South Florida’s top lacrosse teams hoping to win titles after having 2020 season canceled

Only St. Thomas Aquinas’ boys have won a state title in lacrosse among Miami-Dade and Broward teams since the sport was sanctioned by the FHSAA in 2008.

Will another join the group in 2021?

Aquinas, a state runner-up in 2019, is the only Broward County team to win a state title since lacrosse became an FHSAA-sanctioned sport, winning back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017. No Dade boys’ team has won a state title, and no girls’ team in either county has either.

After playing anywhere from four to seven matches before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 season, some of South Florida’s best have hit the ground running through the early portion of the season.

Aquinas, led by senior midfielder Jared Chenoy, is among Broward’s best. Plantation American Heritage returns a deep squad as well, led by seniors Connor Maron and Jake Marek and hopes to push for its first trip to regionals.

In Dade, Belen Jesuit made it to the regional finals in 2018 and hopes to push further this season behind seniors Victor Rosado and Andres Vila. The Wolverines are 11-0 so far with wins over Gulliver and Delray American Heritage.

Coming off a 6-1 start before the season was stopped, Gulliver returns a deep squad led by a trio of seniors — midfielder Tyler Cancio and attacks Tanner Jenkins and Max Fein. The Raiders are also among South Florida’s top contenders on the boys’ side along with Columbus, Boca St. Andrews and Kings Academy.

Pine Crest, St. Thomas Aquinas and Stoneman Douglas are once again among South Florida’s best girls’ teams.

Seniors Lauren Figas and Sammy Fisher are joined by junior attack Carli Fleisher leading a strong Douglas squad.

Senior attack Taylor McClain leads Pine Crest while juniors Ava Yovino and Skylar Troyan are among Aquinas’ top players.

Ransom Everglades senior goalie Helaina Harris should be among Miami-Dade’s best at her position as the Raiders try to remain the county’s top team. Harris, a Northwestern University signee, averaged 2.9 goals against last season. Seniors Ellie Dyke, Maya Rego, Sloane Sell and Rachel Bienstock lead the Raiders’ field player group along with junior Jojo Pena.

KEY DATES

The state championships will be held May 7-8 at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex in Kissimmee. The regional semifinals will be held April 22-23 and the finals on April 29-30. The district tournaments will be played April 12-17.

OTHER NOTABLES

▪ Calvary Christian could also make a push if all goes well and the trio of seniors Noah Horne and Eric Stephenson and junior Jacob Tralongo replicate their offensive production from a year ago. Senior Nick Bates leads the Eagles defensively.

▪ Ransom Everglades lost 11 seniors, but returns 14 players it hopes will also keep the Raiders in contention. Senior goalie Eliot Sable, junior attack Jack Rivas Vasquez and senior long-stick midfielder Levi Gains lead the group. Seniors Axel Hicks and Erik Medina are National Merit Scholarship finalists.

▪ Westminster Christian is one of Dade’s rising programs led by sophomores Ryan Penton and Lance Alvarez. The Warriors will also be led by senior attack Bryce Palmer, their leading scorer the past two seasons. Senior Christian Lopetegui is entering his fourth season as a starting goalie. Sophomore left handed attack Matthew Handel is Westminster’s top new addition.

▪ Palmer Trinity is trying to rebuild after an 0-4 season in 2020. The Falcons should be improved in their attack with junior Matthew Bauer leading the charge. Bauer had nine goals in four games including three against Gulliver last year. On defense, senior Connor Barthet is back and junior Colin Marandino will be called upon to bolster a young midfield.

▪ Senior Sena Irving and junior Clare Battaglia will lead a rebuilding Palmer Trinity girls’ squad along with seniors Bailey Topping and Marissa Tannenbaum.

▪ Calvary Christian’s girls returned a deep, mostly junior-led group. Senior defender Sofia Santana has committed to Marquette. Senior attack underwent ACL surgery in 2019, but has returned strong and has signed with Division-II Shorter University.

▪ Senior Carolina Hassan is back from a knee injury and will lead Gulliver’s girls’ team along with senior Natalie Guillamon.

▪ Flanagan is hoping to contend in District 16-2A as the Falcons return seven players including senior Tania Cummings and juniors Hillary Bastos, Minaal Khan and Nicolyn Hyppolite.

▪ Lourdes heads into its program’s second season and should be its strongest in the midfield thanks to seniors Alexandra Curbello and Nicole Oquendo and juniors Alissa Gonzalez-Mir and Eva Aguirre.

This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 11:06 AM.