Jayden Williams (3) of the True North football team.
(Photo Courtesy True North Athletics)
This week, we continue the 2026-27 school year feature where we ask you to vote for a top high school varsity performer of the week (in Broward and Miami-Dade counties).
Nominees this week are from high school bowling, cross-country, football, golf, swimming and volleyball.
Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Thursday, October 1 til around 10 p.m. You can 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.
Here are the nominees.
Pablo Freire, Coral Gables swimming: the junior was a double winner, finishing first in the 100 free and 50 free as the Cavaliers’ boys’ swim team defeated Miami Springs.
Samuel Garcia, Southwest bowling: the senior had a high game 278 and a high series 726 in a 4-1 victory over Ferguson. He also had a high game 225 and team high series 648 against Coral Park.
Mia Lavalle, Gulliver Prep volleyball: the senior had 22 digs to surpass 1,000 digs in her high school career as the Raiders’ girls’ volleyball team beat visiting American Heritage (Plantation) in three sets.
Jack Michalak, Belen Jesuit cross-country: the junior had a breakout performance, placing third of 250 runners in a personal-best 15:01 to help the nationally-ranked Wolverines win the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama.
Jack Michalak of the Belen Jesuit boys’ cross-country team. (Photo Courtesy Belen Jesuit Cross-Country)
Brayden Myers, Pine Crest football: the junior scored twice (once on a catch and the other on an 80-yard kickoff return) as Pine Crest defeated host West Palm Beach Oxbridge Academy 21-12. He also caught 5 passes for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Emmanuel Perez Falcon, St. Brendan swimming: the senior was 1st in the 100 back and 2nd in the 200 IM as the Sabres boys’ team competed against Hialeah Gardens and Miami Springs at Westland Park Pool in Hialeah Gardens.
Stephanie Weinberg, Pine Crest golf: the junior won the girls’ title at the SFPGA East Coast Championship at Fazio II at Boca West Country Club in Boca Raton. She shot a winning 1-under par to lead the Panthers to the team championship as well.
Stephanie Weinberg of the Pine Crest girls’ golf team. (Photo Courtesy Pine Crest Golf)
Jayden Williams, True North football: the senior recorded 10 tackles (4 for losses, including 1 sack) and also intercepted 1 pass as the visiting Titans won their first game of the season, 28-21, in their first meeting with Southridge in program history.
Abby Zichella, Ransom Everglades volleyball: the sophomore led the Raiders to a runner-up finish, going 5-1 at the annual Chaminade-Madonna Cares High School Volleyball Tournament in Hollywood. During the event, she recorded her 500th kill in her high school career en route to being selected to the All-Tournament team. For the week, she totaled 97 kills, 86 serve receptions, 44 digs, 11 aces, 5 blocks and 2 assists as the Raiders went 6-1.
This story was originally published September 25, 2026 at 11:07 PM.
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).
Support my work with a digital subscription