Flag Football Roundup: Miami High Riding High After GMAC Win

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After winning the inaugural Greater Miami Athletic Conference (GMAC) girls flag football title, Miami High is going into this week's District 15-2A tournament brimming with confidence.

The No. 1 seeded and undefeated Stingarees (10-0) will play No. 4 seed South Miami at host Coral Gables at 4 p.m. in Tuesday's opening round.

"We are taking it one game at a time," said first-year Miami High coach Miriam Yanes, who is enjoying every minute of her team's unexpected success.

Miami High made history by winning the first-ever GMAC title in girls flag football with a 20-0 victory over Miami Jackson at Traz Powell Stadium.

"I am extremely proud and extremely excited for the girls," said Yanes, a 1994 Miami Senior High alum. She played volleyball and basketball for the Stingarees.

The Stingarees will depend on all-around senior basketball player Jeri Richard, a quarterback and safety, who played a key role in the GMAC tournament win.

Richard played three years of flag football at Mater Academy and SLAM Academy before transferring to a public high school.

"She is an athlete, one of the best in the county," Yanes said.

Richard scored on two touchdown runs including a 52-yarder for a 13-0 lead in the first half. She also intercepted a pass. In the second half, she found Onalis Garcia open for a 22-yarder and Andresia Sweeting scored on a 1-yard run.

In the semifinals, Miami High advanced with a 21-18 win over Hialeah and Miami Jackson defeated Ferguson, 20-7.

Yanes who calls herself a "big football fan," found out she was coaching the team two weeks before the season started.

"I love coaching the team," she said. "I didn't have much time. We girls came out and we had tryouts. They were excited about having a team at the school when we found out at the end of last year. Most of the girls were committed then."

It is the first year Dade County has embraced flag football going from eight private schools to 31 public schools.

"We have a couple very talented girls, but I didn't know how talented we were until the season started," Yanes said. "I knew we had to play against some tough teams in the GMAC tournament. I was just hoping we would win the first game. We pulled off the win and then we won the second game. Every game is different. I know there are some pretty talented teams in Dade."

"I am very hopeful for the district. We have a few injuries and recovering from GMAC. We are not looking ahead to state and we don't look at rankings. It's just one game at a time."

In Broward County, only three teams remain undefeated. Coconut Creek (12-0), district runners-up last year, opens District 13-1A play Tuesday at Archbishop McCarthy. The No. 1 seeded Cougars play Stranahan (5-3) at 6 p.m.

Western (10-0) plays South Plantation (2-3) in the District 12-2A opener Tuesday night at 7:15 p.m. at PAL Field in Plantation.

Top-seed Taravella (6-0) plays defending District 11-2A champion Blanche Ely (2-2) Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Deerfield Beach High School.

Because Hebrew Academy is closed April 20-May 1 in observance of Passover, the District 15-1A tournament was rescheduled for May 2-3 at Traz Powell, the only competition dates allowed prior to the region tournament. Lengthy discussions between the FHSAA, GMAC and affected schools' athletic directors, came up with the alternative.

On Monday, May 2, No. 3 seed Miami Central plays No. 2 seed Miami Northwestern at 1 p.m. and No. 4 seed Hebrew Academy plays top-seed Miami Edison. The winners will meet in Tuesday's final at 2 p.m.

The regional tournaments are scheduled for May 6-10 and Florida High School State Championships, May 13-14 in Tampa.

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

District 11-2A, at Deerfield Beach, Tuesday, (1) Taravella vs. Blanche Ely, 5 p.m., (2) Coral Springs vs. Deerfield Beach, 7:15 p.m.; Thursday, final, 7 p.m.

District 12-2A, at PAL Field (host Plantation), Tuesday, (2) Plantation vs. Piper, 5 p.m., (1) Western vs. South Plantation, 7:15 p.m.; Thursday, final, 6 p.m.

District 13-2A, at Miramar, Tuesday, (2) Cooper City vs. Miramar, 4 p.m.; (1) Everglades vs. West Broward, 6 p.m.; Thursday, final, 6 p.m.

District 14-2A, at Hialeah Gardens, Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., Thursday, final, 4 p.m.

District 15-2A, at Coral Gables, Tuesday, 4 p.m., Thursday, final, 4 p.m.

District 16-2A, at Richmond Middle School (host Coral Reef), Monday, 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, final, 3:30 p.m.

District 15-1A: at Traz Powell Stadium, Monday, May 2, Semifinals, Miami Central (3) vs. Miami Northwestern (2), 1 p.m.; Hebrew Academy (4) vs. Miami Edison (1), 2:30 p.m.; Tuesday, May 3, final, 2 p.m.

District 14-1A, at Monsignor Pace, Monday, 4 p.m., Wednesday, final, 6 p.m.

District 13-1A, at Archbishop McCarthy, Tuesday, (2) Dillard vs. Pembroke Pines Charter, 4:30 p.m., (1) Coconut Creek vs. Stranahan, 6 p.m.; Thursday, final, 6 p.m.

District 12-1A, at Oxbridge Academy, Monday, (1) Suncoast vs. Boynton Beach, 6 p.m.; (2) Oxbridge vs. Coral Springs Charter, 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, final, 7 p.m.