St. Thomas Aquinas, American Heritage sweep Broward All-Sports awards

St. Thomas Aquinas once again showed why it’s one of the top athletic programs in the state, winning four state titles, four more finishing as state runner-up and yet another four either finishing in third place or advancing to the state semifinals.

It was much the same as well for Plantation American Heritage with four state titles of its own along with three other runner-up finishes.

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 2022-2023 athletic season.

In addition to the overall All-Sports award, the Herald 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, Aquinas winning in the Class 7A-6A division and American Heritage in the Class 5A-2A division.

St. Thomas Aquinas’ four team state titles this season came in football, girls’ basketball, boys’ water polo and girls’ tennis. The football team has now won four consecutive state titles and a state record 14 overall. The girls’ basketball team has won three consecutive state titles. The girls’ tennis team tied a state record with its 13th overall state title. And the boys’ water polo team won its first state title since 2010.

But the success didn’t end there. The Raiders also had runner-up finishes in boys’ track and field, boys’ tennis, girls’ lacrosse and boys’ lacrosse. And, for good measure, St. Thomas Aquinas’ girls track and field team finished third, and its boys’ soccer, girls’ indoor volleyball and girls’ water polo teams all advanced to their respective state semifinals. Both of its swimming and diving teams had top-five finishes, too, and both cross-country teams were among the top-seven in their class at state.

American Heritage matched Aquinas’ success in terms of state titles. The Patriots won it all in baseball, boys’ and girls’ soccer and girls’ golf.

The boys’ soccer title was a county-record eighth for Heritage, while the girls’ title was No. 12 in school history. The girls’ golf team won state title No. 11 overall (an FHSAA record) and third in a row, while baseball won its third title and first since 2012.

American Heritage also had team runner-up finishes in girls’ basketball, football and boys’ golf. Its softball team made it to the regional final.

Others to note (in alphabetical order)

Archbishop McCarthy: The Mavericks finished fifth in both the Class 2A boys’ and girls’ golf state competitions and had regional final appearances for baseball and girls’ soccer. Both of their bowling teams qualified for state as well.

Cardinal Gibbons: The Chiefs were state runners-up in boys’ volleyball, reached the state semifinals in girls basketball, and had regional finalists in football and boys’ soccer. Cardinal Gibbons’ girls’ track and field team finished tied for fifth in Class 2A and the boys’ wrestling team finished sixth in Class 1A.

Chaminade-Madonna: The Lions won their fifth state football championship in six years and both of their track and field teams were state runners-up in Class 1A.

Cypress Bay: The Lightning’s girls’ soccer team once again reached the state semifinals, while its boys’ volleyball team reached the state quarterfinals, its boys’ tennis team advanced to the regional finals and its girls’ swimming and diving team finished fifth in Class 4A.

Dillard: The Panthers were the girls’ track and field runners-up in Class 3A and finished sixth on the boys’ side. The girls’ cross-country team also finished second at state.

North Broward Prep: The Eagles were Class 4A state runners-up in baseball and reached the regional final in both girls’ and boys’ basketball.

Pine Crest: In addition to both swimming and diving teams finishing among the top six in Class 1A (fourth place for the boys, sixth for the girls) and its girls’ cross country team finishing sixth in 2A, Pine Crest’s boys’ lacrosse team reached the regional final.

Sagemont: Sagemont won the Class 2A boys’ basketball state title and its girls’ golf team finished eighth in Class 1A.

Somerset Academy: The Panthers finished second in Class 1A for wrestling and fourth in Class 3A for girls’ track and field.

Stoneman Douglas: The Eagles’ baseball became the first team from South Florida to ever have a perfect season en route to their third consecutive state title. Stoneman Douglas also had two teams reach the regional finals (girls’ soccer and girls’ tennis).

University School: Both of University School’s soccer teams were state runners-up in Class 3A.

Western: The Wildcats had the first-ever girls’ wrestling champion from Broward County in Gabrielle Caro. Western’s flag football team also reached the state semifinals.

Westminster Academy: The Lions’ baseball team made it to the state semifinals, while the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams were both regional finalists.