American Heritage grad Luke Clanton wins another big golf event. Big award for St. Thomas Coach Crowley
The National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association, announced its 2022 Hall of Fame Class, and Coach Terry Crowley of St. Thomas Aquinas has been named as an inductee.
Crowley, the 2022 Miami Herald All-Broward Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year, guided the Raiders to their third state championship.
Crowley deferred credit for most of what the Raiders did to win the Class 2A championship, mostly because of how spectacular and player-driven the final moments were in the title game. St. Thomas Aquinas (17-3) was down by one with one minute remaining when midfielder Chase Garey scored twice in 10.7 seconds to give the Raiders a stunning 13-12 win against Ponte Vedra.
The wild ending, however, was the product of a season-long emphasis on “relentless effort.” It was the mantra Crowley established early in the year, and St. Thomas Aquinas embraced its return to the title game for the first time since 2019 and win for the first time since 2017.
St. Thomas Aquinas Athletic Director Twan Russell said: “Terry is a master coach and is at the top of his craft. The only things he loves more than teaching lacrosse is his family and the men and women he serves. He motivates the hearts of young people through authentic love. At St. Thomas, our coach’s weapon of choice to motivate and encourage is love, and he uses it freely. That is how he gets his athletes to buy-in and how he was able to will his team to victory in the last minute of the state championship game.”
It’s been some season for Crowley and the Raiders. He was also named the 2022 Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year for the state under the Florida Dairy Farmers banner. Media and high school coaches throughout the state participated in that voting.
Golf champion
Luke Clanton, a 2022 graduate of American Heritage-Plantation, continues his climb on the golf circuit.
His latest accomplishment, he won the prestigious 122nd North & South Amateur at Pinehurst Golf Course No.2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
In the finals, the 16th seed Clanton edged his friend Tommy Morrison 1-up in a thrilling match.
According to the pinehurst.com web site, Clanton’s name will be etched in bronze on the Perpetual Wall in Pinehurst’s clubhouse, and he will have a locker in the North & South Locker Room, big enough to fit his Putter Boy trophy. He joins his cousin -- 2010 Women’s North & South Amateur Champion and LPGA Tour player Cydney Clanton -- as North & South winners.
Clanton has been one of South Florida’s top prep golfers each of the last four years, winning the individual Class 2A title three times — just the second person in FHSAA history to win three state titles in a four-year span (also Columbus’ James Vargas) — and helping American Heritage-Plantation win a team state title this year after the Patriots finished runner-ups for four consecutive years. But this was just Step 1 for Clanton, who is the Miami Herald’s Broward Boys’ Golfer of the Year for the fourth time and off to Florida State University to play golf.
His end goal is to earn his PGA Tour card — and dominate.
A Miami Lakes resident, he is also the 2020 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Golf and the 2021 Florida Dairy Farmers Class 2A Boys’ Golfer of the Year. Those are state-wide honors.
Brandt Moser, a FHSAA Hall of Famer, was his coach at American Heritage-Plantation.
Results
Round of 32: No. 16 Luke Clanton d. No. 17 Sam Jean, 4&3
Round of 16: No. 16 Luke Clanton d. No. 1 Karl Vilips, 1up
Quarterfinals: No. 16 Luke Clanton d No. 8 David Ford, 21 holes
Semifinals: No. 16 Luke Clanton d. No. 21 Nick Lyerly, 4&3
Finals: No. 16 Luke Clanton d. No. 10 Tommy Morrison, 1up.
Awards, honors, college signings
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College signings, too.
New athletic directors, coaches
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Submit summer sports results
For high school aged athletes in Broward and Miami-Dade, if you have summer results, top performers and stats for this column, email hssports@miamiherald.com.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
