Poll: Who should be the Miami Herald’s High School Athlete of the Week? (May 19)
South Florida’s top athletes were recognized recently in the sports of flag football, lacrosse, tennis, and track & field in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
This week, we continue a feature where we ask you to vote for the best performer of the week from baseball, boys’ volleyball and softball.
Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Thursday, May 22, 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.
▪ Andrew Alvarez, St. Thomas Aquinas baseball: the senior was 3-for-3 with two doubles, three runs and two RBI in a 6A state semifinal win for the Raiders (29-6-1) over Valrico Bloomingdale 15-0 and went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI in a state championship win over Gainesville Buchholz 8-3. It marked the first state title for the Raiders since 2018 and fourth overall.
▪ Diego Cobena, Reagan Doral boys’ volleyball: the senior recorded 10 kills in a 2A state semifinal win for the Bison (25-5) over Gulf Breeze 25-18, 24-26, 25-23, 25-15 and five kills and two digs in a state final loss to Winter Park Lake Howell 20-25, 17-25 and 16-25 for its best finish at state.
▪ Juanmarco Diaz, Miami Southwest boys’ volleyball: the senior totaled 22 kills and 19 digs in a five-set, 3A state semifinal win for the Eagles (25-6) over Seminole Ridge 25-16, 25-16, 22-25, 16-25, 15-10 and had eight kills, 12 passes and seven digs in a state final loss to defending state champ Winter Park 25-15, 25-20, 25-23 for their second consecutive state runner-up finish.
▪ Emma Griffith, Plantation American Heritage softball: the junior was 2-for-3 with two doubles, a run and two RBI in a 4A region semifinal win for the Patriots (22-2) over Pembroke Pines Somerset Academy 6-5 and went 3-for-3 with a home run, two runs and two RBI in a 9-0 win over Key West for the region title.
▪ Eiker Noguera, Mater Academy Charter baseball: the senior second baseman went 2-for-3 with an RBI and caught the final out in short right field as the Lions (24-9-1) won the 5A state title over Wesley Chapel 6-1. He was 3-for-3 with a double, two stolen bases and was hit-by-a-pitch and recorded three assists and a putout in a state semifinal win over Fort Myers 8-5. It marked Mater’s first state baseball championship since 2014 and second overall.
▪ Erin Perez, Westminster Christian softball: the sophomore went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI, including driving in the winning run in a come-from-behind, walk-off victory over Florida Christian 9-8 in nine innings in a 2A region final. She was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs in another comeback win over West Palm Beach Oxbridge Academy 9-8 in a region semifinal for the Warriors (20-7-1).
▪ Gio Rojas, Stoneman Douglas baseball: the junior pitched shutouts in a 7A region championship series win over West Broward and state semifinal win over Tampa Alonso en route to a record fifth consecutive state title for the Eagles (31-2). He tossed 6.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out 10 in a 6-0 win over West Broward and went the distance in a 5-0 win over Alonso, allowing one hit, two walks and striking out 15. Offensively, he batted sixth, going 2-for-3 with a run against West Broward and waked and scored against Alonso.
▪ Ali Solo, Western softball: the senior pitcher not only gutted out the victory on the mound but was hit-by-a-pitch to plate the winning run as the Wildcats rallied with four runs in the bottom of the seventh to upend West Broward 5-4 for a 7A region title. In the region semifinal, she whirled a 4-hit shutout as Western (20-5-1) beat Lake Worth Park Vista 3-0.
▪ Ava Stevens, Miami Somerset Silver Palms softball: the sophomore pitcher won in come-from-behind fashion over Coral Springs Charter 4-3 for a 3A region championship. At the plate, she went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice and also scored the tying run for the Stallions (22-6). In the region semifinals, she went the distance again, allowing one run on seven hits and one walk and striking out four to defeat Cardinal Gibbons 5-1. She also batted 1-for-3 with a run.
▪ Meagan Villazon, Doral Academy softball: the senior pitched a no-hitter (her fifth of the season) in a 6A region semifinal win over Coconut Creek Monarch 10-0 and allowed just two hits in a 15-0 shutout win against South Plantation for the region title. Those two hits were the only hits she allowed in the district and regional playoffs for the Firebirds (29-1).
▪ Sara Wrzosek, St. Thomas Aquinas softball: the junior went 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, a run and three RBI in a 5A region semifinal win for the Raiders (16-12) over Pembroke Pines Charter 8-7 and was 1-for-2 with another home run, two walks, two runs and an RBI in a region final win over Stuart South Fork 10-1.
