If it wasn’t one Pardo, it was another.
One year after Gabbi Pardo was a key part of the success of the Palmetto girls’ soccer team, younger sister Emma has emerged as one of the top freshmen in the county this season and proved it Wednesday night.
Just one night after knocking in a pair of goals to lead her team to a quarterfinal win over Coral Gables, Emma Pardo was at it again as she popped two more into the back of the net to lead her Palmetto team to a 3-0 shutout win over Miami Springs in a GMAC semifinal matchup at Traz Powell Stadium.
The win advances the Panthers (13-3-1) to the GMAC final Friday night, where they will take on defending champion and district rival Coral Reef at 7 p.m. at Traz Powell. It also avenges an overtime penalty kick to Springs in last year’s semifinal. Reef remained undefeated, cruising past MAST Academy 8-0 in the second game.
But Emma Pardo has had to enjoy all her success without her sister by her side. Gabbi, who would’ve been a junior, decided not to return to the team this season, instead choosing to concentrate on her academics.
“I lost one Pardo and gained another and I’ll take it,” quipped Palmetto coach Sam Steele. “Emma has really stepped right in in her sister’s place and done some great things. She’s tenacious and what really stands out to me is her amazing poise for a freshman and the way she steps up and scores in big games.”
After Dominque Mosley opened the scoring for the Panthers in the game’s 10th minute Pardo then scored on an assist from Mosley just before halftime and then again with 15 left in the game.
“I’m just excited to be able to help my team anyway I can and glad I’m contributing,” said Emma Pardo. “We’re starting to trust each other and getting better as a team at the right time.”
Coral Reef 8, MAST Academy 0
The Barracudas showed why they’re unbeaten and the tournament favorites as they dominated MAST from the opening whistle. Bianca Mandrini scored in the game’s 15th minute to open the scoring before Rayquel Berry took over from there, scoring twice in two minutes as Reef (16-0-2) built a 3-0 halftime lead. She then scored twice more in the second half to finish the night with four.
FOOTBALL
Monsignor Pace football coach Joe Zaccheo warned whoever wanted to listen before the start of last season that his freshman safety James Williams “might just be the next Sean Taylor.”
Evidently, University of Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz agrees. That’s because he was in Zaccheo’s office on Wednesday morning with Williams and “offered” him on the spot to eventually be a Miami Hurricane and Williams said yes.
Williams was one of Pace’s top defensive players on a very good defense as the Spartans made the postseason for the first time in seven years, advancing to the regional finals.
“Canes fans will have to wait until 2021 to see him but they’re going to be getting a very special young man,” said Zaccheo.
MORE GIRLS’ SOCCER
▪ GMAC quarterfinals - MAST 4, Southwest 3: Carmen Martinez 2 goals, Karin Pomares goal; MAST 12-3-1.
▪ Braddock 4, Westland Hialeah 2: Jillian Falcon 3 goals; Daylenis Clavijo one goal; Reyna Angel 1 assist.
▪ Archimedean 8, Somerset Silver Palms 0: Isabella Garcia 5 goals, 2 assists; Emely Acobo 3 goals, 2 assists; Alexa Krochmal 2 assists; Jesenia Marin assist; AR 14-2.
▪ St. Brendan 1, Mater Academy 0: Emily Regalado goal; Bella Silar shutout; StB 10-5.
▪ Archbishop McCarthy 3, Oxbridge Academy 3: Sofia Mallardi, Kelly Hastings and Jaden Roberts 1 goal each; Gianna Carmona and Devyn Encalada 1 assist each; AM 18-0-1.
▪ South Broward 5, Miramar 2: Barbara Fernandez 1 goal, 4 assists; Laura Pacheco 1 goal.
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
▪ Coral Gables 69, North Miami Beach 56 - CG(13-4): Brown 2, Rodriguez 11, Walker 22, Davis 10, Abril 2, Hall 2, Tejada 1, Bermudez 6, Applewhite 2, Torrez 8, Sala 3. NMB (6-8): Valentin 10, Nunez 20, Remy 14, Delinois 6, Perrier 4. Half: CG 34-13. Three-pointers Rodriguez 1, Dawkins 1, Sala 1, Nunez 1. Rebounds: Dawkins 6. Assists: Dawkins 4.
▪ American 60, Hialeah 48 - Hia: Palencia 4, Kane 9, Martinez 18, Reyes 8, Jordan 6, Ay 3. Am: Enriquez 4, Valerio 6, Diaz 2, Wade 10, Hall 7, Labaut, Dalencour 6, Noel 22. Half: Am 31-25. Three-pointers: Kane, Martinez, Ay, Valerio 2, Wade, Hall. Rebounds: Noel 11. Assists: Hall 5. Blocks: Noel 5.
▪ Riviera Prep 51, Ransom Everglades 36 - RP: Schreiber 2, LLuberes 2, Perez-Miralles 20, Del Valle 5, Lehman 1, Yaron 8, Greensetin 11, Alerte 2. Rebounds: Perez-Miralles 10. Assists: Perez-Miralles 5. Blocks: Perez-Miralles 3. Steals: Perez-Miralles 3.
▪ SLAM 69, Archbishop Carroll 16 - SLAM: Garcia 14, Neely 14, Leverett 10, Poitier 10. ACC: Andre 10. Assists: Solano 8. Rebounds: Leverett 8.
▪ North Miami 55, Krop 40: Laurent 32, Guillaume 8, Hart 6. Rebounds: Hart 12. Assists: Guillaume 7. Blocks: Hart 3.
▪ Miami Christian 107, Brito 56 - Flores 24, Diaz 21, Perez 21, Rivera 16, Baldera 16. Rebounds: Diaz 12. Assists: Rivera 10.
▪ St. Brendan 68, Terra 52 - F. Garcia 25, J. Garcia 13, De La Torre 10, Pizarro 8. Rebounds: F. Garcia 10. Steals: F. Garcia 8. Assists: F. Garcia 4. SB 10-11.
▪ Westminster Christian 58, Keys Gate 30 - KG: J. Hatfield 7, J. Locus 2, J. Whitefield 2, L. Reed 13, A. Diaz 4, F. Guerrea 2. WC: Montavlo 12, McCormick 8, Lezcano 13, Wright 4, Henderson 9, Torres 2, Cruz 6, Taylor 4. Three-pointers: Montavlo 1, Lezcano 1. Rebounds: Henderson 8. Assists: Montalvo 8. Half: WC 35-11.
▪ Doral Academy 63, Miami Springs 36 - DA: Ayesa 28, R. Perez 12, K. Perez 9, Alawie 6, Requena 4, Nuñez 3, Ford 1. MS: Freeman 14, Frias 8, Laverna 7, Aguilar 2, Herring 2, Larose 2, Young 1. Half: Doral 34-15. Three-pointers: Ayesa 6, Frias 2, Freeman, Lavernia, Nuñez, R. Perez, Requena.
▪ Palmer Trinity 61, Somerset Charter 45: PT (9-2): Bess 19, Diaz 16, Macaulay 9. SSH: Guerrero 16, Zeledon 10. HT: PT 33-32. Three-pointers: Guerrero 4, Zeledon 2, Deribeaux 2, Bess 2, Diaz 2, Naranjo, Martinez, Yanes. Rebounds: Bess 6, Macaulay 5. Steals: Bess 3, Friedland 2, Deribeaux 2. Assists: Friedland 4.
▪ Westminster Christian 62, Key West 37 - KW: Hummell 2, Keane 6, Freeman 2, Jefferson 6, Dunn 2, Brown 7, Joseph 2, Woods 6. WC: Montavlo 22, McCormick 11, Hernandez 5, Lezcano 5, Wright 5, Henderson 8, Torres 2, Cruz 4. Three-pointers: Montavlo 3, Wright 1, Hernandez 1, Lezcano 1, McCormick 1. Rebounds: Henderson 8. Assists: Montalvo 8. Half: WC 41-13.
▪ Archbishop McCarthy 100, Stranahan 90 - AM: Jean-Charles 39, Enriquez 7, Alcime 8, Chee 15, Sone 11, Jones 3, Cucalon 11, Schmidt 3, Hunter 3. Half: AM 42-41. Three-pointers: Jean-Charles 5, Enriquez 1, Chee 3, Sone 1, Schmidt 1, Hunter 1. Rebounds: Cucalon 10. Assists: Jones 6. Steals: Cucalon 5.
▪ Coral Reef 48, Varela 37 - CR (6-9): Lipson 14, Hernandez 10, Headley 10. VAR (3-10): Abbatos 8. Rebounds: Lipson, Headley 7. Assists: Hernandez 3.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
▪ MLK Dream Classic National Basketball Shootout - Monsignor Pace 44, Lindblom Math & Science Acadmy 42 - LM&S: Shelley 2, Lawrence 5, Hebert 5, Henderson 5, Kellum 7, Pitchford 7, Morrison 11. MP: Benitez 7 Whitifield 9 Troup-Bishop 13 Domond 14. Rebounds: Domonds 7. Assists: Benitez 2. Steals: Whitifield 4. Blocks: Domonds 2. Half: LM&S 30-24.
▪ SLAM 72, Archbishop Carroll 6 - SLAM: Harrington 16, Franco 13, Casaca 12.
▪ North Miami 50, Booker T. Washington 36 - NM (10-5): Williams 10, Seide 7, Joseph 9, Tervil 5, Francois 5, Jones 4, Jean 3. BTW: Godwin 17, Lamber 9, Pierre Louis 3, Leverson 3, Lambert 2, Halmon 2. Rebounds: Joseph 9. Steals: Joseph and Francois 4. Assists: Francois 4. Three-pointers: Britney 1, Jean 1, Tervil 1.
▪ Mater Academy 37, Sagemont 33 - MA (12-7): Alexander 9, Llanos 12, Dalmau 8, Evins 4, Alicandu 3, Ramirez 1. SS: Lopez 1, Lopez 10, Prudent 14, Castillo 6, Shehadeh 2. Half: SS 21-5. Assists: Alexander 4. Steals: Ramirez 5. Three-pointers: Lopez 2, Llanos, Alicandu.
▪ Ferguson 90, Southwest 11 - FER (14-4): Cruz 21, Daniels 18, Pineda 13, Gonzalez 9, Hunter 8, Ricardo 6, Y. Rodriguez 5, Terry 4, Charlton 4, A. Rodriguez 2. SW: Clavijo 4, Thomas 3, Sarmiento 3, Funez 1. Half: FER 55-4. Three-pointers: Cruz 3, Ricardo 2, Hunter 1, Gonzalez 1, Y. Rodriguez 1. Assists: Hunter 6. Rebounds: Terry 10. Steals: Hunter 6, Pineda 6. Blocks: Terry 6.
▪ Westminster Christian 54, Keys Gate 43 - WC: Coakley 31, Montes 15, Searels 4, Kissane 4. Rebounds: Martinez 14. Assists: Coakley 10. Steals: Coakley and Montes 2. Blocks: Martinez 2. Half: 26-25.
▪ Central 57, Killian 49 - Kil: Johnson 17, Bell 11, Tamara Grant 9, Tamia Grant 6, Cannon 2, Washington 2, Kendricks 2. Cen: Doussa 15, Daniel 15, Bain 8, Ashby 5, Hall 5, Moore 4, Cooper 4, Jackson 1. Rebounds: Johnson 11. Steals: Tamia Grant 8. Assists: Johnson 6. Blocks: Tamia Grant 1. Three-pointers: Johnson 1, Bell 1. Half: Cen 27-18.
▪ Calvary Christian 45, Somerset Academy 33 - CC: Sieradzan 15. SA: Smith 18. Rebounds: Sieradzan 15.
BOYS’ SOCCER
▪ St. Brendan 3, SLAM 2: Aaron Fernandez 2 goals; Juanes Davila 1 goal; Alexander Weber 2 assists; SB 7-3-1.
▪ Gulliver 5, Westminster Christian 0: Ryan Batalha 1 goal, 1 assist; Federico Mion and Brian Hernandez 1 goal each; GP 11-1.
▪ Belen Jesuit 6, Central 0: Francisco Castaño 4 goals; Carlos Sosa and Julian Piedrahita 1 goal each; Carlos Sosa 2 assists; Carlos Vela and Daniel Comas-Sanchez 1 assist each.
▪ Terra 7, North Miami Beach 0: Luis Fernandez and Anthony Lee 2 goals each; Jason Valdez, Cristho Peleaz and Mathias Wolf 1 goal each; Sebas Ayllon and Luis Fernandez 2 assists each; Chris Acosta, Fernando Zambrana and Anthony Lee 1 assist each; Esteban Leon 5 saves, ninth shutout. Terra 10-3-3.
▪ Palmer Trinity 4, Miami Community Charter 0: Alberto Franceschi 2 goals; Nicolas Rey, Jonathan Ludwig and Klever Rosales 1 assist each; Robert Bistry and Ezequiel Cutin 1 goal each; PT 12-0.
▪ Miami Beach 5, Palmetto 1: Leonardo Acosta 2 goals; Franklin Rivero 2 goals, 1 assist; David Cuervo 1 assist; MB 15-1-1.
▪ Archimedean 5, Greater Miami Academy 2: Nathan Welsh 3 goals; Roberto Arias 2 goals, 2 assists; Christian Moreira goal; Miguel Coira, Ricardo Herrera and Alejandro Paneque 1 assist each; A 8-3-3.
▪ Plantation American Heritage 2, Pembroke Pines Charter 1: Morris Senior 2 goals; AH 11-1-2.
▪ University School 3, Calvary Christian 0: David Mizrahi and Sebastian “Nino” Smith one goal, one assist each; Jared Plotka goal; Brandon Rios assist; Ricky Kiblisky 10th shutout; US 13-0-1.
▪ Boca Raton Christian 3, Miami Country Day 1: Dre Medici 1 goal; MCD 10-3-2.