NSU University School routs Westminster Academy, plus regional golf results
NSU University School’s football team dealt with plenty of roster turnover coming into this season.
But the Sharks have learned how to develop new talent and remain consistent over the past three years.
And it’s made them a consistent state championship contender in the independent Sunshine State Athletic Conference.
For the third consecutive year, NSU University School is headed to the SSAC state semifinals following a 41-15 rout of Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy on Friday night at AutoNation Field in Davie.
The Sharks (8-4) will next hit the road to face Jupiter Christian (10-1) in the semifinals of the SSAC’s 11-man division next Friday at 7 at Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer High.
NSU University School lost to Jupiter Christian 42-28 in a preseason classic in August. But the Sharks, who lost 20 players either to graduation or transfers off a team that lost the SSAC state championship game, 49-42 in overtime, to Oviedo Master’s Academy last year, appear to be clicking at the right time.
“It’s exciting after the way we started the year,” NSU University School coach Mike Norman said. “It was like a rollercoaster with so many ups and downs, but we’re putting it all together now in all three phases and it’s the perfect timing for it.”
One of those young leaders is junior quarterback Jayden Miller, who threw three touchdown passes including two to sophomore Logan Lindsey Hartwig. Their second touchdown connection from 10 yards out early in the fourth quarter gave the Sharks a 26-7 lead and put the game out of reach.
Senior quarterback Cortland Brownfield threw two touchdown passes to lead Westminster Academy (8-3), which eliminated University in the SSAC semifinals two seasons ago. But three second-half turnovers proved too costly for the Lions.
University School jumped out to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter on Miller’s first two touchdown tosses and a field goal by Raul Leyva.
The Lions took advantage of an interception by senior Chop Donald and picked up their first points on a 2-yard touchdown run by junior Rashard Lewis. After recovering an onside kick, Westminster had a chance to make it a one score game. But kicker Drew Barbar missed wide right from 42 yards away.
The Lions appeared to start the second half with a bang when junior DJ Pierce returned the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown. But the play was negated by an illegal block penalty.
Two plays later, Colin Allen intercepted Brownfield to flip the momentum back in the Sharks’ favor.
Senior Tristan Ayala would later recover a fumble for University School and sophomore Kai Starks, the son of former Miami Hurricanes and NFL star Duane Starks, also intercepted Brownfield.
After missing a pair of field goals, Leyva connected from 30 yards out to push University School’s lead to 20-7. In the final minutes of the game, junior Brandon Williams Jr. and sophomore Madan Patel each scored rushing touchdowns.
“A lot of this was just building with each other,” Norman said. “It took us some time to gel and we dealt with the weather and stuff early, but now we’ve had more time with each other and it’s showing.”
GOLF
REGION 4-3A
Boys’ team at Miccosukee Par 72: 1. St. Thomas Aquinas 301; 2. Palmetto 309; 3. Columbus 312; Individuals (x-individual state qualifiers): 1. Joseph Hendren 71; 2. Braden Chamberlain 72; 3. x-Reed Burton, x-Henry Crowe and Trevor Tingle 74; 6. Geoffrey Laklak 75; 7. Joe Fernandez 76; 8. Josh Lieberman and Eduardo Marin 77; 10. Michael Skolnick, Joey Gilden, Christopher Zambito and Chase McKinnon 78.
REGION 4-2A
The American Heritage girls’ golf team edged Miami’s SLAM Academy after a tie with a 295 score in a one hole playoff to win the team title at Pompano Beach Golf Club.
SLAM’s Marley Pedrique shot under-2 70 to finish second behind individual champion Jaime Baker of Wellington Dr. Garcia, who shot 3-under 69.
Senior Lilly Riegger led the Lady Patriots with an impressive even par score of 72 to finish fourth behind Archbishop McCarthy’s Abigail Lee, who shot a 1-under 71. Sophomores Nicole Wu and Laura Monsalve followed with scores of 74. Junior Aryanah Ahmad and eighth grader Myla Kumar rounded out the team’s scores for Heritage with 75 and 79 respectively.
Kumar shot birdies on the first hole of the playoff and a par score by Laura Monsalve helped Heritage shoot 3-under in the playoff for the win.
Team: 1. American Heritage x-295 (won playoff); 2. SLAM 295; 3. North Broward Prep 311; 5. Archbishop McCarthy 322; Individual: 1. Jaime Baker (DG) 69; 2. Marley Pedrique (SLAM) 70; 3. Abigail Lee (AM) 71; 4. Ashley Balcom (SLAM), Jesera Mendez (NBP) and Lilly Riegger (AH) 72.
REGION 4-1A
Girls’ team (at Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne - Par 288): 1. Boca Raton FAU 285; 2. Pine Crest 307; 3. West Palm Beach Benjamin 315; 4. Ransom Everglades 317; 5. Carrollton 333; Individual (Par 72): 1. Valentina Guertin (FAU) 68; 4. Esha Nagalla (RE) 73; 6. Petra Compton (Carr) 73; 7. Madison Logan (PC) 74; 9. Nina Fischer (RE) 74; 10. Harper Kiss (PC), Staci Pla (Berean Christian) and Stephanie Weinberg (PC) 75.
Boys’ team (at The Park in West Palm Beach - Par 284): 1. Benjamin 284; 2. Oxbridge Academy 288; 3. Pine Crest 290; 6. Ransom Everglades 301; Individual (Par 71): 1. Ajax Lanasa (Oxbridge) 66; 2. Finn Foster (PC) 70; 8. AJ Colonna (Oxbridge), William Grayson Richards (MCD), Ethan Earley (Cardinal Newman), Cole Durham (RE), Andrew Tsar (Benjamin) and Charlie Woods (Benjamin) 72.
CROSS-COUNTRY
District 8-3A: For the third straight year, Belen earned a perfect score of 15 points. Junior Marcelo Mantecon led the way, finishing with a time of 15:09, breaking his own course record of 15:31 set last year. Fellow junior Armando Cruz ran 15:25 for second place. Rounding out Belen’s top five were Liam Salom, Davi Bodoh, and Nico Veloso. It was Belen’s 22nd consecutive district championship and 44th in program history.
Team: 1. Belen 15; 2. Archbishop McCarthy 70; 3. Pembroke Pines Charter 107; 4. Mater Academy 127; 5. Mourning 179; Individuals: 1. Marcelo Mantecon (Bel) 15:09.06; 2. Armando Cruz (Bel) 15:25.92; 3. Liam Salom (Bel) 16:23.19; 3. Davi Bodoh (Bel) 16:28.76; 5. Nicholas Veloso (Bel) 16:29.84; 6. Jack Michalak (Bel) 17:06.69; 7. Matthias Murrle (Bel) 17:15.10; 8. Adam Stewart (PPC) 17:16.42; 9. Nicolas Guerrero (AM) 17:37.13; 10. John Balius (AM) 17:40.16 10.
District 7-2A at South County Regional Park, Boca Raton - Boys’ team: 1. Pine Crest 66; 2. King’s Academy 73; 3. North Broward Prep 86; 4. Mater Lakes 109; 5. Calvary Christian 125; 7. Cardinal Gibbons 185; 9. Pompano Beach 272; 10. Coral Springs Charter 274; 16. Chaminade-Madonna 443; 19. Stranahan 572; Individuals: 1. Wills Gillis (NBP) 15:59.6; 18. Lucas Werth (CSC) 17:37.6; 24. Adam Albrecht (CG) 17:42.4; 26. Adam Huck (CG) 17:47.4; 33. Schneider Lean-Louis (PB) 18:03.2; 34. Steven Joseph (PB) 18:03.5; 35. Nicholas Ruthemeyer (CG) 18:03.6; 40. Gavin Helmle (CM) 18:18.9; 44. Kristian Raes (CG) 18:24.2.
Girls’ team: 1. Cardinal Gibbons 60; 2. Cardinal Newman 76; 3. Coral Springs Charter 88; 4. Calvary Christian 96; 5. King’s Academy 126; 8. Pompano Beach 201; Individuals: 1. Claire Chanon (CG) 19:00.2; 4. Molly Murphy (CG) 19:24.2; 6. Allison Albrect (CG) 19:49.7; 8. Giulia Campos (PB) 20:00.4; 9. Lily Richardson (CSC) 20:18.3; 11. Sydney McDougall (CSC) 20:29.6; 12. Naomi Cherson (PB) 20:31.2; 16. Giuliana Serra (CG) 20:52.9; 19. Alyson Thomas (CSC) 20:59.9; 26. Cecilia Kozlowski (CSC) 21:36.8; 30. Hailey Lockwitz (CSC) 22:05.9.
District 8-4A: Doral Academy’s girls won their first team title since 2012, and the boys finished third as Columbus took the team title and Braddock finished runner-up. Nicole Lewis won the girls’ individual title for the second consecutive season with a time of 20:02. Gaby Gonzalez Orbegoso finished second with a time of 20:24. The Firebirds placed five girls in the top 15 including Estefania Capriles (5th, 20:58), Megan Lewis (6th, 21:00) and Lauren Avila (13th, 22:10). For the boys, Victor Pedreira placed third a time of 16:30. Martin Fernandez placed 10th with a time of 16:54.
BOYS’ SOCCER
South Florida Champions League - Miami Beach 3, Belen Jesuit 0: Thiago Marchisone scored three goals to lead the Hi-Tides (2-0). Valentino Levy and Jeferson Herrera one assist. Kingsley Cospolite recorded his second shutout.
Belen Jesuit 3, St Thomas Aquinas 1: Parra 2 goals. 1 assist; Lopez-Gottardi 1 goal. Belen 2-0.
Belen 7, Archbishop Carroll 0
Cardinal Gibbons 3, Western 3: Brody Boerstler scored three goals for Gibbons. Eugene Gibbons, Henry Copelin and Christian Parra each had an assist.
NSU University School 8, International Studies Charter 0: Raul Leyva had a hat trick and Valentino Ferris scored a pair of goals for the Sharks. Rocco Bordoni, Samuel Osorio and Mattia Coccia also scored a goal each. Will Zalkin recorded his first shutout.
NSU University School 2, Scheck Hillel 2: Raul Leyva scored both goals for the Sharks (1-0-1).
Coral Gables 2, Coral Park 1: Aliksandros Adams and Joaquin Gamarra each scored a goal for the Cavaliers (1-0-1).
La Salle 0, Monarch 0: Maxime Massat had a shutout for La Salle (0-1-1).
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Palmer Trinity 4 Doral Academy 2: Lila Algarin had two goals to lead the Falcons (2-0) while Scarlett Bauer and Brooklyn Schiffrin each scored one. Arianna Adessi and Carol Egea Guimaraes each had an assist.
Palmer Trinity 2, MAST Academy 1: Lila Algarin had a goal and an assist and Brooklyn Schiffrin scored a goal that was assisted by Gabriella Feetham 1.
Cardinal Gibbons 9, Western 0: Reagan Hood had four goals and an assist to lead the Chiefs (1-0). Mia Conard had two goals and four assists. Paulina Janke, Abigail Gillette and Caroline Findley each had a goal.
Florida Christian 9, Jewish Leadership Academy 0: Sibel Garcia and Sage Woods each scored three goals to lead the Patriots. Lily Drake, Antonella Calcano and Angelina Gomez each had one goal.
Florida Christian 2, Somerset Academy 2: Sibel Garcia scored a goal. FC is 1-0-1.
La Salle 4, Stuart Pine School 2: Camila Andreu led the Royal Lions (1-1) with two goals and two assists. Arantxa Santacana had one goal and one assist. Isabella Studenski had one goal and Sofia Cruces had one assist.
