Broward legend Melvin Randall to coach boys’ basketball at Miami Northwestern
Miami Northwestern High school hit the equivalent of the basketball coaching lotto on Tuesday when Melvin Randall accepted the Bulls’ boys’ head coach position.
Randall, a Hall of Fame coach, has won a Florida prep boys’ record nine state titles and compiled a 602-194 record in a 28-year coaching career that spans in Broward — Deerfield Beach High School, Blanche Ely High School and last season Chaminade-Madonna.
Northwestern is not only getting one of the premier coaches in the nation but one who admittedly has a chip on his shoulder after being passed over for the head coach position at Dillard High School and also Davie-Western.
“I am going to send a message to Broward,” Randall said. “They let a good man go. I was trying to stay in Broward, but it looks like I will end my career in Dade County. It’s all about the Bulls now. It’s about getting them ready and having them buy into what we have to offer.”
Northwestern can expect Randall to bring his familiar championship blueprint of a stifling, frenetic defense and affinity for shooting three-pointers, which has overwhelmed opponents.
Randall to Miami Northwestern is a move no one saw coming.
The Bulls, in fact, were not even on the radar for Randall during the summer.
And when Randall came away empty in his bid to coach Dillard High School — a position he most coveted — and then Western, the once unfathomable prospect of Randall not coaching in the 2021-22 season became a distinct possibility.
Then, seemingly out of the blue, Miami Northwestern reached out to Randall and the USA Today 2014-15 National Coach of the Year became more intrigued with the prospect of leading the Bulls, a football and girls’ track powerhouse, to their first boys’ basketball state title.
Randall, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, made a bold prediction Tuesday that should fire up an already passionate Bulls’ fan base.
“I have been pretty blessed in upgrading programs and in trusting the process,” Randall said. “Normally there is a trip to Lakeland that gives me a chance to win another state title. I am expecting to be in the running, even in the first year to go to Lakeland and bring a state title to Northwestern.”
He continued: “I looked at the wall surrounding the school. There is no mention of a boys’ basketball state title. It looks like they will have to make a little room for one.”
National awards
More honors for Doral Academy boys’ soccer coach and Barry University alum Pamela McDonald.
McDonald was recently named USA TODAY High School Sports Awards Coach of the Year.
From USA TODAY High School Sports Twitter: “History was made when McDonald became the first woman to coach a boys’ soccer team to a Florida high school state title. The victory garnered national attention for McDonald, who just finished her 13th season as Doral’s boys’ coach.”
McDonald was a Miami Herald All-Dade Boys’ Soccer Coach of the Year and Miami Herald All-Dade Boys’ Coach of the Year.
Also
The USA TODAY High School Sports Awards Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year honor went to Eddiyah Frye of St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
Frye won the 55 M hurdles at the VA Showcase in a record time 7.81 seconds, making her the best under-20 hurdler in the world. She will compete for the University of North Carolina.
The USA TODAY annual awards program recognizes the best in the nation.
Frye is one of the best. She became an integral part of the Raiders’ three state track and field titles in the past four seasons. Her contributions this year included state titles in the long jump, 100-meter hurdles and as part of the winning 400-meter relay. She was fourth in the 300-meter hurdles. She won two state titles prior.
Frye was a Miami Herald All-Broward Female Athlete of the Year, Miami Herald All-Broward Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year and Miami Herald All-Broward first teamer. She was voted Florida Dairy Farmers’ Class 4A Girls’ Track & Field Athlete of the Year.
Optimist International Golf
Max Fonseca of Miami placed in the Top 10 in boys’ 16-18 of the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships recently at the Doral Resort & Spa in Miami.
This prestigious summer event is one of the largest and best-known junior golf tournaments in the world. Each year, more than 600 golfers from around the world participate in THE OPTIMIST in various age groups.
Fonseca fired 224 (77-74-73) to finish ninth of 132 golfers. He also plays golf for Columbus High School where as a sophomore last season he was named Miami Herald All-Dade second team.
Matteo Galiano of Margate and Gonzalo Flores of Miramar tied for 46th of 112 qualifiers in the boys’ 14-15 age group.
Galiano shot 79-84-78 for 241 (+26). Flores fired 82-81-78 for 241. They were the top Florida finishers.
Nicholas Viana of Coral Gables was 58th at 243 (75-81-87). He scored fourth best among Florida qualifiers.
Optimists have been involved in junior golf for more than 30 years by holding local, regional and international tournaments.
More than 5,000 golfers compete in official Optimist District qualifying tournaments. The best of these golfers, along with international golfers from around the globe, advance to the annual Optimist International Junior Golf Championships.
Former champions and top finishers of the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships include Lexi Thompson, Beth Bauer, Jonathan Byrd, Jason Day, Bill Haas, Brittany Lincicome, Jeff Overton, Stacy Prammanasudh and Jennifer Rosales.
JGA of Broward Championships
Jade Scott won the Girls’ Championship Division of the JGA of Broward Championships recently at Jacaranda Golf Club East in Plantation.
This three-day tournament marked the end of the 2021 summer season of the JGA of Broward.
Scott scored 76-76-81--233. She competes for Sagemont School in Weston where she was named Miami Herald All-Broward second team.
Heidi Christensen was second with 78-75-81--234. Rileigh Baker (84-75-77) and Jennifer Lilly (80-80-76) tied for third at 236. Kiera Williams was fifth at 237 (74-81-82).
Christensen of Pompano Beach High School was Miami Herald All-Broward third team. Lilly of Archbishop McCarthy was Miami Herald All-Broward first team. Baker of Archbishop McCarthy was Miami Herald All-Broward second team.
In Girls’ Junior, Yool Her won with 242 (74-81-87). Aryanah Ahmad placed second at 243 (79--83-81), followed by Laura Monsalve at 272 (87-91-94).
In the Boys’ Championship Division, JJ Huyn Her finished first at 222 (75-68-79). Oscar Crowe was second at 223 (75-73-75), and Terry Moore placed third at 230 (77-75-78). Alejandro Arteta was fourth at 231 (78-74-79), followed by Jose Esteras at 234 (78-77-79). Moore of Archibishop McCarthy was Miami Herald All Broward second team.
Henry Crowe won the Boys’ Junior Division at 242 (85-79-78). Ernesto Rivera was runner-up at 244 (79-80-85), and Easton Viveros placed third at 245 (78-83-84).
Tennis national titles
USTA National Clay Court Championships
Boys’ 16s Finals
Delray Beach, July 11-18
Championship: (17) Felipe Pinzon (Sunrise) d. (12) Ari Cotoulas (Brooklyn, New York), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
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USTA National Clay Court Championships
Boys’ 14s Finals
Miami Beach, July 11-18
Championship: (9) Darwin Blanch (Deerfield Beach) d. (1) Braeden Gelletich (Goshen, New York), 6-3, 6-3.
New coaches and award winners
For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have new hires, or coaches and athletes who won special awards (local, state, regional, nationals), email hssports@miamiherald.com. Varsity only.
Submit summer sports results
For summer sports with high school athletes in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have results and stats for this column, email hssports<code_dp>@<code_dp>miami<code_dp>herald.com. For club teams and individuals, include the high school(s) of the student-athlete(s).
This is open to participants in summer sports leagues, events and tournaments who are current high school athletes, those who graduated in 2021 and those who will be freshmen in the fall.
Email hssports<code_dp>@miami<code_dp>herald.com.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 9:36 AM.
