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Ransom Girls Win Third Straight Water Polo Crown

Sharon BlockSFHSSports: Twitter | Facebook

Ransom Everglades and powerhouse are being used in the same sentence after the Raiders defeated Orlando Olympia, 9-6, in the FHSAA Water Polo State Girls Championship Saturday in their home pool.

It was the Raiders' seventh state title in the past eight years and third consecutive win.

Head coach Eric Lefebvre, who has coached the Ransom girls' team for the past nine seasons, turned what was thought to be a rebuilding year into a championship season.

The Raiders (22-4) started the season 1-2 before reeling off 21 wins in their last 23 games.

There was no clear-cut favorite in the final after Olympia, making its first state final appearance and Ransom Everglades split in their previous two meetings this season.

In February, Olympia won, 5-0, and a month later, Ransom Everglades won, 8-5 and picked up a head of steam going into the playoffs.

Buoyed by depth and talent, Ransom Everglades jumped out to a 3-1 lead over Olympia in the first quarter with one goal from Carolina Carrera-Justiz and two goals from her older sister, Sofia Carrera-Justiz.

The Raiders increased their lead to 7-3 after three quarters, outscoring the Titans, 2-1, in both the second and third quarters. Olympia could get no closer than three goals (8-5) midway through the final quarter.

Elle Futernick led scoring with three goals. Mya Wright, Isa Reyes-Capo and Ande Edmunds each added a goal.

Ransom Everglades bulldozed its way through the quarterfinals and semifinals. The Raiders, behind six goals by Sofia Carrera-Justiz, defeated MAST Academy, 14-4 in the quarterfinals and Lake Nona, 8-3, to advance to the final.

South Broward Stumbles

In the semifinals, Olympia eliminated South Broward in a physical game, 8-4. The Bulldogs, making their second state appearance, finished the season at 20-5.

"I'm proud of our girls," South Broward veteran coach Chris Bloese said. "I don't think they were ready for that physical of a game."

After the game, South Broward's Courtny Cook collapsed on the pool deck from dehydration and exhaustion, according to her mother. She was taken to the hospital and underwent tests and administered fluids and later released.

Teammate and goalie Tatum Skove was hit in the face with a shot midway through the second half. She was administered to by trainers and returned to the game. She was taken to the hospital after the game as a precaution after complaining of a headache.

Earlier in the day, South Broward defeated rival Fort Lauderdale, 16-6, behind Emma Leto's six goals. The Flying L's were making their state tournament debut.

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