Cypress Bay boys’ soccer routs Varela for Class 5A regional title
Freshman Mateo Pieschacon, starting because of an injury to a teammate, snapped a 1-1 tie with his fifth goal of the season, and the Cypress Bay boys’ soccer team went on to rout Varela 5-1 in the Class 5A regional final.
The Lightning (14-1-2) advanced to next week’s state semifinals against an opponent to be determined. This will be Cypress Bay’s first trip to state since the Lightning completed a three-peat of titles in 2013.
Colin Ilgner, who is in his first year as Cypress Bay’s coach, said a hamstring injury to leading scorer Franco Masscesni opened the way for Pieschacon to start.
“We said, ‘Mateo, this is your time,’” Ilgner said of his only freshman starter. “Mateo has composure, but I have to get under his skin sometimes to have a little more fire. Technically, he is very good.”
Cypress Bay’s Luis Perez got the game’s first goal, and Varela’s Gian Artuso tied the score with 19:08 left in the first half.
Pieschacon’s goal with 9:29 left in the first half put Cypress Bay up for good 2-1, and the Lightning got three second-half goals to put the game away.
Two of those goals were by Nicholas Arboleda, who has been on a roll of late with eight markers in his past six games.
The final goal was perhaps the most artistic one of the night as Adrian Perez, with a defender in front of him, blasted a shot to the upper-far corner.
Varela coach Juan Monge said his team missed an early opportunity that he felt could have made a difference. He also said Varela (10-3-3) had a speed advantage with its forwards against Cypress Bay’s defenders but could not exploit the matchup.
Still, he had praise for Cypress Bay.
“I think the state title will stay in South Florida,” said Monge of Class 5A, which was won last season by Miami Columbus. “[The Lightning] have a lot of skill.”
WRESTLING
Cardinal Gibbons, the defending BCAA champion, is currently leading the BCAA tournament after the first day of wrestling action. They have a 191/2-point lead over second-place Cypress Bay.
“All of our kids are alive, so that’s a good thing,” Gibbons coach Frank Pettineo said. “Our kids have trained long and hard for this event, and they are doing real well so far.”
Cypress Bay was projected to do well as the reigning district champions, but it was not expected to out-point wrestling powerhouses like St. Thomas and Everglades. St. Thomas is currently in third place, while Everglades is well behind in eighth place.
“I knew that we would come out and perform like this. This is what we are capable of,” Lightning coach Allen Held said. “To bring home the title would mean a lot to our school.”
Cypress Bay is led by Tyler Sage in the 138-pound class. Sage is the second-ranked wrestler in his weight class, in the county. He recently signed a National Letter of Intent to wrestle at Arizona State.
SCOTT SALOMON
FOOTBALL
Coral Reef announced it has hired Javier Valdes as its new coach. Valdes coached Mater Academy the past two seasons, leading the Lions to a 7-4 season this past year and their first playoff appearance.
Valdes compiled a 14-7 record in two seasons at Mater and inherits a Coral Reef squad that went 2-8 last season under then-coach Billy Rolle and has not made the playoffs since 2011. The Barracudas were moved into District 15-8A for the next four seasons — a district that also has Belen Jesuit, Southwest, Varela, Ferguson and Braddock.
Prior to his stint at Mater Academy, Valdes was the offensive coordinator at Southridge, Homestead, Belen and Archbishop Carroll.
ANDRE C. FERNANDEZ
CHARITY GAME
Gio Gonzalez and Jon Jay are taking a moment before the start of the Major League Baseball season to help kids in need.
The two famous Miami-Dade County baseball alums will be coaching teams when Columbus High hosts a Miracle League baseball game Saturday morning at its school’s baseball field in support of children with special needs.
The game will be played at 11 a.m. and will be attended by Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Marc Buoniconti, president of The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, who will each throw out the game’s first pitches along with Columbus school president Brother Kevin Handibode.
Each Miracle League player will be paired up with one of the Columbus varsity players, who will be their “buddy” and who will assist the player throughout the game both on and off the field.
For more information about joining a team, volunteering during games or supporting the Miracle League of Miami Dade, please visit www.mlomd.org.
SIGNINGS
Miami Beach shortstop and four-year starter Trent Bryan signed with Harvard University this week.
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Luis Veloz shot two free throws with two seconds left in the game to give the Sunset Knights their first District 16-8A championship in school history.
▪ District 16-8A final — Sunset 53, Southridge 52: SUN (15-9): Forcade 8, Salazar 6, Williams 7, Norriega 8, Vinson 4, Veloz 20. SR: Bartley 1, Chandler 3, Mcnare 6, Bartley 19, Mitchell 13, Alonzo 1, Jerry 1, Charles 7. Half: 32-21 SR. Three-pointers: Salazar 2. Rebounds: Norriega 13. Assists: Salazar 5. Steals: Veloz 4.
Princeton Christian won its first District 16-2A championship since the school opened in 1957.
▪ District 16-2A final —Princeton Christian 66, Redland Christian 53: PC (17-6): Victoria 4, Duran 27, Rodriguez 17, Thomas 16. RC: Valdivia 9, Espinal 5, Morgado 17, Kinsey 11, Shropshire 8, Dixon 2, Suarez 4. Three-pointers: Duran 2. Rebounds: Duran 7. Assists: Victoria 7. Steals: Rodriguez 6.
▪ District 15-8A final — South Miami 58, Columbus 57: SM: Dawson 6, M. Davis 8, I. Davis 6, R. Brown 6, Glover 18, Barney 15. COL: Byrne 11, Vanzant 12, Rodriguez 4, Elisas 4, Fernandez 10, Vitiello 11, Jattin 5. Three-pointers: I.Davis 2. Rebounds: Glover 10. Assists: Brown 5. Half: 35-27 SM.
▪ District 15-4A final — Pace 84, Booker T. Washington 64: MP (20-9):Fisher 29, S. Jean 16, Brunson 12, Sainvil 10, del Castillo 6, King 4, Bastien 4, White 2, Roque 1. BTW: Stewart 8, Pena 2, Gator 6, Neal 2, Brown 16, Bunnett 10, Hutchinson 10, Thelon 9. Three-pointers: Brunson 3, Brown 3. Rebounds: Fisher 7. Assists: S. Jean 5. Steals: S. Jean 7. Half: MP 34-31.
▪ District 16-4A semifinals — Ransom Everglades 42, St. Brendan 41: RE: Black 11, Woolworth 11, Rivlin 10, Cobb 4, Spiegelman 4, Deutch 2. SB: Suarez 14, Moliver 11, Sanchez 6, Iglesias 6, Barrenechea 4 Three-pointers: Black 3, Moliver 3. Rebounds: Woolworth 12. Assists: Rivlin 5. Steals: Woolworth 2. Half: 20-20.
▪ District 16-5A semifinals — Cardinal Gibbons 77, American Heritage 70: CG (26-1): Rowan 31, Morales 16, Kacpravak 12, Brooks 8, Strong 8, McIntosh 4. AH: Smellie 10, Charles 2, Johnson 13, James 6, Eubanks 19, Lamornt 20. Three-pointer: Lamornt 4, Kacpravak 3. Rebounds: McIntosh 6, Brooks 6. Assists: Morales 10. Steals: Morales 5. Blocks: Brooks 2. Half: 39-26 CG.
▪ District 16-4A semifinals — Gulliver Prep 50, Florida Christian 40: GP: Jackson 12, Pattullo 13, Perez 10, Massirman 9, Sotolongo 4, Heckaman 2. FC: Perez 11, Campbell 9, Dahlan 7, Bernard 6, Acosta 3, Sosa 3, Rivero 1. Three-pointers: Massirman 3.Rebounds: Jackson 11. Assists: Perez 4. Half: 26-14 GP
▪ District 14-7A semifinals — Blanche Ely 82, Northeast 29: BE (22-0): Gosier 10, Houston 2, Scott 11, Wilson 16, Goodrum 7, Devers 6, Heastie 19, Rideau 11. Rebounds: Rideau 7. Steals: Rideau 6, Wilson 6. Assists: Rideau 10.
MORE BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Miami High coach Javorie Wilson earned his 100th career win on Wednesday. Wilson (100-47) registered 85 wins during his five-year tenure at Booker T. Washington.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
▪ Late Thursday — Region 4-2A quarterfinal — Hebrew Academy 51, Princeton Christian 12: HA (17-6): Suster 18, Dobin 17, Chami 11, Sedighim 2, Gordon 2, Kahn 1. PC: Lee 3, Givens 2, Cobbs 6, Calvo 2, Gilbert 2. Rebounds: Chami 7. Steals: Chami 6. Assists: Gordon 6. Half: 27-8 HA.
SOFTBALL
▪ Goleman 21, South Miami 11:WP: Denise Hernandez 8 K’s (1-0). Top Performers: Natalie Costero 3-3, 3 runs, 4 SB, BB. Emily Bacallao 4-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 2 DB. Michi Oliva 3-3, 3 runs, 3 SB, 3 RBI. BG 2-0.
▪ Krop 16, Northwestern 1: WP: Maria Blanco, 0 hits. (2-0). Top Performers: Taylor Coachman 2-2, 3 RBI. Marley Felder 2-2. KRO 3-0.
▪ Monarch 17, Nova 1: WP: E. Estroff 3 IP, 7 K’s, BB (3-0). Top Performers: Brooke Hale HR, triple, single. Sarah Goldman 3 hits. Stefany Collins 5 RBI.
▪ Coral Reef 1, Varela 0: WP: Rebecca Sutton 7 K’s (1-0). Top performers: Carsyn Gordon 2-2. Denver Keller 2-2, 2 RBI. Cristina Colli 2-2, 2 RBI. Kylan Becker 3-4, 2 RBI. Amanda Grullon 2-2. Sarah Lamper 2-2. CR 2-0.
▪ Calvary Christian 4, American Heritage Delray 3: WP: Camryn Chang 2Ks 7 IP (2-0). Top Performers: Alyssa Nande 3-3, 2 doubles, single. Gabriela Carciopoll 2-3, double, single. Mia Veliz 2-3, 2 RBI. CC 2-0.
▪ Miami Beach 18, Coral Park 7: WP: Oyla Seichrist. LP: E. Garvin. Top Performers: Magdelena Demetriades double, 3 singles. Rosamary Machado 2 singles. Camila Cisneros 2 singles, double.
This story was originally published February 7, 2015 at 12:56 AM with the headline "Cypress Bay boys’ soccer routs Varela for Class 5A regional title."