Ronneldon Ellington helps Carol City dominate rival North Miami Beach
Carol City’s football team had lofty expectations a year after making its first playoff appearance in four years.
An 0-4 start to the season that included three defeats by six points or less left the Chiefs frustrated and at the bottom of its district.
Carol City hasn’t quit, however.
Two weeks after winning its first game of the season, the Chiefs put together their most complete performance of the season Thursday night, shutting out rival North Miami Beach 39-0 at North Miami Stadium.
Senior running back Ronneldon Ellington scored four touchdowns and finished with 161 yards on 11 carries to lead the Chiefs, who ran for 239 yards overall.
Although the win came against a non-district opponent, it was another confidence boost for Carol City (2-4), which is still alive for a postseason spot in arguably the deepest district in the state.
“We’ve been focusing more and competing more in practice every day,” Ellington said. “This win was important because it gave our younger kids confidence and hope. We know we have to win the next three games.”
NMB (1-5) can still make the playoffs as well in District 13-8A if it can win its remaining district games against Reagan, Hialeah Gardens and Hialeah over the next three weeks.
The Chiefs also have their most important stretch of the season over the next three weeks as they complete their District 16-6A schedule against Homestead, Central and Norland. If Carol City sweeps all three, it can still win the district, although defeating nationally-ranked Central appears unlikely.
But even if the Chiefs lose to the Rockets, they can still reach the postseason should the Rockets sweep their own remaining district foes and by default create a tiebreaker scenario for second place.
“I really look at the season as two halves,” Carol City coach Aubrey Hill said.
“For the first five games I think we were trying to figure out how to win. We have a lot of talented kids that hadn’t played a lot of varsity football. We’re finally starting to click a little.”
What has given the Chiefs hope for optimism is its improvement of late in all three phases of the game.
Ellington has remained consistent throughout the season and scored twice on runs of 56 and 53 yards.
Carol City’s defense set the tone early when junior Brian Lanier returned an interception 23 yards for a touchdown.
The Chiefs allowed only 72 total yards, had four sacks and got another interception from junior Keelen Roberts.
The Chiefs’ special teams also stepped up, pressuring two punts and causing NMB punter Jordan Atkins to bobble the ball in the backfield.
Senior Rashad Fenton also returned a punt 40 yards for a touchdown to force a running clock midway through the third quarter.
“We had to just recuperate from those losses,” Fenton said.
“These wins got us ready for the tough district games we have coming up.”
Volleyball
▪ Gulliver d. Keys Gate Charter (25-5, 25-8, 25-6). G: Lauren Potter 8 kills, 4 aces, 1 block, 3 digs; Lauren Gold 3 aces, 1 kill, 1 block; Lauren Kaufman 8 aces. G 13-6.
▪ Miami Springs d. Norland Senior (25-10, 25-13, 25-12). MS: Melissa Rojas: 24 assists, 10 digs, 4 aces, 1 kill; Erica Bradley: 6 aces, 13 digs; Kira Bennett: 3 assists, 7 kills, 4 aces, 12 digs. MS 13-2.
▪ Mourning d. Carol City (25-7, 25-8, 25-12). ATM: Amanda Rey 7 kills, 12 aces, 11 digs, 23 assists; Mary Shelow 14 kills, ace, 9 digs; Rony Edri 8 kills. ATM 16-2
▪ American Heritage d. Somerset (25-12, 25-16, 25-15). AHS: Lu Grinspan 14 kills, 3 service points, 1 ace, 7 digs, 1 block; Laura Perez 13 kills, 4 service points, 4 digs, 3 blocks; Ahnie Jumper 6 kills, 8 service points, 4 aces, 26 assists, 1 block. AHS 9-7.
▪ Palmer d. Marathon (25-10, 25-8, 25-12). P: Ellie Nosich, 10 aces, 7 kills, 13 digs; Daniela diaz, 7 aces, 3kills, 16 digs; Valeria Maculay, 32 assists, 1 block. P 16-5.
▪ Braddock d. Coral Park (15-25, 25-22, 25-10, 26-24). B: Stacy Fuentes 28 assists, 14 digs; Laylah Arrechea 11 kills, 3 aces, 12 digs; Jackie Guerra 4 Blks, 3 aces, 8 kills. B 10-7
▪ Ransom d. archbishop McCarthy (25-20, 25-18, 25-11). R: Debbie Ajagbe 3 kills 3 blocks; Caroline Sklaver 10 kills, 2 blocks and 11 assists; Sydney Bent 11 kills, 2 aces 10 service points; Stephanie Bent 13 digs.
▪ Killian d. Southridge (25-14, 25-23, 25-14). Killian 12-4.
▪ Pace d. Dr. Charters (25-14, 25-19, 25-17). P: Sharell Nairn 13 Kills, 12 digs, 4 blocks; Sophia Gonzalez 5 kills, 5 digs, 9 Assist; Lauren Hofmann 16 digs.
▪ Westminster d. Westwood Christian (25-8, 25-4, 25-16). WM: Chrissy Stech 2 blocks, 1 kill; Tiffany Jones 5 kills, 3 service points; Quinn Blanco 22 service points, 10 aces, 18 assists; Carlin Labuzan 14 service points, 3 aces, 10 assists.
▪ University School d. Hialeah Academy (25-15, 26-24, 25-7). US: Katelyn Barclay 7 aces, 10 digs, 1 kill; Brooke Osceola 2 aces, 4 kills.
▪ Carrollton d. Key West (25-16, 25-15, 25-13). C: Maria Hornbacher 9 kills, Patricia Nikolas 3 kills, Victoria Villegas 3 aces.
▪ Pompano Beach d. Calvary Christian (25-17, 21-25, 25-20, 17-25, 6-15). CC: Jessie Underwood 47 assists, 10 digs, 3 blocks 1 kill; Haley Batchelor 9 kills 4 blocks.
BOYS’ GOLF
▪ Calvary Christian 155, Pine Crest 166. At palm aire oaks. Par 35. CC: Cory Duame 35, Wyatt Rubin 38, Zach Mendez 39, Brandon Bennett 43. PC: Glatt 39, Jacobs 42, Glassman 42, Edelman 43.
▪ University School 324, Cardinal Gibbons 327. US: Christoffer Tonnesen 75, Jared Barclay 78, Blake Maier 84, Gabriel Porges 87. CG: Julius Boros 80, Mason Tillbrook 80, Carson Yates 82, David Keene 85.
Boys’ Bowling
▪ Archbishop McCarthy d. Coral Glades 2-1. AM: Juan Martin Abreu-Melon 211, Jonathan Somma 166. CG: Michael Grey 163
▪ Coral Springs Charter d. Highlands Christians 3-0. CS: Pablo Cerda 276, 237; Ryan Hernandez 235, 209; Jacob Austin 222. HC: Jonathan Cunning 199.
▪ Taravella d. Pompano 3-0. T: Blake Kretz 193, Joey Watynski 184. P: Robbie Barclay 207, Brodie Barclay 183.
GIRLS’ BOWLING
▪ Archbishop McCarthy d. Coral Springs 3-0. AM: Sarah Martin 220, Alejandra Chavez 174.
▪ Coral Springs Charter defeated Coral Glades 2-1. CS: Harmony Romano 200, 183. Coral Glades High Games: Krystina Nealon 257, 205
Late Wednesday
Volleyball
▪ SW d. Coral Gables (25-14, 23-14, 25-9). Jocelyn Garcia 10 kills, 3 aces, 1 block; Sheila Rojas 22 digs, 2 aces; Mya Thomas 6 kills 5 aces.
▪ SW d. Braddock (25-19,25-9, 25-13). Jocelyn Garcia 9 kills, 2 aces; Claudia Morles 8 kills 4 aces; Sheyanne Sulliavn 8 kills, 9 digs, 4 blocks.
▪ Coral Reef d. Killian (25-22, 25-21, 26-28, 25-27, 15-10). CR: Lexie Mesa 15 kills, 13 digs, 5 aces; Kristine Rios 15 kills, 12, digs, 27 assists; Janel Kemp 9 kills, 4 blocks. CR 13-0.
▪ Ferguson d. Lourdes (25-15, 25-14, 25-23). F: Michelle Cuervo 11 kills, 3 aces 2 blocks; Natalie Hoyos 8 kills 23 assists; Dominque Barnes 5 kills.
This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 11:57 PM with the headline "Ronneldon Ellington helps Carol City dominate rival North Miami Beach."