Top state coaching honors for Davidson Gill of Dillard and Lisa Zielinski of St. Thomas Aquinas
Davidson Gill of Dillard cross-country and Lisa Zielinski of St. Thomas Aquinas volleyball won top coaching honors in the state in their respective sport.
Volleyball state honors
Lisa Zielinski of St. Thomas Aquinas is the 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year, following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school volleyball coaches and state media representatives.
Zielinski was previously selected the Class 6A Coach of the Year, after leading her squad to a 27-3 record and the Class 6A state title. In 35 years at Aquinas, Zielinski has posted an 892-192 record with seven state championships (1995, 2004, 2014-16, 2018 and 2023).
Zielinski received nine of the 22 first-place votes to total 152 points in winning this year’s award. Class 5A COY Meredith Forkum of Middleburg finished second with seven first-place votes and 128 points, while Class 7A COY McKensie Herold of Tampa Plant was third with 71 points.
Rounding out the voting were Class 4A COY Emilio Rodriguez of Gulliver Prep (57), Class 3A COY Douglas Chinchar of Carrollwood Day-Tampa (25), Class 2A COY Jeff Motluck of Seacrest Country Day-Naples (15) and Class 1A COY Chelsea Medley of Baker-Cape Coral (12). All the finalists won state championships in 2023.
Izzy Starck of Viera High School was named Miss Volleyball, following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school volleyball coaches and media representatives.
Gulliver Prep’s Jackie Taylor, the Class 4A Player of the Year, was a finalist, finishing sixth in that final voting.
Cross-country state honors
Davidson Gill of Dillard High School was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Girls’ Cross-Country Coach of the Year, and Ted DeVos from Nease High School-Ponte Vedra Beach won the boys’ coaching award.
Gill led Dillard to its first girls’ state title, winning the Class 3A championship by scoring 46 points.
Patrick Koon, a senior from Tallahassee Leon High School, and seventh-grader Annabella Tomasic of Lake Highland Prep-Orlando are the 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. and Miss Cross-Country, respectively, in a vote by the state’s cross-country coaches.
Finalists David Serra of Ransom Everglades and Henry Stark of Palmer Trinity were named Runners of the Year in Class 2A and Class 1A, respectively.
On the girls’ side, Christiana Coleman of Dillard was awarded the Class 3A Runner of the Year honor, making her a finalist.
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This marks the 32nd year of these unique awards as it honors the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 30 FHSAA sanctioned and recognized sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.
Soccer
The Clinton-Mississippi boys’ soccer team, ranked No.1 in the country, handed Miami Beach its first loss of the season.
Clinton (11-0) broke a tie at 1 late in the game for the 2-1 victory in Jackson, Mississippi.
Miami Beach, ranked No.26 nationally, fell behind 1-0 in the 10th minute. The Hi-Tides evened things two minutes later with a goal from David D’alba off an assist from Surya Gunawardena.
With 20 minutes left in the contest, Miami Beach (6-1) went down a player, because of a double yellow card. The Hi-Tides battled, but with eight minutes remaining, a Clinton forward collided with Miami Beach goalkeeper Dylan Felix, causing a loose ball, and Clinton capitalized, scoring the winning goal.
BOYS: Cardinal Gibbons 4, Calvary Christian 0: Adam Elkott 1 goal, 1 assist; Gedson Clebert 1 goal; Brandon McBean 1 goal, 1 assist; Dylan Moore 1 goal; Dylan Garcia 1 assist; Devin Garcia 1 assist; Gkp Simon Toro shutout. CG 4-3-2.
GIRLS: Gulliver Prep 8, Downtown Doral 0: Victoria Figueroa 2 goals, 1 assist; Kiara Krippendorff 1 goal; Mimi De Armas 2 goals; Kennedy Feldman 1 goal; Stella Belastrazzi 2 goals, 2 assists; Mia Sullivan 1 assist; Samantha Ehrenreich 1 assist; Gkp Ana Levy Armesto shutout. GP 3-3-2.
GIRLS: Lourdes 2, Palmetto 0: Tessa Abreu 1 goal, 1 assist; Sienna Aviles 1 goal; Antonella Monsalve 1 assist; Gkp Nicole Wendelken shutout. Lour 7-1.
%20vs%20Palmetto%20Dec%202023.JPG "Lourdes G Soc (2) vs Palmetto Dec 2023.JPG")
GIRLS: Miami Beach 4, American 1: Avril Pazmino 2 goals; Vy Elo 1 goal; Verona Farfan 1 goal; Camila Rehe 1 assist. MB 5-2.
GIRLS: Palmer Trinity 6, Miami Country Day 1: Scarlett Baur 2 goals, 2 assists; Dani Carbajales-Vieta 1 goal; Brooklyn Schiffrin 3 goals; Olivia Baumberger 1 assist; Mackenzie Metka 1 assist; Cailyn Sullivan 1 assist. PT 4-2.
GIRLS: Palmer Trinity 3, Carrollton 1: Scarlett Baur 1 goal; Lucia Infante 1 goal; Mackenzie Metka 1 goal, 1 assist; Arianna Adessi 1 assist. PT 5-2.
GIRLS: Palmer Trinity 4, Fort Lauderdale 0: Scarlett Baur 2 goals; Lucia Infante 1 goal; Mackenzie Metka 1 goal, 1 assist. PT 6-2.
Basketball
Southridge girls’ basketball improved to 7-0 with a close win over Miami High. Cardinal Gibbons is 3-0.
GIRLS: Cardinal Gibbons 50, Boyd Anderson 19: Kayla Greyvensteyn 22 pts, Savanna Nicholson 8, Makayla Midgett 7, Jordan Kosoy 5, Harmeni Eugene 2, Alyssa Hill 2, Abby Krause 2, Mikayla Volcy 2. Rebs: Kayla Greyvensteyn 7, Kaydie Sturm 6, Harmeni Eugene 4. Stls: Kayla Greyvensteyn 5, Jordan Kosoy 5, Harmeni Eugene 3, Alyssa Hill 3. Asts: Jordan Kosoy 3, Harmeni Eugene 2. Charges drawn: Mikayla Volcy 1. CG 3-0, BA 1-4.
GIRLS: North Miami 34, North Miami Beach 27: J’adore Hayes 12 pts, 25 rebs, 5 blks; Kindal Glanton 12 pts (1-of-1 3-ptr); 5 rebs, 5 stls; Shaina Garvy 3 pts (1-of-1 3-ptr), 5 rebs, 5 stls; Bianca Auguste 2 pts, 2 rebs, 2 stls. NM 2-1.
GIRLS: Palmer Trinity 44, Gulliver Prep 36: Leon 21 pts, Veloso 8, Esparza 9, Sullivan 4, Laria 2. 3-ptrs: Esparza 1, Leon 1. Rebs: Leon 8. Stls: Leon 7. Asts: Leon 3. Blk: Laria 1. PT 5-2.
GIRLS: Southridge 49, Miami High 45: Srd: Shanaii Gamble 19 pts, Dianka Hardisson 16, Naya Hardisson 10, Zaniyah Gibbs 4. Mia: Wilson 11 pts, Gibson 9, Nicolas 6, Cook 6, Rose 6, Pelvar 5, Stivon 2. Srd 7-0.
Submit sports info
For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have varsity results and top performers (with stats), 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.
---
Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
This story was originally published December 12, 2023 at 12:49 AM.
