Somerset 8th grader is beating top high school wrestlers. Plus football state honors and more
Somerset-Pembroke Pines wrestler Jovani Solis is the first 8th grader to win the Knockout Christmas Invitational, the toughest high school tournament in the South.
The two-day tournament occurred at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. Solis beat an Air Force Academy commit and multiple state champions to place first at 132 pounds. In the finals, he defeated Tanner Spalding of Woodward Academy (Georgia) 5-3.
South Dade senior Sawyer Bartelt, who signed with Iowa State, became only the third wrestler to win four consecutive Knockout championships, after defeating Aaron Riner from Buford (Georgia) 8-1 in the 215-pound finals. He helped the defending tournament champs place second to Cleveland High School from Cleveland, Tennessee.
Cleveland scored 193.5 points, and South Dade totaled 189.
Also, senior Christian Vazquez of Doral Academy won at 113 pounds. He beat Adaias Ortiz of Osceola 7-2 for the title. In the 106 finals, Keagan Mesina of Mater Lakes Academy was runner-up to Gabe Swann of Carroll Central (Georgia) 4-2. Mesina defeated Jose Cordero of Cleveland (Tennessee) in a semifinal. At 165 pounds, senior Kendrick Hodge of Somerset-Pembroke Pines was runner-up to Logan Fowler of Cleveland (Tennessee) 5-1.
The highly-touted event included wrestlers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Football
Here are the 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Football & Coach of the Year finalists from the area.
Class 3M Player of the Year: Joshua Townsend, Senior, Quarterback, Homestead
Led his team to a 12-2 record and a state runnerup finish by completing 186-of-266 passes for 3,533 yards with 42 TDs and 10 interceptions. Also rushed for 496 yards and 4 TDs.
Class 2M Player of the Year: Ennio Yapoor, Junior, Quarterback, Norland
Helped his team to a 14-1 record and a state runnerup finish by completing 205-of-297 passes for 4,270 yards with 30 TDs and 4 interceptions. Rushed for 793 yards on 102 carries (7.8 avg.) with 12 TDs.
Class 1M Player of the Year: Cedrick Bailey, Senior, Quarterback, Chaminade-Madonna
Last year’s Class 1M Player-of-the-Year led his team to a 14-0 record and its second straight Class 1M state title by completing 215-of-301 passes for 3,125 yards with 47 TDs and 6 interceptions. Rushed for 253 yards with 2 TDs. Signed with North Carolina State University.
Independent Player of the Year: Anthony Barbar, Senior, Quarterback, Westminster Academy
Completed 192-of-276 passes for 3,212 yards with 32 TDs and 7 interceptions. Rushed for 607 yards and 9 TDs.
Class 4M Coach of the Year: Dave Dunn, Miami Columbus
Led his squad to a 13-2 record and its second straight Class 4M state title. In seven years at Columbus he has compiled a 74-17 record, including another state title in 2019.
Class 3M Coach of the Year: Roger Harriott, St. Thomas Aquinas
Led his team to a 14-1 record and the Class 3M state title, its fifth consecutive championship. In nine years at Aquinas, Harriott has posted a 112-11 record with seven state titles and two state runner-up finishes.
Class 1M Coach of the Year: Dameon Jones, Chaminade-Madonna
Led his team to a 14-0 record and a second straight Class 1M state title. In eight years at Chaminade he has posted a 93-13 record with six state titles and two state runner-up finishes. In 18 years (10 at Hallandale) he has a 167-30 record.
Basketball
Mikayla Brown, a freshman, had another outstanding game, leading the Gulliver Prep girls’ basketball team over Westminster Christian. The Raiders improved to 7-3.
GIRLS: Gulliver Prep 66, Westminster Christian 40: Mikayla Brown 25 pts, 5 asts; Caitlen Dauphin 15 pts, 11 rebs. GP: Brown 25 pts; Dauphin 15; Podvin 12; N.Quevedo 11; Moreno 3. GP 7-3.
BOYS: Belen Jesuit 87, Coral Reef 48: Carlos Santana 14 pts, 4 asts, 4 rebs; Alec Arnholt 12 pts, 5 asts, 4 rebs; Vince Lima 11 pts, 3 rebs; Evan Torres 9 pts, 2 asts; Alejandro Madrigal 8 pts, 2 asts, 4 rebs; Javi Vasseur 6 pts, 4 asts, 7 rebs.
Soccer
Becca Baldelomar had a hat trick (three goals) with an assist as the LaSalle girls’ soccer team shut out Coral Shores. Keeper Ashley Fonseca recorded her third shutout.
The LaSalle boys’ team tied Archbishop McCarthy, and Lourdes girls improved to 11-1.
GIRLS: LaSalle 6, Coral Shores 0: Becca Baldelomar 3 goals, 1 assist; Camila Andreu 2 goals, 1 assist; Amanda Whittaker 1 goal; Gkp Ashley Fonseca 3rd shutout. LaS 4-5.
GIRLS: Lourdes 2, NSU University School 0: Alexandra Diaz 1 goal; Sienna Aviles 1 goal; Tessa Abreu 1 assist. Gkp Nicole Wendelken shutout. Lour 11-1.
BOYS: LaSalle 1, Archbishop McCarthy 1: LaS: Jose Plaza 1 goal; Alvaro Castro 1 assist. LaS 5-2-2.
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.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
This story was originally published December 27, 2023 at 3:33 AM.
