By David Akerman and Tyler Perez
Tennis: Both the boys and girls tennis team performed well this season and won state championships.
The boys team finished 13-2 with a semifinal win against American Heritage. They won six games in a row since Mar. 30. Their only losses of the season were early in the year against American Heritage and Ransom and they have since have avenged both losses.
The girls’ team did not lose a single game with a 15-0 record. They used their depth to their advantage winning districts, regionals and states.
“For states we all rallied around each other, supporting each other, and focusing on the matches,” said junior Tina Barrios.
Not only were they undefeated, they dominated most of their opponents. The girls team won every set in ten of their 15 games, as the opposing teams did not give them a big challenge.
Track & Field: Both the boys and girls track teams have had up and down seasons, however they excelled in Districts.
The boys have had some very solid performances such as their second place finish in a meet at St. Andrew’s on March 2nd. They finished with a total score of 72.5.
“The season had its ups and downs but I am proud of both my performance and how the team has performed in this season to this date,” said junior runner Franco Caputo.
Another positive performance was when the team finished 5th out of 16 in the Crusader Classic on March 12. “We have really bonded with each other over the year and it has helped the team in a positive manner,” said sophomore Jorge-Arturo Flores.
The girls had some solid performances at St. Andrews where they finished 2nd on March 2nd and a 3rd place finish in February. Just like the boys, they participated in districts last week and performed well as they will be running in regionals.
Softball: The girls’ softball team has had a solid season winning 13 of their 15 games.
Their stellar season peaked with a four game winning streak when the team traveled to San Diego to face teams from across the country. The offense performed well in the road stretch as they averaged over ten runs per game.
“We have practiced a lot on our offense since our defense has always kept us in games,” said junior Taylor Heyser.
The evolution of the team has led to the position they are in now.
“We have a great team vibe, as we are all very close to each other, and not only do we love playing softball, but we enjoy everyone’s company,” said junior Morgan Hall.
The team excelled in districts on Apr. 13 with a dominating 10-2 win over Key West as well as a 16-0 in regionals quarter-final.
Baseball: As they did last year, the Raider baseball team looks poised to make states and possibly win it all. After beating Key West at home to clinch the District Championship, the team hopes to win Regionals and make the State Final Four again.
“We want to continue playing as we have and if we do that, I don’t think any team could beat us,” said junior Andres Machado.
The team won districts by having a record of 18 wins and just four losses. Some of their highlights this season include beating one of their rivals, Key West, as well as finishing runner up in the Perfect Game Spring Swing Baseball Tournament in March.
During the season, the team has an average win margin of almost three runs per game. Their offense could be what leads them to a state championship.
“We’ve accomplished a solid 
amount so far this season, but we still want to go for more,” said senior Giovon Soto.
If the team makes states, the games will take place on May 11-14, and May 18-21 in Ft. Myers at jetBlue Park.
Lacrosse: So far this season, the lacrosse team has shown improvement and won most of their games, with a record of 14 wins and three losses. Some big wins came against Barron Collier and Columbus, two of best teams in Florida.
“If we beat teams like these during the regular season, there is no reason as to why we can’t make a run to states,” said junior Lucas Rego.
The team won their second straight District Championship, beating Palmetto and Coral Reef in the process. They also won both their Regional quarter-final and semi-final games against Key West and Belen, respectively.
With this team they have a big chance at making the State Final Four for the first time since 2005.
“We are focused on every game and not looking ahead. This group has a chance to go for it all this year but we must be firing on all cylinders,” said head coach James Piggot.
Water Polo: Both the girls and boys water polo teams were District Champions this season, going 20-8 and 12-15 on the season, respectively. However, they each lost in the Regional Finals, missing out on an opportunity to make the State Tournament.
“We all worked extremely hard this season to achieve what we wanted. We are all extremely proud of each other,” said sophomore Anastasia Perez-Ternet.
The girls beat Coral Reef and Palmetto to win districts but lost to their main rivals Ransom in Regionals 11-8. Although they came up short of their original goal of winning states, the players are happy of what they accomplished.
“We consistently improve as the season went on and it showed in the results of our games,” said senior Carolina Gomez.
The boys also came out of their district as champions, beating Terra and Palmetto en route to an appearance in the Regional Final. They wound up losing to Belen 14-1.
“Although we didn’t win states, everyone on the team got better, especially the younger kids who will set the tone for the team in the future,” said senior Felipe Tilkian.
