After breaking through for state title, Westminster Academy girls’ basketball seeks repeat
Before the Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy girls’ basketball team’s 2021-22 season began, coach Shannon Wallhoff made a promise. If the Lions won a state title, she would get a tattoo.
Fast forward a little more than three months to late February, and there stood Westminster Academy on the court at Lakeland’s RP Funding Center, hoisting up the Class 3A state championship trophy after hanging on for a 44-41 win over Sarasota Cardinal Mooney for the school’s first girls’ basketball state title in more than three decades.
So... about that tattoo?
Ink has yet to touch skin — “I have not done it yet, but I promised I would do it and I will fulfill that,” Wallhoff said, adding the tattoo will be a bible verse — but Westminster Academy’s title defense nevertheless begins.
And Wallhoff said her team understands the expectations that face a team going for a repeat.
“It’s a tough thing to do,” Wallhoff said, “but we’re excited to try to defend that title.”
And the Lions remain loaded for another title run. Westminster Academy has to replace point guard Claire Erickson, the Miami Herald’s 2022 Class 4A-2A Broward Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year, but returns the rest of its roster from last season’s championship squad.
Sophomore Lena Girardi, the daughter of former MLB manager Joe Girardi, is the team’s top player. She’s coming off a freshman season in which she averaged 20.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. Senior power forward Taelyn Carey, the daughter of former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Vernon Carey, averaged 8.3 points and 10.1 rebounds last season. Sophomores Abby Price and Maddie Wallhoff will also have extended roles this season.
As for the point guard spot, that will be filled by sophomore Markeli Jones-Tynes, who transferred to Westminster Academy from Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian. Jones-Tynes averaged 9.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 3.2 steals per game last season as a freshman for Calvary.
“Claire’s a tough one to replace in many different ways,” Wallhoff said, “but we’re excited that we have [Jones-Tynes] to fill that role.”
Westminster Academy’s biggest challenge once again will be Miami Country Day, the team it lost to in the regional final five consecutive seasons before finally beating them 47-32 last season to get to state.
Miami Country Day, like Westminster, is loaded. The Spartans return all six of their top scorers from last season, most notably junior Kayla Nelms (17.7 points, 11.3 rebounds per game) and senior point guard Kristina Godfrey (14.9 points, 6.9 assists per game).
The two teams are in the same district this season, not just in the same region like in past years.
Looking to repeat
In addition to Westminster Academy, three other teams from Miami-Dade and Broward counties are looking to defend state titles: Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (6A), Plantation American Heritage (5A) and Miami Christian (2A).
Aquinas, which has won back-to-back titles, returns its top two scorers from last season in guard Karina Gordon and center Alancia Ramsey.
American Heritage, which has won five consecutive state titles from 2018 to 2022 all under coach Greg Farias, graduated its top three players from last season in Ta’Niya Latson, Joey Delancy and Emani Theodule. Seniors Gabriela Dumas and Sydni Studesville are the Patriots’ top returners.
Miami Christian graduated three of its top five point starters from last year in Enjulina Gonzalez, Eizaenirys Allende and Victoria Aranguren. Juniors Samantha Vales and Ziul Gonzalez, who combined to average 25.3 points in the 2021-22 season, will lead the Victors.
This and that
▪ Miami High and Calvary Christian also advanced to state finals last season, with Miami High falling in the Class 7A title game and Calvary Christian losing in the Class 4A championship.
Miami High, which has played in the state championship game each of the past five seasons, has to replace five of its top six point scorers from last year. Senior forward Joelle Wilson is the only starter remaining from last season’s team.
Calvary Christian under first-year coach Cliff Mack boasts a brand-new roster with no returners from last year’s state runner-up team. Senior guard Jeannine Monier, eighth grade guard Taryn Wakefield, and juniors Lydia Nelson, Brianna Staples and Angeline Weaver are Mack’s top five players.
▪ Coconut Creek North Broward Prep has a chance to be a contender in 4A with the addition of senior guard/wing Riley Weiss, a Columbia commit who transferred from New York. She averaged nearly 40 points per game last season for her previous school, Hewlett (New York) High.
▪ Palmer Trinity, coming off a Class 3A regional semifinal finish, will once again be led by the backcourt of Emily Montes and Jade Leon, who combined to average 25.7 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and seven steals per game last season.
▪ Lourdes returns junior forward Luciana Picasso (18.1 points, 9.2 rebounds per game) and senior guard Ana Sofia Sanchez (10.9 points, 2.1 assists per game) among its top players.
▪ Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons is coming off a regional semifinal run and returns seniors Taylor Williams, Brooke Buckman and Konstantina Mantziori as well as adds junior transfer Jordan Kosoy from North Broward Prep.
▪ Miramar Everglades High features two seniors and four juniors among its top players, with senior wing and Louisiana-Lafayette commit Uniyah Franklin looking to build off a big junior season (17.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks per game).
▪ Miami Palmetto returns all five starters from last season’s team that won a district title and adds a pair of transfers in senior Stevie Ricklick (from TERRA) and junior Annalise Lindsay (from Miami High). Senior Aisha Bess paced the Panthers last season with an average of 17 points, 5.4 assists and 3.6 steals per game.
▪ Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest will be led by sophomore center/forward Frankie Garfi (11 points, 6.4 rebounds per game) and senior guard Alex Gladding (9.9 points, 4.2 rebounds per game).
▪ Senior guard Sofia Travieso, who averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds per game last year, heads Carrollton’s team.
▪ North Miami will lean on senior shooting guard Myeisha Heard to lead its defense and sophomore point guard Alexie Nicolas to pace its offense.
▪ Cypress Bay returns its top four scorers from last year’s team, including junior point guard Peyton Looky (16.8 points per game).
▪ LaSalle senior Mary Schuerle averaged a double-double last season (14 points, 12.9 rebounds per game).
▪ Oakland Park Northeast, which is in the midst of a rebuilding season, will be led by junior guards Arianna Woodside and Maddison Mitchell.
▪ Ransom Everglades is paced by four-year starter Kathryn Serra, who is a Harvard commit for crew.
▪ A trio of juniors lead Coral Park: guard/forward Stacie Jimenez, guard Melanie Castellano and forward Ivana Montoya.
▪ Gulliver Prep, under first-year coach Diane Kunkel, is led by junior guard Allison Podvin.
▪ Davie Western’s top players are junior point guard Tamara Elliott and wing Keylee Allen. Senior shooting guard Kimora Lee also returns from injury.
▪ Braddock will be young this season, but sophomore point guard Elsa Stier is one to watch from the Bulldogs.
▪ Coral Gables graduated four seniors from last year’s team. Seniors Isabella Morales and Audrey Simon will be the veteran presence for a young team.
This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 1:39 PM.
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