The North Broward Prep girls volleyball team captured its first state title in school history as the Eagles rallied to win in five sets (25-17, 22-25, 18-25, 25-10,15-10) against Merritt Island in the Class 4A state championship at Polk State College in Winter Haven on Saturday.
North Broward Prep (26-2) led 20-16 in the first set and scored three straight points to pull away. The Eagles trailed 10-7 in the second set, and they responded with an 8-0 run. Merritt Island (29-3) trailed 16-13 before rallying with seven consecutive points to take control to win the set. After falling in the third set, the Eagles delivered a dominant performance in the fourth set to win by 15. In the fifth set, the Eagles jumped out a 9-3 advantage to force a timeout and secured the title by five points.
“These kids were resilient and worked so hard,” North Broward Prep coach Brian Coughenour said. “We had lost two in a row during the season, and the kids took it to heart and really bought in. We had been playing so well and not been pushed since those two losses. The biggest thing was how we were able to fight through adversity. After the third set, the kids spoke about being a family in the huddle and they really rallied together. It was amazing and truly special.”
Senior Dasia Johnson recorded 22 kills, senior Yasmin Dias Tonon had 17 kills and junior Jayda Palumbo registered 16 kills in the victory. Senior libero Destiny Wiggins led the team in digs. Senior middle blocker Layni Tobias and eighth-grade setter Emma Luehrs both stepped up in the victory.
“We have several kids who have experienced high-level situations before,” Coughenour said. “The kids have played in championships at the club level, and they were ready to compete.”
North Broward Prep cruised past Lemon Bay in three sets (25-6, 25-15, 25-11) in the Class 4A state semifinal. Dias Tonon recorded 16 kills, Palumbo had 15 kills and Johnson added 11 kills.
The Eagles had a remarkable run to earn the state title as they won 14 consecutive matches to finish the season. The Eagles had swept opponents in 12 straight matches entering the state final.
“We have an amazing athletic staff and fantastic support from our school,” Coughenour said. “This is the first state championship for a female team at the school and it’s a really big deal.”
St. Thomas Aquinas denied three-peat in final
The St. Thomas Aquinas girls volleyball team appeared poised to win its third consecutive state title, but Oviedo rallied to stun the Raiders in five sets (13-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-17, 15-12) at the Class 6A state championship on Saturday.
St. Thomas Aquinas (27-5) had a dominant performance in the first set to win by 12. In the second set, the Raiders had a 13-10 advantage and pulled away with a 4-0 run.
The Raiders trailed 20-19 in the third set before Oviedo (25-6) finished the set on a 5-2 run. The Raiders faced a 12-10 deficit in the fourth set. The Lions took control with three straight points to jump ahead 15-10 and they won by eight.
The Raiders led 8-7 in the fifth set. Oviedo responded with four straight points. The Raiders were able to cut the deficit to 11-10. The Lions scored three consecutive points and they held on to win by three. Senior Isabella Sangha, a Notre Dame commit, recorded 19 kills in the loss.
St. Thomas Aquinas defeated Bloomingdale in three sets (25-22, 25-11, 25-18) in the Class 6A state semifinal. Sangha had 19 kills and senior Emmi Merhi registered eight kills.
The Raiders had won 16 consecutive matches entering the state title contest. The Raiders were also led by senior Sydney Guerrier, senior Hailey Trebbien, senior Adriana Medrano and sophomore Isabella Cabrera.
“I am so proud of this team with what they achieved this year,” St. Thomas Aquinas coach Lisa Zielinski said. “After losing six seniors and winning back-to-back titles, they exceeded all expectations. Getting to the state finals is a huge accomplishment, not an easy task, and these girls fought hard for that opportunity. A state final loss will not define their season and the fierce competitors they are.”
Archbishop McCarthy falls in 5A title match
The Archbishop McCarthy girls volleyball team fell in three sets (15-25, 19-25, 23-25) against Chiles in the Class 5A state final.
Archbishop McCarthy (28-4) had won 18 straight matches entering the state championship contest. Junior Juliana Lugo led the team in kills, junior setter Fabiana Castro led the squad in assists and junior libero Raquel Hurtado finished as the team’s leader in digs.
Archbishop McCarthy defeated Gainesville in four sets (25-20, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20) in the Class 5A state semifinal. Lugo registered 19 kills and senior Brianna Masaracchio had 10 kills for the Mavericks.