Top prep athletes to sign with colleges
National Signing Day around Cape Coral is a bit muted overall with little in the way of earth shattering collegiate offers being signed on Wednesday.
One of the more high visible signings today occurs at Ida Baker when senior Marcela Montoya signs a scholarship offer from women’s soccer powerhouse Georgia Southern. She is just the second Bulldogs female soccer player to sign on National Signing Day with Chris Vianest as coach. The other was Franny Farella last year (Delaware State).
Montoya helped lead the Bulldogs (18-7-1) to the Regional Semifinals where they lost to Gulf Coast 3-2. In 17 games this season, Montoya contributed 32 points on 13 goals and six assists.
Her time on the field was cut short when she was invited to play for the U.S. National team in Columbia early in the season.
“Georgia Southern is a real powerhouse women’s program,” said Vianest. “I’m proud of her. Having played for the national team it’s quite possible in 3 1/2 years she could be playing in the next women’s World Cup.”
Montoya led the Bulldogs in scoring as a sophomore with 29 goals and 73 points.
“She is a hell of a player,” said Vianest. “She played a couple of positions for us and is a good team player. She played attacking for us and then moved to center and to center defensive midfield this season because with her skills it fit well with the other girls.”
Three other athletes are signing at Baker, including Bryce Van Horn (baseball) with Nova Southeastern, Christian Menendez (baseball) with FGCU and Jannai Maxwell (track) with Southern Wesleyan.
North Fort Myers: Four football players will autograph scholarship letters Wednesday at the school.
The quartet includes Freddy Johnson (Temple), Micario Stanley (USF), Austin Watkins (Dodge City Community) and Elijah Jones (Ellsworth Community).
Boys Basketball
Lemon Bay 71, Island Coast 58: Lemon Bay upset No. 3-seeded Island Coast Tuesday night in the District 6A-10 Tournament by outscoring the hosts 38-22 in the second half, turning a one-point deficit into a 13-point victory.
Craig Sirmons led the Gators (12-14) with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Justin Moore contributed nine points with Austin Grimm adding 8 points, three assists and three steals.
The Gators led by 11 points in the first half before Lemon Bay went on a 9-0 run to cut the deficit before the half. Lemon Bay advances to the district semifinals on Wednesday.
Cape Coral 79, North Fort Myers 58: C.J. Lewis pumped in a team-high 20 points and Luis Calderon added 18 in leading Cape Coral past North Fort Myers Tuesday in the District 6A-10 Tournament.
The win sends the Seahawks (15-10) to the tournament semifinals Wednesday night at No. 1-seeded Port Charlotte.
Brandon Alcide contributed 17 points to the Seahawks’ cause while Cam’Ron Blissett added 10 points to round out a quartet of double-figure scorers.
The Seahawks led 51-45 at the end of the third quarter, then blew the Red Knights away with a 29-14 run in the fourth quarter.
Softball
Mariner 15, South Fort Myers 0: Hannah Holloway tossed a nine-strikeout, four-inning no-hitter Tuesday at Mariner cruised to victory in its season opening game.
Madison James had a triple and drove in three runs to lead the Tritons (1-0), who scored 10 runs in their first at-bat. The Tritons play at Dunbar on Wednesday.
Cape Coral 12, Oasis 1: Mckenzie Buss struck out 10 batters and delivered four base hits resulting in two doubles and three RBI Tuesday in leading Cape Coral’s season opening victory over Oasis.
Heather Dubai and Tara Striggow each contributed two hits with Striggow driving in three runs for the Seahawks (1-0).
Losing pitcher Camry Aho struck out nine for Oasis.
The Seahawks host SWF Christian next Monday.
Tennis
Tuesday’s results:
(Boys) Ida Baker 7, Island Coast 0
Singles – Ethan Littlestone (IB) def. Jesse Shoup 6-0, 6-0; Jordan Diggs (IB) def. Joehel Roman-Valentine 6-0, 6-0; Drayton Diggs (IB) def. Tim Foy 6-0, 6-1; Lucas Wiles (IB) def. Lazaro Hernandez 6-0, 6-0; Tyler Schumann (IB) def. Kingsley Lurer 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles – Littlestone-Wiles (IB) def. Shoup-Roman-Valentine 8-1; Diggs-Diggs (IB) def. Foy-Trystun Wipf 8-0,
Record: Baker 1-0; Island Coast 0-1.
Next: Baker at Charlotte (Thursday); Island Cost at Fort Myers (Thursday).
(Girls) Ida Baker 7, Island Coast 0
Singles – Jamie Lee (IB) def. Cassidy Hitzing 6-1, 6-1; Paxton Guerin (IB) def. Darci Moody 6-1, 6-2; Mackenzie Chappell (IB) def. Amy Gavitt 6-0, 6-3; Kaley Schultz (IB) def. Brianna Curulli 6-1, 6-0; Bayley Broughton (IB) def. Angela Phanor 6-1, 6-0.
Doubles – Lee-Chappell (IB) def. Hitzing-Moody 8-2; Guerin-Schultz (IB) def. Gavitt-Curulli 8-1.
Record: Baker 1-0; Island Coast 0-1.
Next: Baker at Charlotte (Thursday); Fort Myers at Island Coast (Thursday).
(Girls) North Fort Myers 7, East Lee County 0
Singles – Erin Post (NFM) def. Sierra 6-0, 6-0; Bailey Harris (NFM) def. Campbell 6-0, 6-0; North won singles 3-5 by default.
Doubles – Alliyah Crawford-Joelle Mers (NFM) def. Campbell-Sierra 8-2; North won No. 1 doubles by default.
Record: North 1-0.
Next: North at Dunbar (Friday).
(Girls) Estero 7, Mariner 0
Singles – Kuchenbacker (E) def. Bandemer 6-3, 7-5; Belliveau (E) def. Wolfe 6-0, 6-0; Kish (E) def. Grennan 6-1, 6-0; Curran (E) def. Kao 6-0, 6-1; Means (E) def. Campbell 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles – Kuchenbacker-Belliveau (E) def. Bandemer-Wolfe 8-3; Kish-Durham (E) def. Grennan-Kao 8-2.
Record: Mariner 0-1
Next: East Lee County at Mariner (Thursday).
(Girls) Bishop Verot 6, St. John Neumann 1
Singles – Gianna Drayer (BV) def. Heslin 6-1, 6-0; Yvonne Wojtas (BV) def. Cid 6-1, 6-1; Nicolette Cervone (BV) def. Lowe 6-2, 6-0; Gabrielle Magnant (BV) def. Arcenegui 6-2, 6-2; Timmons (SJN) def. Sam Webb-Martin 6-1, 6-2.
Doubles – Drayer-Cervone (BV) def. Heslin-Cid 8-0; Wojtas-Magnant (BV) def. Lowe-Arcenegui 8-5,
Record: Bishop Verot 1-0.