Young Kilgour sisters, Ferguson duo, American Heritage girls & more ready for state tennis
Sasha Kilgour of Riviera Prep is one to watch this week at the FHSAA State Tennis Championships.
Just a seventh grader, she beat some good competition this season -- an undefeated season at 8-0 -- including a past state runner-up en route to the District 16-1A title at No.1 singles.
Now she turns her attention to the individual state tournament in Class 1A at Red Bug Lake Park in Casselberry.
Plus, a week after winning the district title, Kilgour and her younger sister, Leyla, a sixth grader, helped the Bulldogs win their first region team title, and Riviera Prep is headed to the state team competition.
Sasha Kilgour, 13, who trains at Polonsky Tennis Academy in Doral, is in her seventh year of tennis play. Prior to the pandemic, she was ranked No.1 in Florida and Top 10 in the nation in her division.
“Sasha is a highly competitive player and loves doing her damage from the baseline and coming in on short balls to finish the point,” Riviera Prep Athletic Director Courtney Young said. “Her demeanor on the court is a silent consistent attacker that always puts her opponent on their heels with her power. Sasha has great strong movement on court and can get to any ball.”
Leyla, undefeated at 8-0, won a district title at No.3 singles.
The following week Sasha and Leyla won in singles and doubles as Riviera Prep upset district champ Carrollton for its first region title while qualifying for state.
Leyla, 11, is in her seventh year of tennis, training too at the Polonsky Tennis Academy. She was ranked Top 10 in Florida and Top 100 in the nation in her division.
Young said: “Leyla’s court stage name is ‘Spitfire,’ because once she starts playing, she is like a bulldog against her opponent. Leyla is a fiercely competitive player. Leyla wears her emotions on the court, and she lets her opponent know she is here to fight and compete.”
Sasha and Leyla do not play doubles together for Riviera Prep, but it is a future possibility.
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Ferguson tennis
In individual state tennis tournaments this week, Ferguson tennis players Julen Morgan and Kenden Aguilera will compete in Class 4A.
Morgan qualified in singles and doubles by winning a 4A district tournament at No.1 singles and No.1 doubles (with Aguilera).
American Heritage tennis
After edging Pine Crest for the district title in a seven-team district tournament, the American Heritage girls’ tennis team met the Panthers head-to-head in a Class 2A region final and won another close battle.
American Heritage and Pine Crest have a tremendous rivalry in girls’ and boys’ tennis, dating to 2008.
This time the Patriots girls’ team beat Pine Crest 4-3 to capture the region title and qualify for state, which is this week in Seminole County in Central Florida.
Down 3-2 after singles play, American Heritage swept both doubles for the victory. Four matches ended with a tiebreaker including No.2 doubles.
The Patriots’ girls’ team won state in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2018 and was runner-up in 2012.
Girls; Results: No.1 Natalie Block (AH) d. Akasha Urhobo 5-7, 6-3, 10-5 (tiebreak); No.2 Hannah Elks-Smith (PC) d. Sangee Prieto 6-2, 6-4; No.3 Michaela Landry (PC) d. Grace Odom-Montbrun 4-6, 7-5, 10-8 (tiebreak); No.4 Cookie Zaki (PC) d. Katelyn Gramanzini 6-7, 6-1, 10-5 (tiebreak); No.5 Jacklyn Daynovsky (AH) d. Katherine Minielly 6-1, 6-0. Doubles: No.1 Block/Prieto (AH) d. Urhobo/Landry 6-2, 6-4; No.2 Odom-Montbrun/Daynovsky (AH) d. Elks-Smith/Zaki 2-6, 7-5, 10-5 (tiebreak).
American Heritage: Players: Season Records: Block (7-3 singles, 5-1 doubles); Prieto (7-2, 6-2); Odom-Montbrun (10-3, 8-2); Gramanzini (6-3, 6-2); Daynovsky (11-1, 2-1); Livia Kaufman (5-2, 3-1); Angela Duan (3-0, 4-0).
Local Region Tennis Scores
GIRLS: 1A Region Championship: Riviera Prep 4, Carrollton 3.
GIRLS: 1A Region Championship: St. Andrew’s-Boca Raton 5, Westminster Academy 0.
GIRLS: 2A Region Championship: Gulliver Prep 4, LaSalle 1.
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GIRLS: 2A Region Championship: American Heritage 4, Pine Crest 3.
GIRLS: 3A Region Championship: Doral 5, St. Thomas Aquinas 0.
GIRLS: 4A Region Championship: Douglas 7, Western 0.
GIRLS: 4A Region Championship: Palmetto 4, Krop 2.
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BOYS: 1A Region Championship: Ransom Everglades 4, Miami Country Day 0.
BOYS: 1A Region Championship: St. Andrew’s-Boca Raton 5, Calvary Christian 0.
BOYS: 2A Region Championship: Pine Crest 4, American Heritage-Delray 0.
BOYS: 2A Region Championship: Gulliver Prep 4, Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines 0.
BOYS: 3A Region Championship: Doral 4, TERRA 0.
BOYS: 4A Region Championship: Cypress Bay 4, Douglas 1.
BOYS: 4A Region Championship: Krop 4, Palmetto 3.
The region team champions qualified for state, which is this week in Central Florida in Seminole County (Sanlando Park, Red Bug Lake Park and Sylvan Lake Park).
Boys’ volleyball
Braddock d. La Salle 25-16, 25-13, 25-12: John-Marcos Gonzalez 10 kills, 7 digs, 4 aces, 2 blocks; Nicholas Mirabal 32 assists, 5 digs, 2 blocks, ace; Rollie Temprana 7 kills, 7 digs, ace.
Cardinal Gibbons d. Northeast 25-4, 25-10, 25-7: Gino Briglio 24 assists, 22 service points, 9 aces, 1 kill, 2 blocks.
Flanagan d. Western 25-18, 25-13, 27-25: Player of the Match: Mason Martindale.
Ransom Everglades d. Terra 25-23, 25-17, 27-29, 25-16: Ethan Gomez 32 assists, 6 digs, 15 service points; Ryan Vainder 2 kills, 2 blocks; Magnus Kron 9 kills, 10 digs; Devonte Payton 15 kills, 2 blocks, 11 service points; Gabe Alencar 9 kills, 10 service points; Adrian Stone 7 kills, 4 service points. RE (12-4), TERRA (6-6).
Softball
Palmetto 19, Naples-Barron Collier 1: WP: Melody Vizcaino (15-2), LP Reese Gill. Top Performers: Sophie Wylie 2-5, 2B, 2 Runs, 5 RBI; Dylan Lesman 2-2, 2 Runs, 2 RBI; Daniela David 1-1, 2 Runs, 2 RBI; Zaria Wright 1-1, 2 Runs, 2 RBI. PLM (18-4).
Palmetto 16, Naples-Palmetto Ridge 1: WP Alexis Ortega (3-2), LP D. Roaz. Top Performers: Amanda Diaz 4-4, HR, 2 Runs, 2 RBI; Kaitlyn Beaton 2-3, 2 Runs, 3 RBI; Sophie Wylie 2-4, 1 Run, 2 RBI. PLM (19-4).
Miami Beach 20, Homestead 10.
District Tournament: Krop 9, Flanagan 3: Sophia Santiago- 2-4, 2 3B, 2 RBI; Jenna Opalak 2-3, 2B, RBI; Irene lainez 1-3, 2B, RBI; WP Jenna Opalak 8 K.
Baseball
Doral Academy 10, St. Brendan 1: Gaby Gutierrez 1-1, 7th HR; Marcus Franco 1-2, 6th HR; Manny Marin 1-3, 3rd HR; WP Nicholas Fraginals 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 6th win.
District Tournament: Miami Beach 5, Mater Academy 1: WP Alex Allocco 6 1/3 IP, 0 ER; Randy Wilson recorded final two outs, the last a blast to center field which Jacob Gaynor caught; Gaynor several catches, RBI bunt hit, Run.
District Tournament: Palmetto 8, Varela 3: WP Zachary Ryan (3-2), LP Antonio Martinez. Top Performers: Blake Brookins 3-3, 2 Runs, RBI; Jack Quick 2-4, 2 2B, 2 Runs, RBI; Gabe Vega 2-4, 2 Runs. PLM (12-13).
Golf event
The Shenanigans Third Annual Golf Classic, benefitting South Broward High School athletics, is Saturday, May 1 with an 8 a.m. shotgun start at The Club at Emerald Hills in Hollywood.
Cost is $125 per golfer which includes golf, beverage/snacks on course and a luncheon/banquet immediately following the tournament. Sponsorships, red ($500), gold ($800) and Bulldog ($1,000) are also available.
For more information, contact South Broward Athletic Director Boomer Bray at 305-496-7171 or Emerald Hills at 954-962-7888.
Submit regular season and post-season results
For high schools in Broward and Miami Dade counties, if you have varsity game results and stats for this column, email hssports@miamiherald.com. Varsity only.
Miami Herald All-County Ballots
Athletic directors were emailed a link for Miami Herald All-County ballots for Spring sports. Coaches, deadline to submit nominees is May 1.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
This story was originally published April 26, 2021 at 11:04 PM.
