Girls’ soccer preview: American Heritage’s three-peat bid highlights group of contenders
American Heritage’s girls’ soccer team would like to win it all again for a third time.
The Patriots aren’t just talking about winning a state championship for a third consecutive season.
If Heritage can pull off a three-peat this season, it would be the third time it does that in school history.
The Patriots own 12 state titles overall and won three in a row from 2000-2002 and four in a row from 2013-2016.
And why should they be considered favorites to bring home trophy No. 13?
Most of the core of players which was responsible for starting this championship run are back.
While on most teams, the first players you look at are exciting strikers who can score - and Heritage does have that - on this squad, a lot begins with the keeper.
Senior Jillian Milffe had a state finals run for the ages last season, stopping three penalty kicks while helping the Patriots win the 2024 Class 5A championship.
Two seasons ago, Milffe also stopped a pair of PKs that helped Heritage secure the 2023 5A state title.
Milffe is back anchoring things for a team that went 18-1-3 last season and hopes to put together another dominant run.
On the offensive side, senior forward Samantha Villaverde has been one of the county’s best strikers for some time and looks to build off a 17-goal, 12-assist season.
She will be joined by senior forward Jordan Norwood (16 goals, 6 assists last season) on the attack. Defensive midfielders Courtney Caruso and Janea Johnson as well as junior defender Zee Freeman will be counted on to pick up the slack after the graduation of midfielder Lily Sargent-Burns.
Heritage moves down to Class 4A and is expected to be the favorite in that bracket.
But the Patriots aren’t the only team looking to repeat what was a dominant season in Broward County which saw four teams overall advance to the state final four.
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▪ NSU University School lost a couple of key players including top scorer Taylor Smith, the Herald’s Class 4A-2A Player of the Year and Raskin. The Sharks return a strong core, however, as they try to make it to the state final four for the third consecutive season.
University moves into a loaded Class 2A bracket and will be led by sophomore midfielder/forward Sadie Zelnick while counting on the experience of senior goalie Avril Ramirez, junior midfielder Mia Herrera and senior defender Jada Graham.
Sharks coach Diego Estremedoyro said his team will play a style of “maintaining control of the ball, skillfully rotating positions, and creating mismatches whenever possible.”
▪ St. Thomas Aquinas is reloaded and aiming for a return trip to state in Class 6A. Junior defender Lauryn Smith and senior goalkeeper Camryn McEwen anchor the Raiders on the defensive side while forwards Sophia Barnes, a sophomore, and Madison McKeon, a junior, lead the team up front. Senior Miranda Dumornay and junior Bianca Raskin, a transfer from NSU University School, lead the midfield.
▪ Stoneman Douglas hopes to return to state in Class 7A and will rely on the experience of senior midfielder Taylor Le and senior goalkeeper Ella Stevens to get it done.
▪ Lourdes Academy remains among Miami-Dade County’s top contenders to make a run to state. The Bobcats, who lost in the Class 6A regional final to Aquinas, return seven seniors and a core of juniors led by seniors Sienna Aviles, Lauren Cancio and Antonella Monsalve. Sophomore Veronica Aguilar could emerge as one of the county’s best strikers.
▪ Miami True North Classical Academy will look to build off its first ever trip to the state final four last season as it moves up into a tough Class 2A region. The Titans are still a relatively young group led by freshman forward Malen Gonzalez and senior defender Macey Soltis. Freshman goalkeeper Gabriella Keiser is also back along with sophomore midfielder Alexa Dominguez. Amanda Gugliotta is also one of True North’s top returners and will be representing the Venezuelan Under-17 national team in the FIFA Youth World Cup.
▪ North Broward Prep (16-2-2) returns all of its top players from a team it hoped would make it further last season. The Eagles were bounced from the playoffs by Cardinal Gibbons in the regional semifinals. But a quartet of All-Broward first team players is back, led by senior midfielder/forward Sumayah Brown. Junior defender Ella Munoz and junior goalie Zoie Brown anchor the defense while sophomore Jayda Palumbo adds firepower up front.
▪ Cardinal Gibbons (10-7-3) put together a strong run late in the season to reach the Class 4A regional finals. The Chiefs move down to 3A with a lot of the same rivals joining them, and should still have a chance to make a push for state. Junior midfielder Mia Conard, senior defender Brooke Catronio and sophomore goalkeeper Kennedy McCausland will lead the effort.
▪ Cypress Bay graduated several seniors, but will rely on new leaders including senior midfielder Gaby Sussman and junior forward Mackenzie Rector as well as seniors Erin Morgan and Valentina Zorrilla.
▪ Archbishop McCarthy (16-2-3) should still be among South Florida’s top contenders despite graduating several key seniors. The Mavericks are led by senior Zaniya Gonzague.
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▪ Doral Academy has a new coach in Bobby Salazar, who has coached club soccer for 25 years in South Florida, and has coached several players - both boys and girls - who have moved on to the college and pro levels.
▪ Western (12-2-3) has a younger group this season which will be led by seniors Sophia Nunez, Sofia Gurtau and Ryan Seiden.
▪ Ransom Everglades (12-5-2) graduated one of its top players in Sofia Rua, but returns a strong core of upperclassmen which should keep the Raiders in the hunt for a trip to state in loaded Class 2A. Junior forward Stella Columbo leads the group along with junior midfielder/defender Olivia Geller and junior defender Kenzei Connell.
▪ Carrollton (9-7-1) will try to build on a regional quarterfinals appearance led by senior goalkeeper Madelyn Althage. Junior forward Daniela Elijaek and freshman Mia Martell will also be key players.
▪ Palmer Trinity (10-5-1) returns one of Miami-Dade County’s top scorers in junior Scarlett Baur and returns a big weapon in junior midfielder Lila Algarin, who did not play high school soccer last year. Algarin represented the Dominican Republic in the Under-17 World Cup in October. Baur and Algarin lead a strong core of juniors which also includes midfielder Arianna Adessi.
▪ Westminster Academy (7-10-2) made it to the regional semifinals last season and remains a strong playoff contender thanks to returning players Carolina Molina, Raquel Molina and Dianna Montidoro.
▪ St. Brendan (5-7-3) is seeking its third consecutive district title and perhaps more. The Sabres are led by freshman midfielder Emily Perez and senior midfielder Gabriela Page, who also runs cross-country and track and is committed to Northwestern for soccer.
▪ Coral Gables (11-5) will be led by junior forwards Brooke Lawson and Paz Chico.
▪ MAST Academy (8-4-2) will be led by senior center mid Alessandra Bonavita, junior forward Camila Flack and senior center mid Claudia Alonso.
▪ La Salle (9-7) graduated seven seniors, but hopes to contend thanks to senior forward Valentina Mangles, who has multiple Division-I offers.
▪ Miami Country Day (4-12) will be led by senior forward Kayla Kilstock and sophomore midfielder Sivila Gonzalez.
This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 2:30 PM.
