Local divers, swimmers excel at FHSAA state championships. Plus basketball and soccer info
Pine Crest is known for its swimming excellence.
The Panthers won state titles in swimming the past two years in Class 2A. They were realigned after Covid to a tougher 1A classification.
Three Pine Crest school records were broken at the FHSAA Class 1A State Championships at Sailfish Splash Waterpark and Aquatics Center in Stuart.
The girls’ team was third.
Junior Julia Podkoscielny won state in the 200 individual medley and was runner-up in the 100 backstroke, while setting a school record in 53.30. She also helped the 200 freestyle relay place third and the 200 medley relay fifth. The 200 freestyle relay set a school mark in 1:33.93.
More Panthers at state: Diving: 3rd - Ava Andersen (23) 406.6. 500 Freestyle: 3rd - Riley Botting (23) 4:57.05.
200 Freestyle Relay: 3rd - PC (Smith, Podkoscielny, Chambers, Botting) 1:33.93. 100 Backstroke: 2nd - Julia Podkoscielny (23) 53.30. 200 Medley Relay: 5th - PC (Podkoscielny, S.Lin, Balfour, E.Lin) 1:45.85.
100 Freestyle: 4th - Hanna Elks Smith (22) 51.68; 6th - Isabella Chambers (22) 52.26. 50 Freestyle: 6th - Isabella Chambers (22) 23.67; 7th - Hanna Elks Smith (22) 23.93.
Cutler Bay was fifth, and the South Florida HEAT was seventh. (Jacksonville) Bolles was first.
For the HEAT, sophomore Erika Pelaez was a double state champion, winning the 50 freestyle in 22.29 and 100 backstroke in a state record 52.34. She bested Clara Smiddy’s 2013 state mark 52.46. Smiddy also swam for the HEAT. Pelaez was also part of the third place 400 freestyle relay with Gioia Balzano, Samantha Schoenborn and Micaela Sierra (3:39.44).
For Cutler Bay, Olivia Dinehart, a junior, won a state title in 100 breaststroke (1:02.28). She also finished third in the 200 IM in 2:03.61. Last season she was second in the 100 breast (1:02.79) and fourth in the 200 IM (2:04.19).
Teammate Madeline Smutny, a junior, was second in 500 freestyle at 4:54.20. The Tiger Sharks 200 medley relay squad (Elena Dinehart, Olivia Dinehart, Madeline Smutny, Natalie Gembicki) was third in 1:45.08.
Westminster Academy junior Makenzie Blake was in fourth in diving with 406 points.
In the boys’ competition, Pine Crest senior Kevin Mendez won a state title in diving, while setting a school record with 606.75 points. Teammate Allen Levitis was second at 490.50.
The Panthers were ninth.
The South Florida HEAT was fourth and NSU University School sixth. (Jacksonville) Bolles was first to complete the sweep of team titles.
The HEAT’s Kaii Winkler, Finn Winkler, Nikita Efimov, and Dario Martin teamed to take runner-up honors in the 200 freestyle relay (1:20.30). The Heat’s 200 medlay relay unit (Finn Winkler, Dario Martin, Nikita Efimov, Kaii Winkler) also placed second (1:31.94). K.Winkler, a sophomore, was second in 100 freestyle in 44.00 and second in 200 freestyle in 1:36.78.
NSU University School was runner-up in 400 freestyle relay in 3:08.63 with Karl Wilson Aimable, Michele Vandenbossche, Marcelo Carrion, Max Fermayer.
Dylan Smiley, a junior at Miami Country Day, was third in 100 butterfly in 48.59.
Golf
After an 11-year hiatus, the Dade Amateur Golf Championship returned recently.
Columbus High School junior Hans Risvaer won the two-day tournament at Melreese Country Club. He fired 1-over par to best a field of 60 of the strongest amateurs in South Florida.
With this win, Risvaer receives an exemption into the South Beach International Amateur – one of the top five amateur championships in the world.
Soccer
GIRLS: St. Brendan 8, Scheck Hillel 0: Isa Bowen 3 goals; Francesca Alayon-Barrera 2 goals; Eli Lambo 1 goal; Amanda Sumalla 1 goal; Alyssa Travieso 1 goal. STB (4-1).
GIRLS: St. Thomas Aquinas 5, Coral Glades 0: Elida Terry 1 goal; Brooke Rica 1 goal; Izzy Kleva 1 goal; Bella Jahnes 1 goal; Genesis Hernandez 1 goal. Player of the Game Genesis Hernandez. STA (4-1).
Basketball
The Columbus boys’ basketball team opened the 2021-22 season with a 77-60 win over Westminster Academy at Sagemont High School’s Thanksgiving Invitational.
The Explorers never trailed in the game, building a 16-point halftime lead. Freshman standout Cameron Boozer picked up two first quarter fouls and had to sit much of the half before breaking out in the second half with 19 points. He also totaled 11 rebounds and five assists.
All 3 freshmen starters were in double digits with twin brother Cayden carrying the scoring load in the first half with 11 points and shooting guard Benny Fragela hitting 3-of-6 from long range including a 4-point play, finishing with 10 points. Garyn Bess added 11 points.
Westminster made a few second half runs but could never move the deficit to single digits, trailing by 16 and 20 points most of the game. The Explorers answered every run with a run of their own, helped in large part by their stingy defense, which allowed the Lions only 10 points in each of the first two quarters.
COL: Velasquez, J 5; Boozer, Cay. 15; Miranda, A 5; Bess, Garyn 11; Boozer, Cam. 21; Noriega, K 6; Fragela, B 10; Addullahi, M. 4. WA: Carey, J 13; Abell, A 12; Jacques, O 4; Lloyd, A 16; Ballard, R 15.
Basketball Tournament
The 44th annual Highlands Christian Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament is December 2-4 at 501 NE 48th St. in Pompano Beach.
A tournament running that many years is quite the accomplishment.
This is a winner advance format with a losers bracket. All teams play three games, establishing first through eighth place.
Games are at 4, 5:30, 7, and 8:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and at 3, 4:30, 6, and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The 44th version, partially sponsored by Under Armour and BSN Sports, features a solid field, including West Palm Beach-Berean Christian, Cardinal Gibbons, Highlands Christian, Jupiter Christian, Pine Crest, Boca Raton-Saint John Paul II, Boca Raton-St Andrew’s, St. Thomas Aquinas.
Basketball Kreul
The Kreul Showcase, part of the Kreul National High School Basketball Tournament, is Dec. 3-4 at Monarch High School, 5050 Wiles Rd., Coconut Creek.
The Kreul tournament -- with top sponsors Eastbay/Champs, BCAA, Gatorade -- is Dec. 17-22 in Coral Springs, featuring 34 boys’ teams, including 12 teams (many ranked nationally) from out of state. Additionally there will be four top girls’ teams.
This marks the 33rd year for The Kruel, named after longtime local basketball supporter, basketball parent and men’s league player the late Jim Kreul. Three of his kids played basketball for Taravella High School in Coral Springs. The tournament was started to help the family of Jim Kreul, who died playing men’s league basketball. It has grown into one of longest running national high school tournaments, generating 110 full tuition scholarships to Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
Teams competing at the showcase Dec. 3-4 are American Heritage-Plantation, Blanche Ely, Boyd Anderson, Coral Glades, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Dillard, (Palm Beach Gardens) Dwyer, Lake Worth, (Stuart) Martin County, Monarch, Norland, Pembroke Pines Charter, Riviera Prep, Stranahan, (West Palm Beach) King’s Academy, Wellington, Westminster Academy.
Submit sports results
For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade, if you have varsity results, top performers and stats for this column, email hssports@miamiherald.com.
They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. Send after the game, the next day or weekly. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
