Columbus volleyball wins Miami Classic. Belen does well. Plus soccer awards and more
The Columbus boys’ volleyball team won the Miami Classic, hosted by True North Classical Academy at Miami Dade College in Kendall.
The Explorers (10-4) went 4-1, finishing first in the Gold Bracket and first overall.
Columbus setter Charlie Friguls, who was named tournament MVP, recorded 57 assists, 9 digs, 2 kills, and 1 ace. Teammate Kevin Perez had 41 kills, 2 aces, 1 block, and 12 digs. Matthew Fernandez added 26 digs, 1 assist and 1 ace.
Columbus beat Belen Jesuit 26-24, 25-22; Reagan 25-20, 25-15; Southwest 25-22, 25-20; and Varela 25-19, 25-14. Their lone loss was to Academy of Central Florida-Orlando in pool play 20-25, 25-13, 15-10.
Belen Jesuit was 4-1, placing first in the Bronze Bracket and ninth overall.
After dropping their opener to Columbus, the Wolverines (7-4) defeated Academy of Central Florida-Orlando 14-25, 25-23, 15-10; Reagan 25-19, 25-20; Timber Creek-Orlando 30-28, 25-18; and Archbishop McCarthy 25-20, 25-17.
Billy Essig led the way with 61 kills (6.6 kills per set and .306%) 19 digs and 2 aces. Jeremy Garcia had 20 kills (.378%) and 6 blocks, and Justin Garcia totaled 22 kills and 12 digs. William Pedraja recorded 57 assists, 19 digs and 3 aces. and Giordan Del Riesgo added 41 assists, 21 digs and 3 aces.
Soccer awards
The finalists for the Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Soccer and Girls Coach of the Year were recently announced by the Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards Program.
Lourdes junior forward Veronica Aguilar and St. Thomas Aquinas senior midfielder/forward Bianca Raskin are two of the seven Miss Florida finalists from throughout the state as voted by a panel of Florida high school girls’ soccer coaches and prep media representatives.
Veronica Aguilar, Lourdes Academy, Junior, Forward, Class 5A Player of the Year: she scored 23 goals and added 4 assists in leading her squad to a 17-3 record and the Class 5A state title.
Bianca Raskin, St. Thomas Aquinas, Senior, Midfield/Forward, Class 6A Player of the Year: she scored 31 goals and added 22 assists in helping her squad to a 23-2-1 record and the Class 6A state title.
Four of the seven coaches voted as finalists for the Florida Girls’ Soccer Coach of the Year honor are from the area.
They are:
David Fique, Lourdes Academy, Class 5A Coach of the Year: he led his team to a 17-3 record and the Class 5A state title. In five years at Lourdes, Fique has posted a 90-11-9 record with three Final Four appearances in addition to this year’s state title.
Margo Flack, Cardinal Gibbons, Class 3A Coach of the Year: she led her squad to a 21-1-2 record and a Class 3A state runner-up finish. In 26 years, Flack has posted a 397-138-67 record with a state title in 2021 and three other state runner-up finishes (2009-19-20).
Bryan Hantak, St. Thomas Aquinas, Class 6A Coach of the Year: he led his team to a 23-2-1 record and the Class 6A state championship. In two years at Aquinas, Hantak has posted a 42-4-4 record, including a state runner-up finish in 2025.
Cindy Marcial, American Heritage-Plantation, Class 4A Coach of the Year: she led her team to an 18-0-1 record and its fourth consecutive state championship (5A titles in 2023-24). It was the eighth state title for Marcial (2014-16, 2019, 2023-26).
Note: Each finalist was the leading vote-getter in their classification, making each one the Player of the Year or Coach of the Year in that class. The 2026 Miss Soccer and Girls’ Soccer Coach of the Year will be announced following a final round of balloting by coaches and media.
Other results for local coaches and players nominated in classifications: 7A: 3. Gabriella Ferrer, Cypress Bay; 2. Coach Kate Dwyer, Cypress Bay. 4A: 3. Mattie Hall, American Heritage-Plantation. 3A: 3. Mia Conard, Cardinal Gibbons. 2A: 2. Scarlett Baur, Palmer Trinity; 2. Coach Effie Dieke, Palmer Trinity.
More soccer honors
The seven individual class finalists for the Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Soccer and Boys’ Soccer Coach of the Year were announced following balloting by a statewide panel of high school boys’ soccer coaches and prep media representatives.
The seven finalists for the Mr. Soccer Award include locals Clayton Boone of American Heritage-Plantation, Rodrigo Castillo of Cypress Bay and Hopeny Louis of Highlands Christian.
Clayton Boone, American Heritage-Plantation, Senior, Forward, Class 4A Player of the Year: he helped his squad to a 17-3-1 record and a state runner-up finish by scoring 18 goals and adding 14 assists.
Rodrigo Castillo, Cypress Bay, Senior, Forward, Class 7A Player of the Year: he helped Cypress Bay to an 18-2 record and a spot in the regional finals by scoring 31 goals and adding 17 assists.
Hopeny Louis, Highlands Christian, Junior, Forward/Midfield, Class 1A Player of the Year: he helped his team to a 14-12 record and a spot in the regional finals with 33 goals and 3 assists.
The seven finalists for the 2026 Boys’ Soccer Coach of the Year Award include locals Kameron Clark of Miami Columbus and Jonathan Rosas of Downtown Doral.
Kameron Clark, Miami Columbus, Class 7A Coach of the Year: he led his squad to an 18-4-5 record and the Class 7A state championship.
Jonathan Rosas, Downtown Doral, Class 3A Coach of the Year: he led his squad to an 18-1-3 record and the Class 3A state title.
Note: Each finalist was the leading vote-getter in their classification, making each one the Player of the Year or Coach of the Year in that class. The 2026 Mr. Soccer and Boys’ Soccer Coach of the Year will be announced following a final round of balloting by coaches and media.
Other results for local coaches and players nominated in classifications: 7A: 2. Jorge Gonzalez-Tello, Miami Columbus. 6A: 3. Coach John Walsh, St. Thomas Aquinas. 5A: 2. Coach Marc Lue Young, Pembroke Pines Charter. 4A: 2. Coach Todd Goodman, American Heritage-Plantation. 1A: 3. Coach Kevin Rios, BridgePrep Village Green.
Water polo
Gulliver Prep fared well at its water polo invitational in boys’ and girls’ divisions. The Raiders girls improved to 15-3, and the boys are now 12-7.
GIRLS
Gulliver Prep 13, Cutler Bay 1: Sr Sophia Kingston 4 goals, 5 assists, 7 steals; Sr Fernanda Cerqueira 3 goals, 2 assists, 3 steals; Soph Emma Preston 2 goals, 5 assists, 3 steals.
Gulliver Prep 12, Ransom Everglades 1: Sophia Kingston 3 goals, 1 assist, 1 steal; Jr Gaby Souza 3 goals, 1 assist, 1 steal; Emma Preston 3 goals, 2 assists, 1 steal; Soph Goalkeeper Sofia Beltran 11 saves, 2 assists, 1 goal.
Gulliver Prep 17, MAST 9: Sophia Kingston 6 goals, 2 assists, 2 steals; Emma Preston 4 goals, 6 assists, 3 steals; Fernanda Cerqueira 4 goals, 1 assist; Goalkeeper Sofia Beltran 14 saves.
Gulliver Prep 18, St. Thomas Aquinas 11: Sophia Kingston 9 goals, 1 assist, 2 steals; Emma Preston 4 goals, 5 assists, 1 steal; Fernanda Cerqueira 4 goals.
Gulliver Prep 13, ATM 0: Goalkeeper Sofia Beltran 5 saves, shutout; Sophia Kingston 3 goals, 2 assists, 1 steal. Sr Sofia Hernandez 2 goals.
Gulliver Prep 11, Miami Country Day 8: Emma Preston 5 goals, 3 assists, 3 steals; Sr Elizabeth Sheehan 3 goals; Goalkeeper Sofia Beltran 8 saves, 1 assist.
BOYS
Gulliver Prep 6, MAST 3: Goalkeeper Juan Sebastian Ibarra 7 saves, 2 steals; Soph Ale Altman 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 steals; Soph Jesse Manno 1 goal, 1 assist; Jr Piero Checa 1 goal, 1 steal.
Gulliver Prep 21, ATM. 15: Sr Sebastian Piedra 8 goals, 2 assists, 3 steals; Jesse Manno 4 goals, 1 assist, 1 steal; Sr Matthew Preston 3 goals, 1 assist, 2 steals.
Gulliver Prep 9, Columbus 5: Goalkeeper Juan Sebastian Ibarra 15 saves, 4 steals; Jesse Manno 3 goals, 1 assist, 1 steal; Matthew Preston 2 goals, 3 steals; Jr Landon Eskra 2 goals.
Gulliver Prep 12, Mater Lakes Academy 7: Sebastian Piedra 5 goals; Matthew Preston 3 goals 2 assists, 1 steal; Jesse Manno 3 goals, 2 assists, 1 steal.
More water polo
GIRLS: Cooper City 21, Western 10: Cooper City was led by Skylar Flowers with 11 goals, Christina Buryk with 6 goals and Saree Young with 2 goals. Western was led by Avery Wright with 4 goals. CCty 11-7, Wst 2-5.
BOYS: Western 16, Cooper City 10: Western was led by Mason Beauregard with 9 goals, Adam Magid with 3 goals and Riley Tinder with 2 goals. Cooper City was led by Tomas Moya with 7 goals. Wst 5-2, CCty 7-11.
Baseball
Eduan Negrin homered and drove in 5 runs to lead the Southwest baseball team over Brito 12-4.
Jorge Lacher also homered, his fourth this season, and Dylan Duarte scored four times. Southwest improved to 8-6, and the Panthers are 6-10.
Doral Academy 10, South Miami 0: Bryan Ravelo 3-3, 3 RBI; Robert Becosme 2-2, 3 RBI; Fabian Olivares 1-1, 2 RBI; WP Andy Espinoza 2 IP, 0 R, 6 K. Dor 14-2.
Doral Academy 4, Schoolhouse Prep 1: Tyler Rodriguez 1-2, RBI; Bryan Ravelo 1-3, R; Robert Bencosme 1-2, RBI; WP Matthew Paze 3 IP, 2 K. Dor 15-2.
Softball
AIE 18, Monsignor Pace 3: AIE: Natalia Alba 2-4, 3 R, 3 RBI; Mia Gonzalez 1-3, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI; Bella Barreiro 2-3, 3B, 2 R, RBI; Selenia Martinez 1-3, 2B, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI; Naomi Batista 2-2, 2 2B, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI; WP Selenia Martinez 1.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K. MP: Khloe Koerner 1-2, HR, R, RBI; Isabella Ripoll 0-0, 2 BB, R. AIE 4-2, MP 3-5.
Tennis
GIRLS: Gulliver Prep 6, LaSalle 0: No.1 Siena Ringel won 8-6; No.2 Valentina Donoso won 8-0; No.3 Hanna Matuk. won 8-2; No.4 Maya Quintero won 8-0; No.5 Sophia Harari won 8-0. GP 9-3.
Submit sports results
For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have varsity sports results and top performers (with stats), email hssports@miamiherald.com.
They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. You will be alerted when it will appear. Also, some will be considered athlete of the week nominations.
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Compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
This story was originally published March 26, 2026 at 12:48 PM.
