Results are in. Miami Springs baseball standout voted Miami Herald High School Athlete of the Week
The senior allowed just one run on two hits and four walks over seven innings (complete game), while striking out six including the final three batters as the Golden Hawks (28-3) edged Santa Rosa Beach South Walton 2-1 to win the Class 3A state championship. It marked the school's first state title in baseball.
Meagan Villazon, Doral Academy softball; Kathleen Serig, Gulliver Prep water polo; Isabella Benton, Plantation American Heritage softball; Dane Fox, Westminster Academy water polo; Ava Stevens, Somerset Silver Palms softball; and RJ Machado, Plantation American Heritage baseball rounded out the nominees.
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Indianapolis Star
7 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
This year was ridiculously loaded. Vote for Indiana high school girls athlete of the year
The 2024-25 high school sports season is officially in the books. Before we turn our attention to 2025-26 (and with it being the dog days of summer), we're recognizing Indiana's top-performing girls high school athletes from the past season! Voting for the Indiana girls athlete of the year, presented by YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, will be open until noon EST Sunday. Bell capped her career with a Class 3A state championship, hitting a career-best .313 with 333 kills last season. She also logged a career-high 63 aces, 26 blocks, 252 digs and 50 assists against the state's 24th-toughest schedule, per the IPV rankings. The Kansas incoming freshman finished her career with 1,280 kills, 1,131 digs, 168 aces, 108 total blocks and 79 assists, plus 115 wins and three regional championships in four varsity seasons. Creager claimed the all-around state championship at this year's state meet. She won the uneven bars title with a score of 9.675, placed third on beam (9.675), fourth on floor (9.275) and fifth on vault (9.775) to accumulate 37.975 points. The junior was the third Homestead all-around winner overall and first since Shellen Goltz in 2000. Crooke set a state high jump record with a nation-leading clearance of 6-2 in May, then claimed state championships in both the high jump (6-0.25, 2nd nationally; meet record) and long jump (20-4.75, 10th nationally). The Arizona track commit also notched 24 goals and six assists in 17 games for the semistate runner-up Heritage Christian soccer team (96 goals, 32 assists for her career). Dowty, a junior, finished sixth at state (17:48.79), then took fifth at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, fifth at the Foot Locker regional championships and seventh at the NXN Midwest regional championships. Dowty took sixth in the 3200 at state with a time of 10:35.95. Erb, a Kentucky-bound junior, led the Panthers to a semistate runner-up finish, batting .659 with 56 hits, 53 RBIs and 59 runs scored. Her collection of hits included 21 homers, eight triples and 15 doubles, and she also stole 18 bases and posted a .937 fielding percentage on 79 chances with two double plays. Erb is a career .652 hitter with 57 home runs and 193 RBIs. Kirkland finished runner-up at this year's state meet to become the fourth golfer in state history to finish second or better three times in their career. The Xavier incoming freshman and Mental Attitude Award recipient was a three-time all-state honoree and led her team to a fourth-place finish at the 2022 state meet. The 2025 IndyStar Indiana Miss Basketball recipient, Makalusky averaged 22.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 assists, while shooting 40% from 3 and 80% at the line for the semistate runner-up Royals. The IU freshman finished her career with 1,933 points. Mishler won two state titles and set a meet record at this year's state meet. The Louisville commit clocked a 21.87 to capture the 50 freestyle championship, then broke the record she set in the 100 freestyle prelims with a time of 47.86 in the finals. Mishler is Wawasee's second state champion in swimming (first since 2012) and set a national record in the 50 free (21.56) in December. Ocampo became the first girls wrestler to medal during the boys state finals, placing sixth at 106. Ocampo won her opening night match by fall in 5:46 over Plymouth's Alonzo Chantea to advance into medal contention. She wrestled back to reach the fifth-place match and lost by decision 3-0. A four-time state qualifier and three-time IHSGW state champ, Ocampo holds the most wins in school history (169) and ranks third in pins (78). The MaxPreps Female Athlete of the Year, Shackell became the second Indiana girl ever to medal at the Olympics while still in high school over the summer, then led the Greyhounds to their 39th straight state title in girls swimming in the winter. The IU swimming recruit won four state titles, leaving her with 15 for her career. The freshman claimed individual state medalist honors with a two-day score of 144 (72-72). She is only the third freshman in the 52-year history of the IHSAA finals to claim individual honors, joining Columbus North's Ava Bunker (2022) and Warsaw's Emily Johnson (2003). Snively is also the first medalist to play for the team champion (Zionsville) since 1999. Tippner led the Millers soccer team to a 19-0-2 record and a third consecutive Class 3A state championship, scoring 24 goals and 16 assists. On the hardwood, the Miami hoops commit set career-highs across the board with 26 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 4.0 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. Vinson overcame a life-threatening illness last summer and returned to lead the Tigers to a 4A state runner-up finish, logging 361 kills (.324 hit%), 16 aces, 40 total blocks and 84 digs over 83 sets. Now an IU freshman, she set a school-record with her 1,940 career kills, and rounded out her high school stat line with 968 digs, 199 aces and 134 blocks. The junior claimed the state cross-country title with a time of 17:12.19, helping her team to a second-place finish behind Carmel. She took first in both the 1600 (4:49.06) and 3200 (10:28.26) at the state track championships. The 2025 Indiana Miss Softball recipient, Zachary totaled a .482 batting average, 196 hits, 169 runs, 174 RBIs, 41 doubles and 20 home runs, 79 stolen bases and a .926 fielding percentage in her four high school seasons. Now a freshman at Notre Dame, she batted a career-best .543 for the state semifinalists with 10 doubles, four triples and eight homers, career-highs in both RBIs (62) and runs (46), and 50 hits, which marked her third consecutive season with at least that many.
Miami Herald
27-06-2025
- Miami Herald
St. Thomas Aquinas, American Heritage again sweep Broward All-Sports awards
It was a banner year for the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, even by their always lofty standards. Plantation American Heritage also excelled as one of the top all-around athletic programs in Broward County. So it should come as no surprise that the two schools, once again, are being honored with the Miami Herald's All-Sports Awards in Broward County for the 2024-2025 athletic season. In addition to the overall All-Sports award, the Herald also gives out the Boys' Major Sports Award, which recognizes success across six sports (football, basketball, soccer, baseball, track and field, and wrestling), and the Girls' Major Sports Award, which looks at how schools fared across five sports (indoor volleyball, basketball, soccer, track and field, and softball). Both schools swept all three awards in their respective classifications, with Aquinas winning the large schools division and American Heritage in the small schools division. For St. Thomas Aquinas, the Raiders won an impressive five team state titles this year in football, girls' volleyball, boys' basketball, baseball and boys' lacrosse. The football title was the Raiders' sixth in a row. The basketball team won its first title since 2001. Volleyball won its eighth overall and second consecutive title. Baseball won for the first time since 2018. And boys' lacrosse won for the fourth time in school history. Additionally, STA's girls' soccer and girls' track and field teams were state runner-up and five other teams — softball, boys' tennis, girls' tennis, boys' water polo and beach volleyball — advanced to the state semifinals. The boys' soccer, boys' volleyball, girls' water polo, girls' lacrosse and flag football teams also advanced to the regional final. And to further add to the success, the girls' swimming team finished sixth at state, while the girls' cross country team and boys' swimming team finished seventh and boys' track and field came in ninth. American Heritage, meanwhile, won four team state titles of its own in football, baseball, girls' soccer and girls' tennis. The girls' soccer team also won a national title. The football title was the school's sixth overall and first under third-year coach Mike Smith. Baseball won it all for the second time in the past three seasons. The girls' soccer team now has 14 state titles and has won three in a row. And American Heritage's girls' tennis has won seven state titles overall. Additionally, the Patriots' girls' basketball and softball teams finished as state runners-up, both golf teams finished third and boys' track and field placed sixth. Others to note (in alphabetical order) ▪ Blanche Ely: The Tigers won a state title in boys' basketball and reached the regional final in girls' basketball. ▪ Calvary Christian: The Eagles won a state title in boys' basketball and finished ranked in the top 5 nationally. ▪ Cardinal Gibbons: The Chiefs won a national title and finished state runner-up in competitive cheerleading, finished third in Class 1A in boys' wrestling, reached the state semifinals in boys' basketball and girls' soccer, and advanced to the regional final in boys' volleyball. ▪ Chaminade-Madonna: The Lions won the Class 1A state football for their seventh title in eight years. ▪ Cypress Bay: The Lightning were state runner-up in girls' soccer, advanced to the state final four in boys' tennis, reached the state quarterfinal in girls' tennis and appeared in the regional final in both girls' volleyball and beach volleyball. ▪ Dillard: The Panthers repeated as Class 3A state champions in girls' track and field, was runner-up in girls' cross country and third in boys' track and field. ▪ Flanagan: The Falcons finished third at state in boys' track and field. ▪ Fort Lauderdale: The Flying L's finished third at state in girls' swimming ▪ Highlands Christian: The Knights advanced to the state final four in boys' soccer. ▪ Northeast: The Hurricanes reached the state final four in girls' basketball. ▪ Pembroke Pines Charter: The Jaguars reached the state final four in boys' soccer, the regional final in boys' basketball and finished ninth at state in boys' cross country. ▪ Pine Crest: The Panthers finished third at state in boys' swimming, sixth in boys' golf and eighth in girls' swimming. They also reached the regional final in girls' volleyball and girls' tennis. ▪ Sagemont: The Lions won their third state title in a row in boys' basketball and reached the regional final in girls' volleyball. ▪ Somerset Academy: The Panthers won the Class 2A state title in boys' wrestling, reached the regional final in girls' soccer and finished eighth in girls' track and field. ▪ Stoneman Douglas: The Eagles won a state-record, fifth consecutive state title in baseball and reached the regional final in girls' soccer, boys' tennis and girls' tennis. ▪ Stranahan: The Mighty Dragons won a state title in boys' basketball - their fourth since 2019. ▪ Western: The Wildcats won a state title in competitive cheerleading, reached the state final four in softball and made it to the regional final in both football and flag football. ▪ Westminster Academy: The Lions won their first state title in boys' water polo in addition to finishing fourth at state in boys' cross country, sixth in girls' cross country, seventh in boys' swimming and ninth in boys' track and field. They also reached the regional final in girls' basketball.
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Chaminade's Lopez and N. Broward Prep's Schwartz are Broward 3A-1A Athletes of the Year
Even before transferring to Chaminade-Madonna before last football season, junior Jasen Lopez was known for his versatile talents in both football and basketball. And at North Broward Prep, senior Alexa Schwartz has long established herself as a standout in basketball and track and field. Both athletes put together tremendous efforts for their respective teams this past season, which added to their impressive athletic resumes. And so, Lopez and Schwartz are the Miami Herald's Broward County Overall Athletes of the Year for Classes 3A-1A. Lopez, who had already enjoyed three fantastic seasons as a prolific wide receiver and shooting guard at True North Classical Academy in Miami, he took things up a notch this season upon his move north to Broward. Against a national schedule, Lopez caught 87 passes for over 1,300 yards and caught 14 touchdown passes while rushing for two more scores and returning a punt for a touchdown. Lopez, a 5-10, 165-pound receiver who is being recruited by several schools including Miami and Florida State, was a steady presence during a turbulent start to the Lions' football season. Eventually, Lopez was a big reason Chaminade kept its state championship streak going with its fourth in a row. He carried the momentum to the basketball court where he elevated Chaminade's program to secure its first ever bid in the BCAA Big 8 tournament. He then led the Lions to the Class 2A regional semifinals. 'This is very special,' Lopez said after the football team's state win. '...It's great for me being my first and for the guys who have been here, it's a four-peat. It's very special.' Schwartz etched her name in the state record books this past season in track, setting a new state meet record and winning the Class 2A state title in the javelin with a throw of 47.04 meters. Schwartz was a two-time state champion and three-time district champion in the event. On the basketball court, Schwartz heads to the college level as North Broward Prep's all-time leading scorer with over 1,000 points and single season assists leader. Schwartz, who recorded the school's first triple-double in a game. Schwartz, who was a Miami Herald Silver Knight nominee and this year's Broward Girls' Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was part of her school's Honor Roll every semester, and is a member of seven different National Honor Societies. Schwartz is heading to FSU after graduating with a 4.7 GPA and scoring a 30 on her ACT. BOYS' FINALISTS ▪ Brandon Bennett, American Heritage (football, track and field): Bennett played a huge role once again in leading the Patriots to their first state title since 2020 in football and followed that up with a strong performance in track and field, helping the Patriots' 400-meter relay win a state title and break a state meet record. ▪ Jonathan Pena, Westminster Academy (cross-country, track and field): Pena placed fourth at the Class 1A state championships in cross-country and ran the fastest time in the county (15:14). Pena, the Herald's Boys' Runner of the Year, was also a state qualifier in track in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. ▪ Shon Abaev, Calvary Christian (basketball): Abaev earned McDonald's All-American honors and led the Eagles to a state championship and a top 5 national ranking. Abaev, the Herald's 3A-1A Boys' Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 20.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. ▪ Michael Mocco, Cardinal Gibbons (wrestling): Mocco proved to be one of the most dominant wrestlers in the nation once again as he went undefeated (43-0) and repeated as a state champion - this time in the 215-pound weight class. He was also the Herald's Broward Wrestler of the Year. GIRLS' FINALISTS ▪ Bradee Boyd, Calvary Christian (indoor and beach volleyball): After transferring to the Eagles, Boyd immediately made an impact as one of the top players in the state. Boyd, a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter and the Herald's 4A-1A Girls' Volleyball Player of the Year, totaled 488 kills, 274 digs and 415 receptions to lead the Eagles to the Region 4-3A semifinals. She also earned first team All-Broward honors in beach volleyball with teammate Vitoria Belfort, a junior, after leading that squad to regionals. ▪ Lydia Berent, Cardinal Gibbons (softball): Berent became an even more dominant pitcher this past season, going 20-6 with 243 strikeouts and a 1.11 ERA. Berent, a Stanford University commit, was also a force at the plate, hitting .500, three home runs, 11 doubles and scoring 39 runs. ▪ Isabella Sangha, Pine Crest (volleyball, basketball): Sangha was a prolific scorer in basketball and a strong presence on the Panthers' regional finalist volleyball team. Sangha averaged 27 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals per game in basketball and finished with 199 kills in volleyball to earn All-Broward second team honors.
