Fort Lauderdale softball breaks new ground. Locals win tennis awards. Plus volleyball and more

Normally winning a regional semifinal softball game isn’t cause for any kind of major celebration.

But you’ll have to forgive the Fort Lauderdale girls’ softball team if it may have overdone it a little.

Following the final out of their 5-1 victory over Cooper City on Tuesday night in a Region 4-6A semifinal on their home field, the Flying L’s stormed the pitcher’s mound to celebrate.

There was no dog pile. That’s reserved for clinching a trip to the state final four. But the celebration was awfully hefty because to understand the moment, you have to understand where the program has been for the last 35 or so years.

Before last season, Fort Lauderdale had made only four regional appearances in program history and only last year did it win for the first time, beating St. Thomas Aquinas and advancing to the regional semifinals.

Thus Tuesday night became another groundbreaking night as the win over Cooper City advances the No. 2 seeded Flying L’s to their first ever regional final.

The task will be a big one as they will travel to Miami-Dade County to take on top seeded Doral Academy on Thursday at 6 p.m. It’s the very same Doral team that thumped them 10-0 last year in that regional semi and also beat them 8-2 in this year’s regular season opener.

While they know they will be a prohibitive underdog on Thursday, none of that was going to spoil the fun they were having when they met out in left field following the game.

“I truly believe in the six years I’ve been here, we’ve had the ability to be here every year, but we just couldn’t make it over the hump,” said Fort Lauderdale head coach Ron Willover, who saw his team win its eighth straight and improve to 13-6.

“It just took a lot of mental training with the girls and a lot of BP (batting practice), and that’s what we will being doing tomorrow [Wednesday] because we’ve got an even tougher one with Doral on Thursday.”

There were plenty of heroes for the Flying L’s on this night but none more than senior pitcher Kaleea Washington, who basically shutdown the Cooper City offensive bats, yielding just four hits while striking out eight.

The only run she gave up was unearned when a two-out throwing error by her second baseman allowed a Cowboys runner to score from second in the top of the fifth. That run tied the game at 1-1, which it remained until the big moment arrived in the last of the sixth. That’s when senior Isa Vera stepped up with runners on first and second and two outs and delivered the big hit of the night, a double to the fence in right center scoring both runners to put the L’s up 3-1.

Lilly O’Neil then followed with a base hit up the middle scoring Vera, before Destiny Washington brought her home with a shot to the gap in left center for a double.

“I kind of was expecting something inside because that’s what I had been getting all game, but I got something out over the plate that I was able to get a good barrel on it and gapped it,” said Vera. “I really had to come through for my team because the girls ahead of me had done their job by getting on base; so it was my turn. A really exciting night for us, we’re both seniors [pointing to Washington] and didn’t want this to be our last game.”

Fort Lauderdale got Washington a quick lead by scoring a run in the bottom of the first before the game settled into a pitching duel between her and Cooper City’s Daniella Nino.

“I had faith in my teammates that eventually they would give me the offensive support,” said Washington. “This was definitely a big game for us because we’re kind of the newbies on the block, and we’re going up against a more established program. I’m really proud and excited for all of us because we made history tonight and are going where this program has never gone. A really exciting time for us and the entire school.”

Willover didn’t hesitate when asked what the key moment of the game was, and he didn’t mention Vera’s base-clearing double. He said it was the key error by their second baseman that allowed the Cowboys to tie the game in the fifth.

“That was our quicksand moment,” said Willover. “In the past we would fall into the quicksand right there and come apart. But this group of girls have been together for awhile and were mentally tough tonight, especially at that moment. They were not going to let bad things happen after that, and I’m proud of them for that.”

_{--Bill Daley}

More region softball

6A Region Semifinal: Doral Academy 11, St. Thomas Aquinas 1: WP Yessenia Lopez 5 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 9 K; Ana Richiez HR; Leyani Viruet HR; Anabela Abdullah 2 H. Dor (23-4-1), STA (12-10).

7A Region Semifinal: Coral Reef 9, Park Vista-Lake Worth 6: Trailing 4-2, the Barracudas evened things in the top of the fourth. Behind 5-4, Coral Reef tied it again in the sixth and then erupted with four runs in the seventh. WP Quinley Wylie 2.2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K; Brianna Perantoni 3-5, 2 R, 2 SB; Madison Rodriguez 2-3, 2B, HBP, 2 R; Rachel Hawkins 2-2, HR, BB, HBP, 2 R, 4 RBI. CR (22-6-1), PV (19-6-1).

5A Region Semifinal: Pembroke Pines Charter 11, Sebring 5: WP Destiney Ortega CG, 7 IP, 5 R, 3 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 4 K; Yenisett Yescas 1-2, 2B, 3 BB, R, 3 RBI; Sophia Perez 1-4, BB, R, 2 RBI; Alessandra Nunez 1-4, HBP, 2 R, RBI; Mia Hernandez 2-3, 2 BB, R; Destiney Ortega 1-5, 2 R, RBI; Megan Rasmussen 1-2, 2 BB, HBP, R, RBI; Leah Rutherford 2 BB, R, RBI. PPC (19-8), Seb (13-9).

4A Region Semifinal: Key West 7, Somerset-Pembroke Pines 6 (8 inn.): Scarlet Niles 3-5, 2B, 3B, 3 R, RBI, 3 SB; Isabella Franco 2-5, R, 2 RBI; Miesha Hernandez 2-4, R; Ty Cervantes 2-3, 2B, BB, RBI, 2 SB; Tavyn Gage 1-4, 2B, R; Caroline Smith RBI; WP Chloe Gilday 3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 6 K. KW (18-3), Som (11-12).

4A Region Semifinal: American Heritage-Plantation 4, Jensen Beach 0: Leading 1-0, the Patriots added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. WP Koda Travers CG, 7 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 10 K; Emily Legette 2-3, R, RBI, 2 SB; Emma Griffith 1-2, BB, R, RBI; Hailey Diaz 1-2, Sac, R, RBI; Samantha Santana 1-3, RBI. AHP (16-6), JB (14-9).

3A Region Semifinal: Coral Springs Charter 2, Westminster Christian 0: The unbeaten Panthers scored one in the bottom of the first and one in the third. CSC: WP Sophia Bertorelli CG, 7 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 15 K; Jessica Sacca 2-3, RBI; Heather Robertson BB, R; Addison Michel BB, R. WC: Kaley Dyer 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 5 BB, 1 K; Giovanna Khoury 2-3; Jasmine Armenteros 2 BB. CSC (25-0-2), WC (10-9-1).

2A Region Semifinal: Florida Christian 2, John Carroll-Fort Pierce 1: Trailing 1-0, the Patriots scored twice in the bottom of the seventh for the walk-off win. WP Maria Zelenka CG, 7 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 10 K; Samantha Zelenka 3-4, 2 2B, R; Charlee Arana 1-2, 2B, R; Maria Zelenka 1-4, R. FC (19-7), JC (19-8).

Other Local Region Semifinal Scores: 7A: Spanish River-Boca Raton 4, Stoneman Douglas 1; 5A: South Fork 4, Bayside 1; 2A: Oxbridge-West Palm Beach 3, AIE 2.

Region boys’ volleyball

Region Championship: Cardinal Gibbons d. Boca Raton 25-9, 25-17, 25-17: Logan Keothavy 17 kills; Callan Fry 20 digs; Gabriel Nejad 36 assists. CG (26-3).

Region Championship: Hialeah Gardens d. Miami High 27-25, 25-22, 25-20: Emilio Cobaleda 11 kills; Ryan Milian 11 digs; Frank Hernandez 12 digs; Diego Quevedo 13 kills, 2 aces; Michael Gomez 48 assists; Luke Mansoori 9 blocks; Chris Alvarez-Rodas 14 kills, 2 aces, 70-percent kill percentage; Anthony Ferrer 10 kills, 1 ace, 6 blocks. HG (16-5).

Other Local Region Championships: Cypress Bay d. South Broward 25-20, 25-14, 25-19; Southwest d. Belen Jesuit 25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 25-17.

Tennis state honors

Coral Springs Charter junior Juhnyee See was named 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Tennis, and Gulliver Prep’s Kelly Mulligan was named the Girls’ Tennis Coach of the Year in voting by a statewide panel of prep tennis coaches.

See, who repeated as the Class 2A POY, won the overall Class 2A singles title for the second consecutive year.

Other finalists included Class 4A POY Ameia Sorey of Miami Palmetto, Class 3A POY Lyla Messier of Seminole and Class 1A POY Abigail Gordon of Grandview Prep.

Mulligan led Gulliver Prep to its second consecutive Class 2A state girls’ title and the school’s 10 th state championship overall, all under Mulligan’s leadership.

Other finalists included Class 4A COY Kelly Gibson of Palmetto, Class 3A COY Carol DeOpsomer of St. Thomas Aquinas and Class 1A COY Andre Chow of True North Classical Academy.

Senior Markus Ekstrand of Delray American Heritage was named 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Tennis. In addition, Brian Schleifer of American Heritage was named the 2023 Boys’ Tennis Coach of the Year.

Ekstrand was earlier named the Class 2A POY, after capturing both the state overall singles and doubles titles. He has signed with the University of Miami.

Other finalists included Class 4A POY Jack Satterfield of Plant, Class 3A POY Ninad Raut of Wiregrass Ranch and Class 1A POY Chase Healey of Christ’s Church.

American Heritage’s Schleifer won the top boys’ coaching honor after leading his squad to an unbeaten season and the Class 2A state title in a dominating performance. His squad swept through district, regional and tournament play without losing a set, earning Schleifer his ninth state championship and the MaxPreps No. 1 national ranking.

Other finalists included Class 4A COY Kelly Gibson of Palmetto, Class 3A COY Dave Wilson of Wiregrass Ranch and Class 1A COY Reid Rafter of St. Andrew’s.

The Florida Dairy Farmers Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 31st year of these unique awards as we honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in all sanctioned FHSAA sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.

Scholar Athletes

Delta Psi Kappa, a national professional physical education organization, which annually recognizes female scholar athletes in Miami-Dade County public high schools, named its 2023 recipients recently.

Also, Victoria Aranguren, who is attending Florida State University, was honored with the Alleine Swain Scholarship, which is presented to an outstanding college student, majoring in Physical Education or a related field.

Here are the 2023 winners - Mourning: Liliana Grady; American: Gianni Guzman; Goleman: Mia Tonna; Booker T. Washington: Mela Esmeralda Fleary; Coral Gables: Isabella Morales; Coral Reef: Sara Frazier; Cutler Bay: Ella Foxworthy; Dr. Krop: Alysa Marquez; Varela: Isabella Marty; Braddock: Marlie N. Gonzalez; Hialeah Gardens: Samelis Sanz; Hialeah-Miami Lakes: Jada Rhodes; Homestead: Brianna Wilson; Ferguson: Adriana Roldan; MAST Academy: Sara Zampa; Miami Beach: Christina Hope-Borges; Carol City: Rose Lattimore; Central: Joy D. Williams; Coral Park: Paoloa Nazareth Oropeza; Edison: Anne Charles; Jackson: Emzy N. Zuniga; Killian: Tori Allen; Norland: Fenishka Bertho; Northwestern: Madelaine Nertilus; Palmetto: Tara Llorente; Miami High: Joelle Wilson; Southridge: Dianelys Sanchez; Miami Springs: Emily Vasallo; Sunset: Isabella Mas; North Miami Beach: Shaniya Dagrin; North Miami: Icart Galumette; Reagan: Lucia Velasquez; South Dade: Kathleen Fisher; South Miami: Reina Bien-Aime; Southwest: Anais Segovia; Terra: Alina Arsenault; Westland Hialeah: Elizabeth Arteaga.

Flag football finalists

The finalists for the 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Flag Football and Flag Football Coach of the Year top state honors include:

Class 1A: Alexandra Harris, Senior, All-Purpose/Safety, Edison: Had 53 receptions for 964 yards (18.3 avg.) and 8 TDs. Rushed for 760 yards on 56 carries (13.6 avg.) with 14 TDs. Completed 28-of-41 passes for 605 yards with 11 TDs. On defense, had 130 tackles and 6 interceptions. Coach Vincent Hall, Edison: Compiled an 18-2 record and advanced to the state Final Four. In eight years has posted a 92-9 record.

Class 2A: Nandi Ramessar, Junior, Wide Receiver/Safety, Western: Caught 100 passes for 1,018 yards and 16 TDS. On defense had 35 tackles and 7 interceptions. Coach James O’Brien, Western: Finished with a 16-3 record and advanced to the state Final Four.

Submit sports results

For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade, if you have varsity results along with top performers and their stats for this column, email hssports@miamiherald.com.

Badminton, baseball, flag football, lacrosse, sailing, softball, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo and more spring sports.

They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. Send after the game, the next day or weekly. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online.

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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone

jvarsallone@miamiherald.com