Sam Baumgarten and Chanel Davila are Miami-Dade’s Girls Basketball Coaches of the Year

Getting to the girls’ basketball state championship game is almost second nature for Sam Baumgarten’s Miami High team. It’s getting that way, too, for Chanel Davila’s Miami Christian squad.

After impressive runs this season — Miami Christian winning its second consecutive state title, Miami High making it to the title game for a fifth consecutive season — Davila and Baumgarten are the Miami Herald’s Girls’ Basketball Coaches of the Year for Miami-Dade.

Miami Christian has been on the rise through Davila’s first three seasons with the program. They finished as regional finalists her first year in 2020 and followed that up by winning back-to-back state titles.

This year, she had to replaced three of her team’s top four scorers from the 2021 state championship-winning team. Gabriela Bendeck and Ambar Ramirez graduated. Daimelys Morera transferred to Miami High.

With that, senior and Mercer signee Enjulina Gonzlez found a new one-two punch in the backcourt with quiet but forceful sophomore Samantha Vales. Senior Victoria Aranguren and sophomore Ziul Gonzalez, Enjulina’s younger sister, stepped into starter roles. Senior Eizaenirys Allende was a new addition to the roster.

The end result: A 21-8 record and a second state title.

While Miami Christian is just beginning its run into becoming annual contenders, Miami High has been there for quite some time under Baumgarten. The Stingarees have played for a state title every season since 2018, although the only championship win came in 2020.

Still, Baumgarten’s team has consistently remained among the best in Miami-Dade and finds a way to stay in the mix at the state level every year.

The Stingarees went 20-9 this season and rattled off 12 consecutive wins before their 47-45 loss to Orlando Dr. Phillips in the Class 7A title game.

This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 11:00 AM.