to the basket with seconds to play in regulation.
Country Day (21-10) missed it first five shots in overtime, and the Eagles built comfortable lead with a 7-0 run in the extra frame.
The loss snapped the Spartans’ 33-game postseason winning streak
Shaw led the Spartans with 16 points that included four of her team’s 14 three-pointers for the game. Milanio McCormack added 15 points and Olivia Delancy scored 14 points.
Aaliyah Irizarry led the Eagles (26-5) with a game-high 23 points that included a key three-pointer that cut the deficit to 68-66 with 20.6 seconds left in regulation.
The Eagles finished with 11 three-pointers.
It wasn’t that Country Day wasn’t playing well in the first half, despite holding a 36-35 lead at the half.
Master’s Academy was just playing consistently well that allowed it to lead much of the first half, including a 31-23 advantage with 3:32 left in the second quarter.
The two sides combined for 10 three-pointers in the half that included five from long distance by Spartans guard Milani McCormack.
BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
▪ Southwest d. Coral Park 3-0 (25-7, 25-9, 25-15): Jack Hershman 11 kills, 5 aces; Erick Pinzon 12 assists, 5 aces; Yandi Pineda 6 kills.
▪ Palmetto d. Braddock 3-0 (25-7, 25-17, 25-20): Alvaro Grande 10 kills, 3 blocks, 2 aces; Dominic DeFerrari 18 assists, 9 points; Daniele Nembrini 15 assists.
SOFTBALL
▪ Ransom Everglades 5, SLAM Academy 4: WP Leah Maduro CG, 14Ks; Yasmina Haddad 2-3, 3 RBI; Taya Wilson 1-3, 2 RBI; Abby Sekoff 1-3, 2 R; Talia Berler BB, 2R. RE: 2-1.
▪ Doral Academy 18, McCarthy 3: Amanda Ramirez 2RBI, Kaylee Rodriguez 3 RBI and Sarah Breaux 2 RBI; Each homered to lead the offense. Lauren Breaux and Alyssa Zabala combined win, 6 Ks.
▪ Palmer Trinity 8, Pine Crest 5
BASEBALL
▪ Ramson Everglades 20, Somerset-South Homestead 4: Chris Basile 3-3, 3B; Marc Chaneles 2-3. WP: Justin Saphier.
▪ Belen Jesuit 6, Hialeah 1: WP: Esteban Rodriguez 5IP, 8Ks, 1R. SV: Francis Cruz 2IP, 3Ks. Dorian Gonzalez -2-3, HR, 2 RBI, R; Ryan Bertran 1-2, 2RBI, R; Ryan Cainzos 1-1, RBI, R; Andy Guttierez 1-2, SB, R. BEL: 4-0.
GIRLS’ WATER POLO
▪ Cooper City 18, Coral Glades 3: Lani Bond 4 goals, Kate Kaplan 7 goals, Nora Mirabal 4 goals.
BOYS’ WATER POLO
▪ Cooper City 21, Coral Glades 6: Dylan Pappas and Cole Spitler 3 goals each.
GIRLS’ TENNIS
▪ Ransom Everglades d. Gulliver Prep. 6-1: Sofia Miranda, Victoria Miranda, Blythe Heller and Dylan Miner all won in singles. RE: 3-1.