Southwest Sports - 05/17/12

Six members of YMCA Central Florida Water Polo’s Gladiators 14-under team were selected to compete on the USA Water Polo Southeast Zone team at the East-West Regional Championship held in Boca Raton. Congratulations to the players, whose performance earned them silver medals.

At the semifinal of the District 8 women’s lacrosse tournament, Olympia High School defeated Lake Minneola High School 20-0 to advance to the championship game, where the women faced West Orange High School. The Titans earned a 16-6 victory over WOHS to garner their fourth district championship in the past five years. The team was led by Anna Dzambo, who recorded six goals and one assist; Emily Headley, who added three goals, two assists and five ground balls; Kristy Garrison, who contributed two goals and one assist, and caused two turnovers; and Lindsey McNamara, who tallied two goals and three ground balls. Amanda Waltman had six key saves to help OHS maintain its lead.

Congratulations to the following Dr. Phillips High School teams and student-athletes who were recently recognized for their accomplishments:

After finishing the 2011-12 season with its second consecutive state championship, the women’s basketball team claimed two additional prestigious awards. Sophomore guard Taryn Griffey was named the 2012 Florida Dairy Farmers Class 8A Player of the Year, and head coach Anthony Jones received the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 8A Coach of the Year award for the second consecutive year.

The team also was invited back to Maryland to defend its ESPNHS National High School Invitational championship title. The girls earned a spot in the final game and placed second overall.

The men’s and women’s lacrosse teams earned their respective district championships, and women’s lacrosse coach Kerry Watson was named 2012 Metro West Conference Coach of the Year.

The men’s and women’s water polo teams won their respective district championships, marking the third consecutive championship for the men and second in three years for the women.

Windermere Preparatory School’s women’s tennis team advanced to the state championship tournament after winning both its district championship and regional semifinal. Kudos to the players, as well as coach Tasi Batista and Tennis Director Mandy Rosenfield.

Led by singles champions Izzy Almontaser, Ajay Govindaraj and Cooper Vissers, Dr. Phillips High School’s men’s tennis team earned its eighth district championship. Vissers also teamed up with Peter San Pedro to win the line one doubles championship, automatically qualifying them for the state championship tournament. At the state competition, the boys captured the championship title, giving Vissers his first state championship and San Pedro his second. San Pedro is the first DPHS tennis player in the school’s history to win two state championships in his career.

YCF Diving Central Florida traveled to Rockville, Md., where the team took third place at USA Diving’s 2012 Hilton HHonors Junior East National Championships. Top performers included 10-year-old Grayson Kim, who won first place in the 11-under 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events; Wallace Layland, who placed second in the 16-18 girls 3-meter springboard and fifth in the 1-meter; and Mya Kraeger, who placed third in the 14-15 girls 1-meter and seventh in the 3-meter. In all, 13 YCF divers competed and contributed to the third-place finish.

Orlando Area Rowing Society members competed at the Florida Sprints League Championships, with the women’s open-four and women’s varsity-five boats placing first in their respective events.

OARS members also participated in the Florida State Rowing Association Sculling Championships that were held at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota. Olympia High School senior Elizabeth Kelley and junior Christine Cavallo placed first in the women’s varsity double event, and West Orange High School junior Maddie Lewis and OHS senior Alyssa Connell tied for second in the women’s lightweight double. In a sculling boat, each rower has two oars, one on each side of the boat.

The Keene’s Pointe Ladies Golf Association held its annual member/member tournament. The format for the two-day event was a combination of one best ball and alternate shot on the first day, and scramble and aggregate score for the second day. Congratulations to Pam Fouche and Shelley Jones, who placed first in the 18-hole division; and Marjorie Barch and Rita Boardman, who placed first in the 9-hole division. Closest-to-the-pin winners were Boardman, Cassandra Doty, Denise Gutierrez, Carol Lazenby and Jeanne Polarolo.

Dr. Phillips High School senior Mia Emmerson, goalkeeper for the women’s lacrosse team, signed a commitment letter to play collegiate lacrosse at Lees-McRae College in North Carolina. The Orange Tree resident is the first female in the school’s history to sign a lacrosse scholarship.