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First Coast Varsity Weekly: UNC's Avery Patterson scores in NCAA women's soccer final

clayton freeman, florida times-union
·5 min read

Avery Patterson joined a historic soccer club on Monday night.

Her effort didn't end in victory, but the former Bolles midfielder scored twice in the NCAA women's soccer championship for North Carolina in a wild 3-2 overtime loss to UCLA.

Patterson tallied a go-ahead header in the 58th minute and a second score in the 75th, before the Bruins rallied with two goals — the latter with 16 seconds to play — and ultimately won in the second overtime.

North Carolina's Avery Patterson (15) scores as UCLA's Lilly Reale (4), Madelyn Desiano (11) and Jayden Perry defend during Monday night's NCAA women's soccer championship.
North Carolina's Avery Patterson (15) scores as UCLA's Lilly Reale (4), Madelyn Desiano (11) and Jayden Perry defend during Monday night's NCAA women's soccer championship.

She added her name to a list of UNC legends, including future national team players Mia Hamm, April Heinrichs and Tisha Venturini, to score twice in an NCAA final for the Tar Heels.

A three-time state champion at Bolles, Patterson led the Tar Heels with 13 goals on the season and won second-team All-Atlantic regional honors this year from the United Soccer Coaches.

She also competed earlier this year for the United States Under-20 women's national team, including a four-goal game against Puerto Rico.

Bolles swimmers lead locals at nationals

Bolles' Kayden Lancaster competes in the boys 500-yard freestyle at the FHSAA Class 1A swimming championships in Stuart on Nov. 18.
Bolles' Kayden Lancaster competes in the boys 500-yard freestyle at the FHSAA Class 1A swimming championships in Stuart on Nov. 18.

Bolles is already a state champion, for the 35th consecutive year.

Now, just how many points will their swimmers rack up against a national field?

Dozens of Jacksonville-area swimmers, including a sizable contingent from Bolles and its affiliated Bolles Sharks swim program, are scheduled to compete for national honors at the USA Swimming Speedo Winter Junior Nationals East, which run from Wednesday through Saturday in Greensboro, N.C.

Bolles swimmers are particularly dominant in the boys 200-yard individual medley, with four of the top 11 swimmers in preliminary seeding: Carter Lancaster (third), Aidan Paro (sixth), Will Heck (eighth) and Wyatt Porch (11th).

Heck, who broke his own 100-yard breaststroke record in Florida High School Athletic Association competition last month, is also the No. 1 seed overall in both the boys 100 and 200 breast.

Bolles' Andy Kravchenko (boys 50 free), Kayden Lancaster (boys 200 and 500 free) and Seth Tolentino (boys 50 free) are also top-20 seeds in their events. Also among the contenders is West Nassau sophomore Brody Singley, the third seed in the boys 1,650 free.

Scoring festival in Clay County hoops

Maybe Santa Claus came a little early for basketball in Clay County last week.

Nestled inside those stockings? Points — lots of them.

Some of the top achievements from a wild week on the hardwood:

  • Orange Park junior Eris Lester turned in a career performance in one of the Raiders' biggest games this season. Lester racked up 44 points, shooting 18 of 24 from the field, to go with 11 rebounds and four steals as Orange Park topped formerly-unbeaten Providence 64-59. Three days later, she followed up with 29 points to lead the Raiders past Raines 51-46.

  • In 12-plus years of boys basketball since the school's opening in 2010, Oakleaf had never achieved a triple-double. Dylan Lewis changed that this week. The senior guard finished with 24 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in an 80-58 victory against Matanzas.

  • On the girls side at Oakleaf, the defensive talents of senior Kaylah Turner are no secret, but she's stepping up her scoring as well. The Alabama A&M-committed senior scored 21 points against Paxon and followed with 27 points and eight steals in a 67-32 win at Tallahassee Leon.

  • Clay's Madison Kilgore didn't put up huge numbers, just the ones that counted most: two free throws with one second left to lead Blue Devils girls basketball past Wolfson, 38-37.

  • St. Johns Country Day seventh-grader Cam Cooper got another 30-point game, scoring 32 as the Spartans topped First Coast Christian 64-60.

  • Then, of course, there's St. Johns Country Day's reigning Florida scoring champion Taliah Scott. The Spartans' senior sensation scored 39 against Quincy Munroe, continuing her charge toward the 2,000-point mark — a barrier that she surmounted Monday against Parker.

  • High scoring didn't stop at the Clay County line. North Florida Educational Institute's Isaac Taveras sank 36 points in the Eagles' 75-72 win against independent Potter's House Christian, and Eagle's View senior guard Conner Bailey picked up a triple-double (40 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) against Old Plank Christian.

Fleming Island soccer red hot

Stanton's Abdul Mujib Musa (17) and Fleming Island's William Kennedy (14) challenge for possession during a high school boys soccer game on Nov. 29.
Stanton's Abdul Mujib Musa (17) and Fleming Island's William Kennedy (14) challenge for possession during a high school boys soccer game on Nov. 29.

One month into the boys soccer season, Fleming Island's offensive juggernaut shows few signs of slowing down.

The Golden Eagles rampaged to a pair of eight-goal wins over two of Duval County's traditional powers last week, 8-2 at Stanton and 8-0 at home against Fletcher.

Fleming Island absorbed some early pressure against Stanton, including a Zach Joiner shot off the goalpost, before unleashing its three-pronged forward line with full force on devastating counterattacks.

William Kennedy and Matthew Male both tallied hat tricks against Stanton, set up crisply by Daniel Vizcarrondo and Nathan Ernst in the midfield. On Thursday against Fletcher, it was the turn of Taylor Suarez to strike three goals.

Circle the Golden Eagles' Dec. 14 home game against Mandarin, also unbeaten through the opening month, as a must-see occasion in the area's boys soccer scene.

Mustangs trio on V-ball squad

Mandarin's Paola Aviles Morales (12) hits the ball over the net against Fletcher in the 2022 Gateway Conference championship.
Mandarin's Paola Aviles Morales (12) hits the ball over the net against Fletcher in the 2022 Gateway Conference championship.

Mandarin earned three All-Gateway Conference selections to go with the Mustangs' first Gateway volleyball title for nearly two decades.

Mustangs outside hitters Paola Aviles Morales and Alani Salas Garcia joined senior libero Mia Watson on the 12-player Gateway squad, the most of any school.

Mandarin defeated Fletcher in five sets in October, their first county title since 2003.

Also earning All-Gateway volleyball honors are Atlantic Coast's Morgan Stephens; Baldwin's Kendall North; Englewood's Tiziana Ciavatta; Fletcher's Nadia Ewton and Traci Schrock; Paxon's Madyson Brinson; Sandalwood's Jarianis Perez; Stanton's Caroline Rinaman; and Wolfson's Delaney Hayman.

Locals place in volleyball vote

Four Jacksonville-area players finished in the top three of class-by-class voting for the Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Volleyball award.

Bartram Trail's Jenna Otts finished second in Class 7A voting, Ponte Vedra's Zeta Washington placed third in Class 6A, Bishop Kenny's Ally Cavanaugh was second in Class 4A and Union County's Jaycee Davis ended third in Class 1A.

Bishop Kenny's Suzanne Winkler came in third in coach of the year voting for Class 4A.

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: First Coast Varsity Weekly: Avery Patterson leads UNC in NCAA soccer