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Sports | Friday, July 05, 2019

Middle school athletes recognized at All Star Mass

Winning schools in various sports also acknowledged by All Catholic Conference of Miami

During his homily at the All Star Mass for athletes, St. Agnes pastor Father Juan Carlos Paguaga explains that holding a cop of water for a long time is hard to do without help. He compared it to needing a team and counting on teammates to help shoulder the burden.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

During his homily at the All Star Mass for athletes, St. Agnes pastor Father Juan Carlos Paguaga explains that holding a cop of water for a long time is hard to do without help. He compared it to needing a team and counting on teammates to help shoulder the burden.

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Although they receive far less coverage, students in Catholic elementary schools also engage in competitive sports organized through the All Catholic Conference of Miami.

As the conference website states, between 1956 and 1960 “there were a handful of schools that played sports against each other.” The sports were boys basketball and baseball.

When the Catholic Grade School League — precursor to today’s conference — was established in 1965,the charter members were Sts. Peter and Paul, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Rose of Lima, Holy FamilyImmaculate Conception, St. John the Apostle, St. Theresa, and St. Mary Cathedral. In 1966, the first girls sport was introduced: volleyball, followed by softball in 1969 and basketball in 1971.

Students from Immaculate Conception School process into St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne, for the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

Students from Immaculate Conception School process into St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne, for the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass.

Students from Mother of Christ School process into St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne, for the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

Students from Mother of Christ School process into St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne, for the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass.

Students from St. Theresa School process into St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne, for the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

Students from St. Theresa School process into St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne, for the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass.

Students from Sts. Peter and Paul School process into St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne, for the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

Students from Sts. Peter and Paul School process into St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne, for the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass.

Students from Blessed Trinity School listen attentively to Father Juan Carlos Paguaga's homily during the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass held at St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

Students from Blessed Trinity School listen attentively to Father Juan Carlos Paguaga's homily during the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass held at St. Agnes Church, Key Biscayne.

Over 100 middle school athletes from Catholic schools throughout Miami-Dade County, along with their coaches and parents, participated in the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass held at St. Agnes Church in Key Biscayne on May 5.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

Over 100 middle school athletes from Catholic schools throughout Miami-Dade County, along with their coaches and parents, participated in the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass held at St. Agnes Church in Key Biscayne on May 5.

Father Juan Carlos Paguaga presents a student-athlete with a medal during the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass held at St. Agnes Church in Key Biscayne on May 5.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

Father Juan Carlos Paguaga presents a student-athlete with a medal during the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass held at St. Agnes Church in Key Biscayne on May 5.

Father Juan Carlos Paguaga presents Gena Escanaverino, from Blessed Trinity School in Virginia Gardens, with a medal during the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass held at St. Agnes Church in Key Biscayne on May 5.

Photographer: JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC

Father Juan Carlos Paguaga presents Gena Escanaverino, from Blessed Trinity School in Virginia Gardens, with a medal during the All Catholic Conference All Star Mass held at St. Agnes Church in Key Biscayne on May 5.

Today, 27 schools participate in the conference, which has grown to a total of 38 sports for both boys and girls, including cross country, boys and girls flag football, and cheerleading. The conference also instituted a playoff for some sports and has been inducting outstanding leaders to its Coaches Hall of Fame since 1999.

Student athletes also are recognized annually at the conference’s All Star Mass, celebrated this year on May 5 at St. Agnes Church in Key Biscayne.

Below is the list of the 2018-2019 winners and runners-up in the various sports and divisions. The list was compiled by Sanura Dumond, a student intern from St. Bartholomew School in Miramar. Freelancer Cristina Cabrera Jarro also contributed to this story.

Overall champions: All Sports

Boys Sports

Varsity baseball championship

Varsity basketball

  • Tournament of Champions: St. Rose of Lima, first place; St. Thomas the Apostle, second place; Belen and Mother of Christ, third place.
  • Division 1A: Mother of Christ, first place; St. John the Apostle, second place; Blessed Trinity and St. Patrick, third place.
  • Division 2A: St. Thomas the Apostle, first place; St. Rose of Lima, second place; Our Lady of the Lakes and St. Mary Cathedral, third place.
  • Division 3A: Belen, first place; St. Kevin, second place; Our Lady of Lourdes and Epiphany, third place.

Varsity cross-country

  • Local championship: Belen, first place; St. Kevin, second place; St. Louis Covenant, third place.
  • State championship: Belen, first place; St. Louis Covenant, second place; Our Lady of Lourdes, third place.

Varsity flag football

  • Division 1A championship: Blessed Trinity, first place; Good Shepherd, second place; Mother of Christ and St. Hugh, third place.
  • Division 2A championship: St. Thomas the Apostle, first place; St. Rose of Lima, second place; St. Louis Covenant and St. John Neumann, third place.
  • Division 3A championship: St. Theresa, first place; Epiphany, second place; St. Timothy and St. Kevin, third place.

Varsity soccer

  • Division 1A-2A championship: St. Rose of Lima, first place; St. Thomas the Apostle, second place; St. Louis Covenant and St. John Neumann, third place.
  • Division 3A championship: St. Theresa, first place; Belen Blue, second place; Epiphany and Belen Gold, third place.

Varsity track and field championship

  • Belen, first place; St. Timothy, second place; St. Mary Cathedral, third place.

Varsity volleyball championship

  • Belen, first place; St. Timothy, second place; St. Rose of Lima and Epiphany, third place.

 

Girls sports

Varsity basketball

  • Tournament of Champions: Our Lady of Lourdes, first place; Blessed Trinity, second place; Our Lady of the Lakes and St. Timothy, third place.
  • Division 1A championship: Blessed Trinity, first place; St. Patrick, second place; St. Hugh and Good Shepherd, third place.
  • Division 2A championship: Our Lady of the Lakes, first place; St. Thomas the Apostle, second place; St. John Neumann and St. Mary Cathedral, third place.
  • Division 3A championship: St. Timothy, first place, Our Lady of Lourdes, second place, St. Kevin and Epiphany, third place.

Varsity cross-country

  • Local championship: St. Louis Covenant, first place; Our Lady of Lourdes, second place; St. Theresa, third place.
  • State championship: St. Louis Covenant, first place; Our Lady of Lourdes, second place; St. Theresa, third place.

Varsity flag football

  • Division 1A-2A championship: St. Rose of Lima, first place; Blessed Trinity, second place; St. Louis and St. John Neumann, third place.
  • Division 3A championship: Our Lady of Lourdes, first place; St. Theresa, second place; St. Kevin and Epiphany, third place.

Varsity soccer

  • Division 1A-2A championship: St. Louis Covenant, first place; St. Thomas The Apostle; St. Agnes and Our Lady of the Lakes, third place.
  • Division 3A championship: 1st Place: Epiphany, first place; St. Theresa, second place; St. Timothy and St. Kevin, third place.

Varsity softball championship

  • St. Louis Covenant, first place; St. Theresa, second place; Holy Rosary-St. Richard, third place.

Varsity track and field championship

  • St. Thomas the Apostle, first place; St. Louis Covenant, second place; St. Kevin, third place.

Varsity volleyball:

  • Tournament of Champions: St. Timothy, first place; St. Rose of Lima, second place; St. Hugh and Epiphany, third place.
  • Division 1A championship: St. Hugh, first place; St. Patrick, second place; Blessed Trinity and St. Lawrence, third place.
  • Division 2A championship: St. Rose of Lima White, first place; St. Louis Covenant, second place; St. Rose of Lima Red and Our Lady of the Lakes, third place.
  • Division 3A championship: Epiphany, first place: St. Timothy, second place; Immaculate Conception and St. Kevin, third place.
Pictured, from left, are the members of St. Michael the Archangel School's softball team, which finished the season undefeated: Samantha Archila, Nadesha Almonte, Sofia Leyva, Lorena Gonzalez, Emily Barrera, Sabrina Fernandez, Britney Duran, Caroline Fortun, Kiara Vega, Julieta Infante, and Coach Jose "Pepe" Hernandez.

Photographer: COURTESY | Eric Honig

Pictured, from left, are the members of St. Michael the Archangel School's softball team, which finished the season undefeated: Samantha Archila, Nadesha Almonte, Sofia Leyva, Lorena Gonzalez, Emily Barrera, Sabrina Fernandez, Britney Duran, Caroline Fortun, Kiara Vega, Julieta Infante, and Coach Jose "Pepe" Hernandez.

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