Poll: Which Broward high school athlete should be the Miami Herald’s Player of the Week? (May 21)
Broward County’s top athletes won state and regional titles this week as they began to wrap up the 2022-23 high school sports season.
This week, we continue a weekly feature where we ask you to vote for the best performer of the week in Broward County high school sports.
Below is a look at the five candidates from last week’s action. Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Thursday, May 25, around 10 p.m.
You may vote as often as you like until then.
Here are the candidates from last week’s events:
▪ Riley Luft, North Broward Prep, baseball: Luft ignited a five-run comeback in the bottom of the seventh with a triple to break up a no-hitter as the Eagles rallied for a 5-4 win over Gulliver in the state semifinals. Luft also pitched four shutout innings in that game. He went 1 for 3 in the state final and went 2 for 3 with two RBI and picked up a save in relief, going 2 ⅓ scoreless innings in the regional final win over Montverde Academy.
▪ Jesus Garcia, Westminster Academy, baseball: Garcia had a bases clearing double, which helped lead the Lions to the state tournament for the first time since 2000 following a two-day, rain-delayed win over defending state champion Miami Christian.
▪ Mateo Serna, American Heritage, baseball: Serna’s key two-run home run helped the Patriots beat Archbishop McCarthy 4-3 in the Region 4-5A final to send the Patriots to state for the first time since 2012.
▪ Christopher Johnson, Dillard, boys’ track and field: Johnson ran a blazing 20.40 seconds in the 200 meters to set a new state record in the event. Johnson, a University of Miami signee, also ran a 10.25 to win the 100 meters at the Class 3A state meet.
▪ Aleesa Samuel, Somerset Academy, girls’ track and field: Samuel won three state championships, prevailing in the 100, 200 and 100 hurdles at the Class 3A championships.
▪ Kaleea Washington, Fort Lauderdale, softball: Washington shut down Cooper City, yielding just four hits while striking out eight in a 5-1 win that sent the Flying L’s to their first regional final.
This story was originally published May 21, 2023 at 10:28 AM.