CSC’s Juhnyee See is Miss Tennis. Plus softball region champ Western and Palmer Trinity seniors
Coral Springs Charter senior Juhnyee See was named 2024 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Tennis for the second consecutive year in voting by a statewide panel of prep tennis coaches.
See won her third consecutive overall Class 2A singles title and added the overall doubles title (with Madisen Clark) this season en route to the state’s top tennis award. Previously named the Class 2A Player of the Year, she has committed to play college tennis for the United States Air Force Academy.
Other state finalists included Class 4A Player of the Year Savita Bagirathan of Stoneman Douglas, Class 3A Player of the Year Chukwunoneeru Smarty of Braden River and Class 1A Player of the Year Gabriella Goyins of Pensacola Catholic.
Senior Nico Snyder of St. Andrew’s School-Boca Raton was named Mr. Tennis. He was earlier named the Class 1A Player of the Year after capturing the state overall singles and doubles titles. He has signed with Furman University.
Other state finalists included Class 4A Player of the Year Jack Satterfield of Plant-Tampa, Class 3A Player of the Year Peter Tran of Lake Buena Vista and Class 2A Player of the Year Max Freedman of North Broward Prep.
Brian Schleifer of American Heritage-Delray swept both Boys’ and Girls’ Coach of the Year honors.
He won the top boys’ coaching honor for the second consecutive year after leading his squad to back-to-back Class 2A titles and his 10th state boys’ championship.
Class 4A Coach of the Year Justin Puppo of Doral Academy, Class 3A Coach of the Year Sean Carter of Barron Collier-Naples and Class 1A Coach of the Year Reid Rafter of St. Andrew’s School-Boca Raton were the other finalists for the top state’s boys’ coaching award.
Schleifer also led the American Heritage girls to the Class 2A state title. It was the program’s 11th state championship overall, all under Schleifer’s leadership, and first championship since 2017.
The other finalists for the state girls’ coaching honor included Class 4A Coach of the Year Stephanie Georgiades of Steinbrenner-Tampa, Class 3A Coach of the Year Carol Deopsomer of St. Thomas Aquinas and Class 1A Coach of the Year Kevin Chow of True North Classical Academy.
The Florida Dairy Farmers Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 32nd year of these unique awards as they honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in sanctioned FHSAA 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.
Region softball
The Western softball team is on its way to state, and it’s been some ride this season, highlighted by a dramatic, come-from-behind, extra inning, walk-off win in the region finals.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, the Wildcats rallied by scoring the tying and winning runs to capture the Region 4-7A title over Park Vista-Lake Worth 4-3. With the big victory, Western advances to the 7A state semifinals for the second time in three years.
Park Vista (18-7) scored once in the top of the first and another in the third for a 2-0 lead. Western answered with one in the bottom of the fourth and another in the sixth to even things at 2. Extra innings needed to determine a winner, the Cobras regained the advantage with one run in the top of the ninth, setting the stage for Western’s walk-off victory in the bottom of the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Gia Solano pinch ran for Danae Falquez and scored the tying run on an RBI sacrifice bunt by Emma Mosher. Jade Castillo scored the winner off an RBI sacrifice fly to centerfield by Kennedy Butter.
Western plays Jupiter on Friday at 10 a.m. in a Class 7A state semifinal at Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont. The winner faces the winner of Seminole-Sanford vs. Windermere for the Class 7A state championship at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the same venue.
In regionals, Western (25-4-1) defeated Coral Glades, Spanish River-Boca Raton and Park Vista-Lake Worth. Prior, the Wildcats won districts by beating Taravella and Coral Glades. Jupiter (15-7) beat Boone-Orlando, Wellington and Centennial-Port St. Lucie in regionals. In April, Wellington edged Western 2-0, and Park Vista edged Jupiter 3-1 in nine innings.
Region 4-7A Championship: Western 4, Park Vista-Lake Worth 3: WP Ali Solo 9 IP, CG, 2 R, 4H, 6 BB, 1 K; Danae Falquez 2-4, HR, R, RBI; Emma Mosher 1-4, Sac, RBI; Kennedy Butter 0-3, Sac, RBI; Jade Castillo 1-3, SB, 2 R, RBI; Gia Solano R; Madison Mejia 1-3; Brooke Bacaris 1-4; Ali Solo 1-3. Wst 25-4-1, PV 18-7.
Since 2002, Western has won five region titles and one state title (2018). In 2022, the Wildcats lost in the state semifinals to eventual state champ Lakewood Ranch-Bradenton.
College signings
Palmer Trinity School hosted a college signing ceremony for its seniors, who will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. They recognized 12 student athletes signing with colleges, tying the school’s record from 2019.
They are:
Brayden Benesch, Sailing, studying economics at Tufts University, Boston.
Maria Camposano, Track & Field, studying chemistry/pre-med track at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Michael Kourakos, Rowing, studying business at Northeastern University, Boston.
Jade Leon, Basketball, studying quantitative biosciences & engineering at Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado.
Mackenzie Metka, Soccer, studying psychology at Suffolk University, Boston.
Daniella Perez-Cartaya, Cross-Country/Track & Field, studying biochemistry and business management at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Noelani Sadler, Track & Field, studying neuroscience at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
Henry Stark, Cross-Country/Track & Field, studying communications at Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina.
Stone Stroud, Football, studying sports administration at the University of Miami.
Gregory Tindle, Track & Field, studying biology at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh.
Ethan Vanzant, Football, studying ethical leadership at St. Thomas University, Miami Gardens.
Andres Williams, Football, studying marine biology/pre-vet track at the University of Miami.
“We wish our Class of 2024 student athletes all the best as they pursue both their academic and athletic endeavors,” Patrick Roberts, Head of School, said in a release. “We are proud of them and look forward to seeing how they progress in their respective sports.”
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
