Columbus basketball wins tournament. Volleyball honors for Mater Academy. Plus soccer & more
The Columbus boys’ basketball team won the Westchester Classic Basketball Tournament (formerly A-Rod Tournament).
The host Explorers (7-0) breezed through the tournament with wins over Mater Academy 75-41, Northwestern 82-46 and Florida Christian 88-58.
In the championship game, Columbus survived seven first half 3-pointers from Florida Christian to sustain a 5-point halftime lead. Columbus made adjustments, and in the third quarter, the Explorers stepped up its defensive intensity.
They then outscored Florida Christian 36-17 in the fourth quarter to assure the trophy.
Tournament MVP Cayden Boozer had 23 points, nine assists and four steals in the finals, with twin brother Cameron totaling 26 points with 10 rebounds. Guard Garyn Bess made three timely 3-pointers, finishing with 11 points.
COL: Velasquez, Jaylen 5; Boozer, Cayden 23; Miranda, Angelo 5; Bess, Garyn 11; Boozer, Cameron 26; Noriega, Kevin 3; Fragela, Benny 9; Abdullahi, Malik 6.
FC: Nicolas, Mate 9; Amat, Jose III 11; Quintana, Fabian 3; Green, Tyler 5; Bell, Charlie 10; Holcombe, Jacob 9; Smith, Daniel 4; Williams, Levertis 6; Williams, Andrew 1.
3-Ptrs: Col: Miranda, Bess 3, Cam.Boozer 3, Noriega, Fragela 3. FC; Mate 3, Amat 2, Quintana, Bell 2, Holcombe, Williams 2. Rebs: Cam.Boozer 10. Asts: Cay.Boozer 9.
Volleyball
Elsa Lopez of Mater Academy is the 2021 Florida Dairy Farmers Class 6A Volleyball Coach of the Year.
She led the Lions to their second consecutive Class 6A state title with a 26-7 record. In her nine years at Mater Academy, she has compiled a 126-46 record.
In the final voting for overall coach of the year (all classifications), Lopez placed fifth.
Angeles Alderete of Mater Academy was third in the final voting for Class 6A Player of the Year.
Sabrina Cabrera of Hialeah Gardens was the runner-up for Class 7A Player of the Year.
In Class 4A, Taylor Bates of Calvary Christian was runner-up for Player of the Year honors, and her coach Sam Skelton was a runner-up for Coach of the Year.
In Class 3A, Julie Doan Kurenuma of Westminster Christian was runner-up for top coaching honors.
Nominees
Prior, local nominees, including those listed above, were considered for those acknowledgments.
They are: Lisa Zielinski of St. Thomas Aquinas (25-5, Regional Finalist) was a nominee for Class 6A Coach of the Year.
Also in Class 6A, nominees for Player of the Year included: Angeles Alderete of Mater Academy (SR OH 276 kills, 158 digs, 59 aces, .324 hit %); Elaisa Villar of Mater Academy (SR S 614 asts., 130 digs, 50 aces, 32 kills).
In Class 7A, nominees for Player of the Year included: Sabrina Cabrera of Hialeah Gardens (SR OH 320 kills, 105 digs, 83 aces, .600 hit %); Victoria Escuer of Doral Academy (SR L 398 digs, 47 aces, 41 asts).
Nominees for Coach of the Year included: Julio Arnaiz of Doral Academy (21-9, State Final Four); Tania Lam of South Plantation (22-3, Regional Finalist).
In Class 4A, nominees for Player of the Year included: Taylor Bates of Calvary Christian (SR OH 435 kills, 279 digs, 63 aces; Liberty Univ. commit).
Coach of the Year nominees included: Kathryn Reeber of Cardinal Gibbons (17-13, Regional Finalist); Sam Skelton of Calvary Christian (26-5, State Runner-up).
In Class 3A, nominees for Player of the Year included: Emily Matias of Westminster Christian (JR OH 282 kills, 108 digs, 46 aces, .325 hit %); Elizabeth Perez of Hialeah Educ. Academy (SR OH 401 kills, 451 digs, 71 aces, .489 hit %).
Coach of the Year nominees included: Julie Doan Kurenuma of Westminster Christian (26-6, State Runner-up); Matt Willems of Divine Savior (24-6, Regional Finalist).
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This marks the 30th year of these unique awards as it honors the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 30 FHSAA sanctioned and recognized sports.
More Basketball
BOYS: Southwest 74, Ferguson 61: SW: Taveras 26, Aloma 14, Ruiz 14, J.Fernandez 7, R. Perez 7, J.Mendoza 2, Ching 2. Half: SW 39-33. 3-Ptrs: Aloma 3, Ruiz 2, Taveras, Fernandez. Rebs: Taveras 15. Asts: Taveras 7. Stls: R.Perez 3.
GIRLS: North Miami 81, ATM 19: Fanishka Bertho 22 points, 12 rebounds; Desiree Sinclair 21 pts, 5 rebs; Kindal Glanton 10 pts, 12 stls; Alexie Nicolas 6 pts, 6 rebs, 6 stls, 6 asts; Myiesha Herald 16 pts, 9 stls, 8 asts.
GIRLS: North Miami 67, Hialeah 47: Fanishka Bertho 16 pts, 24 rebs, 7 blks; Desiree Sinclair 20 pts, 3 stls, 2 rebs, 2 asts; Ayleen Castillo 14 pts, 5 rebs, 5 stls, 2 asts; Alexie Nicolas 7 pts, 6 asts, 3 stls; Kindal Glanton 10 pts, 4 rebs, 3 stls.
GIRLS: North Miami 56, Central 40: Alexie Nicolas 15 pts, 6 stls, 7 rebs, 6 asts; Desiree Sinclair 21 pts, 3 rebs, 1 stl, 1ast; Fanishka Bertho 6 pts, 10 rebs, 5 blks; Kindal Glanton 5 pts, 6 stls, 2 rebs; Herald Myiesha 4 pts, 3 stls, 4 asts, 3rebs; Tawana Destave 3 pts; Ayleen Castillo 2 pts, 4 rebs, 3 stls.
GIRLS: North Miami 60, American 18: Desiree Sinclair 15 pts, 3 rebs, 3 stls, 4 asts, 2 blks; Kindal Glanton 14 pts, 3 rebs, 2 stls, 2 asts; Fanishka Bertho 16 pts, 10 rebs, 3 blks; Nicolas Alexie 8 pts, 5 rebs, 6 stls, 11 asts; Ayleen Castillo 4 pts, 5 rebs, 5 stls; Laila Henderson 2 pts, 3 rebs, 2 stls. NM (10-0).
Soccer
BOYS: Coral Gables 2, Miami Beach 1: Dany Guzman 1 goal; Sky Carrizo 1 goal; Eden Sobalvarro 1 assist; Jordan Bueso 1 assist. CG (8-1).
BOYS: Cypress Bay 4, Cardinal Gibbons 0: CG (9-1-2).
BOYS: Gulliver Prep 6, Miami Country Day 2: Jack Epstein 2 goals; Rod Navarro 1 goal, 1 assist; Max Bendix 1 goal; Lucca Giamattei 1 goal; German Cueva 1 goal; Mateo Acosta Rubio 1 assist; Pablo Perez Bedmar 1 assist. GP (8-0-1).
BOYS: LaSalle 2, Archbishop McCarthy 1: Miguel Sosa 1 goal; Pierre Roca 1 goal; Matias Paredes 1 assist; Marlon Marin 1 assist. LaS (5-1-2).
BOYS: University School 4, Hialeah Educational Academy 0: Rafael Guerra scored 3 goals and Jose Furszyfer added a goal. Rafael Matiello and Nico Marques each had 2 assists. Gkp Matthew Jean Baptiste gets the shutout for the Sharks (6-1-1).
GIRLS: Lourdes 2, Coral Reef 0: Sienna Aviles 1 goal; Amanda Maceiras 1 goal; Gkp Stephanie Wyszkowski shutout.
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.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
