Comment on Panthers beat Maple Leafs, clinch Atlantic Division title

FIRST TEAM Bradley Cooper, Track, Atlantic Christian Academy. Spring All-County in Deerfield Beach on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Bradley Cooper, Javelin, Atlantic Christian senior: Took second place at state with a personal-best throw of 168-4 in the javelin; won district and regional titles; also finished second in the county championships; also plays baseball. Dallas Desouza, Track, Cardinal Newman.

Dillard’s Christiana Coleman couldn’t have scripted a better final chapter for her senior year. Coleman leaves as one of the most decorated track and cross country athletes in Broward County and the icing on the cake came at the 3A state track championships at the University of North Florida Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville. The University of Florida signee ran personal-best times in winning the 1,600 (4:53.58), and the 3,200 (10:50.88) to help Dillard’s girls win the team state championship and end the 14-year reign of Miami Northwestern.

FIRST TEAM Samara Bruce, Track, Dillard. Spring All-County in Deerfield Beach on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Samara Bruce, LJ, Dillard senior: School-record holder in the long jump (17 feet, 10.25 inches), and ran a 12.32-second time in the 100-meter dash; helped school win first girls state title since 1978; considering LSU; also participated in volleyball and cheerleading. Anya Carey, Track, Somerset Academy.

Alexa Schwartz, in just her second season throwing the javelin, was lights-out at the Class 2A state championships at the University of North Florida Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville. The North Broward Prep junior, who finished second at state last year, improved her performance by a considerable margin, adding 20 feet to her total for a school-record 147 feet, 3 inches.

FIRST TEAM Kyara Belfort, Track, Calvary Christian. Spring All-County in Deerfield Beach on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Kyara Belfort, 200, Calvary Christian freshman: Team MVP is the school-record holder in the 100 (12.10), 200 (25.05), and the 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400 relays; helped the Eagles girls team win the team’s first district and regional championships. Claire Chanon, Track, Westminster Academy.

Atlantic senior Thalia Waters was somewhat of a Swiss Army Knife for the Eagles girls track team this season. The UF signee captured first in the 100 hurdles and long jump in the Class 3A state meet and added a fifth-place finish in the 100 and an eighth-place finish as a member of the 4×100 relay team. “I started the year kind of rough, with some ups and downs, but then I did great,” said Waters, who had initial difficulty transitioning from the indoor season with her club team to high school.