Poll: Who should be the Miami Herald’s High School Athlete of the Week? (March 24)
South Florida’s top athletes were recognized recently in the sports of boys’ volleyball, flag football, lacrosse, softball, and water polo.
This week, we continue a feature where we ask you to vote for the best performer of the week from boys’ volleyball, lacrosse, softball, and water polo in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Thursday, March 27, around 10 p.m. You may vote as often as you like until then.
Here are the candidates:
NOTE: You should see a Miami Herald box underneath this note for you to type Yes and click Submit. That will ignite the actual poll to vote.
Isabella Cardenas, Miami MAST water polo: the senior field player stepped in to play goal after her teammate was injured and made several saves as the Makos beat Mourning 23-8 for their third consecutive GMAC title.
Kaley Dyer, Miami Westminster Christian softball: the sophomore pitcher recorded wins over South Plantation (2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K), Pompano Beach (CG, 7 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K) and Miami Palmetto (2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K) at the Orange Bowl Fastpitch Invitational in Miami. She also had 4 hits and 5 RBI in the wins.
Maya Feller, Miami Palmetto lacrosse: the sophomore goalie made 5 saves en route to her first win of the season, after her teammate suffered a knee injury during warm-ups, as the Panthers beat Key West 14-8.
Nicholas Heyna, Miami Columbus water polo: the senior goalie made multiple key saves in the second half as the Explorers held off defending champ MAST 11-10 to win the GMAC title for the first time in over a decade.
Aquiles Lorenzo, Miami Varela boys’ volleyball: the sophomore had 38 kills, 9 digs and 1 block as the Vipers (8-0) beat Weston Cypress Bay in 4 sets. They’ve also beaten Miami Belen Jesuit, Miami Palmetto, Miami Coral Reef, Miami Hialeah Gardens, where he has recorded 20 kills in 4 of his last 6 matches.
Matthew Preston, Miami Gulliver Prep water polo: the junior had 3 goals, 2 assists and 2 steals in a 9-8 win over Miami Country Day; recorded 3 goals, 3 steals and 2 assists in a 16-9 win over Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas; and totaled 3 goals, 2 assists and 5 steals in am 11-8 win over Winter Park at the Gulliver Prep Invitational.
Lucas Riva, Miami Columbus boys’ volleyball: the junior had 49 kills, a .333 hitting percentage and 18 digs as the Explorers were second at the Jungle Queen Invitational at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale. They beat Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy, Pompano Beach, Miami High and Miami Southwest to reach the finals. He recorded 10 kills and 11 digs in a 5-set regular season win over Miami Coral Gables and 17 kills, 5 digs and 2 aces in a win over Miami Mater Lakes Academy.
Luke Swadener, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas boys’ volleyball: the senior had 7 kills, 3 blocks, 5 assists, 2 aces, and 1 dig in a 4-set win over Pembroke Pines West Broward.
This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 11:29 PM.
