Mya Bethel of North Miami makes history in girls’ wrestling. Plus Somerset wrestling and more
Mya Bethel of North Miami made history by becoming the first FHSAA-sanctioned state champion at 155 pounds in girls’ wrestling last week.
Bethel, a freshman, won a state title during the inaugural FHSAA State Girls’ Wrestling Championships at Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee. She was the only girls’ wrestler from Broward or Miami Dade to win state.
Bethel edged sophomore Chloe Shull from Timber Creek, 2-1, in the state finals. She went 4-0 at state to complete an undefeated season at 19-0.
At state, Bethel also defeated an Orange Park junior, a Fort Myers senior and a Mainland junior.
A first-year wrestler, she won district and regional championships en route to state. Prior, she won the Seahorse and GMAC tournaments.
Not only did Bethel go ubeaten against the girls, but she was 4-3 against the boys during the season.
North Miami teammate Tydasia Mack finished second at 135, getting edged by Treasure Coast freshman Gabriella Perez, 3-2. Mack, a junior, went 3-1 to finish 21-3. She beat a senior from Timber Creek, a senior from Largo and a junior from Matanzas.
Sofia Delgado at 140 from Coral Park was second, too. A sophomore, she was 3-1 at state, ending the season 11-2. Delgado defeated a Matanzas sophomore, an Apopka sophomore and a Hagerty senior en route to the finals.
Stoneman Douglas sophomore Gaby Caro was runner-up at state at 125. A district and region champ, Caro went 3-1 at state to finish the historic season at 24-13. Kailey Rees, a senior from state champion Orlando-Freedom, beat Caro in the finals to improve to 39-0. Caro defeated a Palm Coast-Flagler freshman, a Kissimmee-Osceola junior and a Satellite junior to advance to the finals.
Mater Lakes Academy sophomore Sofia Ferran was the 110-pound state runner-up, and senior Lourdes Macias of Western was second at 115. Ferran (21-3) beat an Orlando-Freedom freshman, a Ponte Vedra senior and an East River senior. Matanzas freshman Tiana Fries (23-2) beat her in the finals.
Macias (25-11) was 3-1 at state with wins over a Lake Mary freshman, a Lakeland-Mckeel Academy freshman and a Ponte Vedra freshman. Orlando-Freedom junior Cameron Glavin (35-1) beat her in the finals.
Girls’ Team Standings (Locals): South Dade 5th; Norland 8th; Mater Lakes Academy 10th; North Miami 11th; Western 18th; Stoneman Douglas 27th; Coral Park 32nd; Braddock 38th.
On the boys’ side, Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines, coached by Joe Blasucci, was third in Class 1A at state also at Silver Spurs Arena.
That was tops in 1A in Broward and Miami Dade counties.
Last season the Panthers won their first state team title in duals and then in the individual tournament.
This season Somerset finished 6.5 points behind runner-up Naples-First Baptist.
The Panthers lost eight state placers, including six state champions from last season’s double state championship team. Returning only three starters, they celebrated nine state placers in the Top 6.
%20became%20Somerset%E2%80%99s%2014th%20State%20Champion%20in%2010%20years..jpg "Sophomore Kendrick Hodge (160) became Somerset’s 14th State Champion in 10 years..jpg")
Sophomore Kendrick Hodge (160) State Champ at 42-6; 8th Grader Lincoln Sledzianowski (106) 3rd at 43-4; Senior Matthew Jimenez (285) 3rd at 48-4; Freshman Rachel Silva (Girls’ 110) 3rd at 16-4; Junior Matthew Velasco (113) 4th at 40-8; Senior Rashad Hannon (138) 5th at 40-13; Freshman Luis Bellon (152) 6th at 21-10; 8th Grader Tristan Sainz (126) State Runner-Up at 32-8; Freshman Michael Sainz (145) 5th at 23-9.
.jpg "Somerset - Sainz Brothers (8th grader Tristan 2nd and Fr Mike 5th).jpg")
Boys’ 1A Team Standings (Locals): Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines 3rd; Cardinal Gibbons 6th; Mater Lakes Academy (top 1A Miami Dade finisher) 9th; Key West 16th; Coral Springs Charter 25th.
Senior Azakin Sejour (24-5) at 145 and senior Ethan Vergara (44-1) at 285 each won state titles for Mater Lakes Academy.
%20and%20Mater%20Lakes%20Academy%20senior%20Ethan%20Vergara%20(285)%20March%202022.png "Mater Lakes Academy State champs senior Azakin Sejour (145) and Mater Lakes Academy senior Ethan Vergara (285) March 2022.png")
Michael Mocco, an eighth grader at Coral Springs Charter, finished the season 46-3 at 182. He lost to the defending state champ, a senior, by two points in the semifinal but battled back to take third.
Doral Academy sophomore Christian Vazquez (40-4) was the runner-up in Class 3A at 106 pounds. He went 3-1 at state, beating a Timber Creek senior, a Wellington sophomore and a Palm Harbor senior. Southwest sophomore Gabriel Tellez (50-2) defeated him, 5-3, in the finals.
Doral Academy junior Julian Montero (38-7), a region champ, placed seventh at 126. Senior teammate Enrique Sanchez (54-11) at 138 was also seventh for the Firebirds which finished 17th.
Boys’ 3A Team Standings (Locals): South Dade champion; Southwest runner-up; Cypress Bay 11th (tops in Broward); Doral Academy 17th; Columbus 19th; Palmetto 21st; Miami Beach 28th; Miramar 32nd; Braddock 35th.
Cypress Bay was the top Broward finisher with four state qualifiers placing. They are: Andrew Punzalan (106) 4th; Jordan Escarra (113) 7th; Zach Weidler (152) 4th; Gozie Mosi (285) 3rd.
Boys’ 2A Team Standings (Locals): Miami Southridge 11th; North Miami 27th.
Boys’ volleyball
Belen Jesuit d. Ferguson 21-25, 26-24, 25-15, 25-21: Gabriel Suarez 11 kills, 5 blocks, 6 digs; Marcelo Morales 9 kills, 2 blocks; Federico Marino 5 kills, 3 blocks; Robert Henao 28 assists, 4 kills, 8 digs. BEL (3-0).
Tennis
GIRLS: Gulliver Prep 7, Ransom Everglades 0: No.1 Sophia Varabyeva won 8-2; No.2 Jayden Jagolinzer won 8-4; No.3 Mia Suarez won 8-4; No.4 Valentina Rossi won 8-0; No.5 Lia Fletcher won 8-4. GP (4-1).
Baseball
Belen Jesuit 11, Westminster Academy 3: Marco Fuentes 4.2 IP, 2 R, 6 K; Eddie Arevalo 2.1 IP, 0 H, 4 K; Ernie Echeverria 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, 2R, 2 BB; Brandon DeGoti 2-3; 2R, RBI; Jordan Cordero 2-3, 3 RBI; Matt Huembes 2-4, R. BEL (3-1).
McArthur 11, Pompano Beach 3: WP Devin Grazzal (2-1), 6 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 9 K; Joshua Agriesti 4-5 (hit for the cycle, 2B in first, HR in third, 3B in fifth, 1B in sixth), 2 R, 6 RBI; Jesus Almarza 2-3, 4 RBI. McA (5-2), PB (4-1).
Western 4, Flanagan 3: Trailing 3-2, the Wildcats scored twice in the sixth and once in the seventh. WP Enrique Sierra 1.2 IP, 0 R, 2 K; Matthew Pita 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 5K, 3 H; Kristian Noriega 1-1, HR, BB, R, 2 RBI; Luis Lorenzo 2-4, 2B, R. WST (4-2), FL (4-3).
Softball
Palmer Trinity 22, Marathon 6: Caroline Zamek 3-4, 3 RBI; Gina Pineda 2-5, 2 RBI; Hannah Baron 1-4, RBI; WP Emme Fundora (2-1). PT (4-1).
Miami Beach 22, Miami High 1.
Girls’ flag football
Homestead 21, Coral Park 0: Offense: Rachel Ulysse 3 catches, 1 TD; Delexis Mccall 2 catches, 1 TD; Lashon Williams 1 catch for 1 extra point; Delexis Maccall 2-5 passing with 1 passing TD, 1 xtp pass; Rachel Ulysse 2-2 passing, 1 passing TD; Rachel Ulysse 8 rushes, 1 rushing TD; Delexis Mcall 9 rushes, 2 xtp rushes. Defense: Darranique Mobley 9 tackles (5 for loss), 2 sacks; Tekiyah Gray 5 tackles; Jayda Fisher 1 INT.
Lacrosse
GIRLS: Palmetto 12, Gulliver Prep 9: Valentina Arias 8 saves; Emma Behar 5 goals, 1 ground ball, 5 draw controls; Emma Weinberg 2 goals, 2 assists, 2 ground balls, 2 draw controls; Allie Gould 2 goals, 3 ground balls; Ana Martinez 1 goal, 2 assists, 2 ground balls; Vittoria Santana 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 ground ball; Caitlin Carmona 1 goal, 1 ground ball, 2 draw controls; Bethany DeFerrari 6 ground balls; Cassandra Pita 2 ground balls; Caylie Salas 2 ground balls, 1 draw control. PALM (5-1).
GIRLS: Gulliver Prep 6, Palmer Trinity 5: PT: Sophia Kiortsis 1st career goal; Lucia Segrera 1 goal.
GIRLS: Ransom Everglades 7, Palmer Trinity 4: PT: Valentina Erigoyen 13 saves; Sydney Powel 2 assists, 2 goals.
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
