Michael Mocco of Cardinal Gibbons HS (top) wrestles Lamon Witherspoon of Miramar HS in the 285-pound championship match at the BCAA Wrestling Championships on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at Dillard HS in Fort Lauderdale.
Andrew Uloza
for Miami Herald
This week, we continue a feature where we ask you to vote for the best high school varsity performer of the week (in Broward and Miami-Dade counties).
This week includes nominees from high school basketball and wrestling.
Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Thursday, March 19 at around 10 p.m. You may vote as often as you like until then.
NOTE: You should see a Miami Herald box underneath this note for you to type Yes and click Submit. That will ignite the actual poll to vote.
Cayden Daughtry, Calvary Christian basketball: the junior scored 30 points (11-for-16 field, 5-for-8 3-pointers) with 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals as the Eagles (24-1) repeated as state champs with an 81-57 win over The Villages Charter in the FHSAA Class 3A boys’ state title game at UNF Arena in Jacksonville. In a state semifinal win over NSU University, he had 33 points (15-for-17 free throws).
Zane Elliott, St. Thomas Aquinas basketball: the junior had 10 points and a game-high 17 rebounds for the Raiders (28-4), who repeated as state champs by beating Orlando Evans 67-51 for the FHSAA Class 6A boys’ state title at UNF Arena in Jacksonville. He had 8 points and 8 rebounds in a state semifinal win over Tampa Sickles.
Melissa Gallo, Florida Christian School wrestling: the seventh grader made history by becoming the first middle schooler in Florida to win an FHSAA state title in the girls’ division. She is also the first wrestling state champ (boy or girl) at her school at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
Robert Guishard, Pembroke Pines Charter basketball: the senior recorded a dominant double-double (19 points and 21 rebounds) as the Jaguars beat Fleming Island 52-48 for the FHSAA Class 5A boys’ state title at UNF Arena in Jacksonville. He had a game-high 15 rebounds in a state semifinal win over Lecanto.
Michael Mocco, Cardinal Gibbons wrestling: the senior won his fourth consecutive FHSAA IBT state title to cap off an undefeated season (58-0), while helping the Chiefs place fourth in Class 1A at Silver Spurs arena in Kissimmee..
Kalias Nazario, Mater Lakes Academy wrestling: the senior in Class 1A won his second consecutive FHSAA IBT state title to cap off an undefeated season (25-0), while helping the Bears win their second consecutive state IBT team title at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
Felipe Quinones, Columbus basketball: the senior scored 15 points and made a pivotal steal late in the game as the Explorers (26-6) edged Sarasota 53-50 for their fifth consecutive state title in the FHSAA Class 7A boys’ state final at UNF Arena in Jacksonville. In a state semifinal win over Lake Mary, he had a game-high 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
Lazaro Soto, Southwest wrestling: the junior won a Class 3A state title at 120 pounds with a Broward/Miami-Dade best 60-0 record this season. He helped the Eagles place fourth at state at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
Ronneisha Thomas, St. Thomas Aquinas basketball: the senior had 13 points, four steals and three assists as the Raiders (22-8) easily beat Palm Bay Bayside in the FHSAA Class 6A girls’ state championship at UNF Arena in Jacksonville. In the state semifinal win over Tampa Steinbrenner, she had 16 points, three assists and three steals.
Stephanie Vega, Doral Academy basketball: the senior guard had 22 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals as the Explorers (22-8) beat reigning state champ Winter Haven 48-43 for the FHSAA Class 7A girls’ state title at UNF Arena in Jacksonville. In a state semifinal win over Port St. Lucie Centennial, she had 24 points (9-of-10 shooting).
Miami Herald
Jim Varsallone writes a high school sports column twice a week, featuring top performers in all varsity sports (boys and girls) in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. He also covers pro wrestling, something he’s done since his college days in the late 1980s. Now in his fifth decade of coverage, he currently follows WWE (Raw, SmackDown and NXT), AEW, Ring of Honor, TNA Impact Wrestling, MLW, WOW, NWA, and the South Florida indies, mainly CCW. He writes MMA, too — mostly profile stories and video interviews with American Top Team and Sanford MMA fighters in South Florida. As for pro wrestling, he writes feature stories and profile pieces, updates upcoming show schedules in South Florida, photographs the action and interviews talent (audio and video) — sharing the content here and via social media on his Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channel: jim varsallone (jimmyv3 channel).
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