Winter Park High School's undefeated boys volleyball team has been strong all season, winning conference, district and regional championships heading into this week's FHSAA state tournament in Winter Haven.
But the Wildcats (27-0) raised expectations to megawatt levels when they held a team meeting after a district quarterfinal win against Cypress Creek on May 7.
“We're really deep into our approach and focus heading into the playoff game,” standout setter Jacob Little-Phillips said after his team defeated Timbercreek 25-21, 25-17, 25-22 in the Region 2 final Tuesday night. We talked about it,” he said. “Everyone on the team is playing great. We want to finish 30-0.”
They need a quarterfinal win at Polk State on Friday and two more wins on Saturday to cap off a perfect season and clinch Winter Park's second FHSAA state championship in three seasons.
The Wildcats, ranked No. 1 in the state by MaxPreps and No. 2 in the FHSAA Power Rankings, have played eight straight games since defeating No. 4 Timber Creek, 2-1, in the best-of-three Metro Conference tournament. They have a 3-0 sweep record. Last month's final.
No. 3 Lake Howell (29-1) also advanced with a 3-0 win over Lake Mary. The Horizon's 23-5 season ended with a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Heat.
Winter Park got off to a shaky start on Tuesday, allowing Timber Creek (24-6) to take a 7-2 lead. However, consecutive jump service aces from junior outside hitter Marson Barbary changed the tide.
“They're tough,” said 14th-year Wildcats head coach Jesse Day. “That's their identity. They work hard in practice and it shows in the games.”
Barbary had 14 kills and deadly left-hander Tristan Gitton added 13. Both players are juniors on a Winter Park team that has just one senior in its eight-player primary rotation. Fellow junior Little Phillips added 38 assists and provided a versatile offensive force.
Sophomores Nick Baker, Little Phillips and junior Brock Ramos combined to defend the score with 21 attempts.
Friday state pairings
Miami Senior (28-1) vs. Cardinal Gibbons (17-12), 10 a.m.
Miami Southwest (22-7) vs. Mater Lakes Academy (22-3), 1 p.m.
Winter Park (27-0) vs. Seminole Ridge (23-7), 4
Lake Howell (29-1) vs. HEAT (27-4), 7
(Semi-finals Saturday at 10 a.m., finals at 7 p.m.).
water polo awards
The Sanford Seminoles, the 31-0 state champions in girls water polo, swept the Florida Dairy Farmers Player of the Year and Coaches of the Year awards.
State leading scorer Hal Zimrich (sophomore) was named Miss Water Polo by the state-wide coaches committee. She scored five goals in the Seminoles' 10-6 win over West Orange in the state final, finishing her season with 159 goals. She also had 46 assists and 50 steals.
Former Noles player Ryan Ackerson earned coaching honors after leading SHS to its first FHSAA water polo championship in Seminole County history.
Four Orlando area weightlifters win FHSAA state championships: St. Cloud, Winter Springs, Lake Mineola and Oviedo.
Mr. Weightlifter
St. Cloud junior Mikey Ziss is a state meet record-setter and winner of the 2024 Florida Dairy Farmer Mr. Weightlifting Award. He placed first in both the traditional style and Olympic style competitions in the 119 pound weight class.
Jis won again as the 119th state champion, setting FHSAA records with an Olympic total of 480 pounds and a traditional total of 460 pounds. His 205 lifts in the snatch technique were also a record.
He will represent the United States at the International Weightlifting Federation Junior Championships in Lima, Peru, next Wednesday.
Seminole County
hall of fame player
Former Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy will join seven others scheduled to be honored at the Seminole County Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday at Hagerty High School.
Other 2024 Hall of Fame inductees include Olympic gold medalist Brad Bridgewater, men's basketball coach and player Reggie Cone, soccer star Donna Lohr, and high school and club volleyball coach Kim Wach. , inspiring Oviedo basketball assistants Michael “Mikey” Wilkie, and Bob and Robin Kreuter. Both have been refereeing youth sports for about 40 years.
Van Gundy has a 554-425 record in 13 seasons as an NBA head coach and currently works as a broadcast analyst for TNT and CBS. Lake Mary has been his family's hometown since he became the Magic's coach (2007-2012), and Van Gundy is known for his involvement in the community.
Bridgewater was a two-time state champion at Lake Mary High School and an All-American swimmer at the University of Southern California before winning gold in the 200-meter backstroke at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Lohr was the captain of Lake Mary's first girls soccer state title team. She scored her 40th goal of the 1988-89 season, leading the Rams to a 1-0 victory over Pinellas County's Seminole High School in the state title game.
Cone, who has coached the Masters Academy for the past 10 seasons, was selected primarily for his accomplishments as a player. The 1999 Lake Howell graduate became the third player in Florida high school history to score 2,000 points and he recorded more than 1,000 assists. He went on to score over 1,000 points and set the school assist record (652 points), which still stands as a four-year star at USF.
As a coach at TMA, Orlando Christian Prep and Lake Howell, Cohn amassed 14 district championships, 12 Final Four appearances and five state championships.
Mr. Wach played college volleyball at Stetson and stayed in Central Florida for instruction and coaching. Her resume includes the 2015 Winter Springs State Championship and her seven Final Four teams in high school play, as well as her three AAU national titles and her 2014 USA Volleyball National Contains open titles.
Wilkie, who was born with Down syndrome, wins the Inclusion Award. He became the Oviedo High School basketball student manager in 2007 and has been a sideline player for the Lions.
The Kreuters started as volunteer soccer officials and became certified referees for multiple sports, including soccer, lacrosse and volleyball.
boone's best
Boone honored 10 graduates at the 2024 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, including former Major League Baseball player Cody Allen.
Also selected were Mark Chapman (baseball), Jessica Francis (track and field), Ryan Hamre (soccer, track and field), Amy Carlson Hubbard (track and field, volleyball), and Sam Hassell (soccer). , baseball), Caroline Kennedy (track and field), and Chris Richford. (football, soccer), Casey McElroy (baseball, golf), Paul Pope Jr. (football, baseball).
Buddy Collings, Varsity Content Editor, can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
