Spotlights
Who Are The Top Players & What Roles Will They Play During The Season?

Cypress Bay Boys/Girls Swim Teams Sweep BCAA Championships

Cypress Bay Boys/Girls Swim Teams Sweep BCAA Championships

By Dave Brousseau

PLANTATION – For the first time in six years, the Cypress Bay boys and girls swimming teams swept the team titles at the BCAA Swimming and Diving Championships at the Plantation Aquatic Center.

As impressive as that may have been, the Fort Lauderdale girls individually did one better on Saturday.

Though the Flying L’s finished second to the Lightning for the team title in consecutive years, they pulled off a rarity by claiming the top three spots in two different events.

The triple threat of Da’Jah German, Katherine Voet and D’Ziah German, all members of the Swim Fort Lauderdale Club team, finished in order the top three spots in the 500-freestyle.

Fort Lauderdale accomplished another top three sweep earlier in the meet when Hayden Ferenc, Sophia Cavaretta and Ginger Boardman earned the top three places in 1-meter diving. They each finished in the same place in 2024.

It was the time that any girls swim teams accomplished that twice in the same BCAA Championships over the last five years.

“This feels amazing because we work hard together every single day and I think what we did today is definitely deserved,” said Da’Jah German, who entered the meet with an All-American consideration time of 4:53.19 in the 500 freestyle.

“I think the three of us really push each other, because we do a lot of the same things at practice,” said Voet. “We usually pace off each other. Racing together means a lot.”

The last time girls from the same team claimed the top three spots in an event was in the 100-fly in 2023. They were Julianne McCranie, Carolyn Levy-Powell and Lena Lajko.

Cypress Bay girls won the top three places in the 200-freestyle in 2021.

Da’Jah German and Voet also finished second and third in the 200-freestyle.

The Lighting completed the day with 410.5 points, while Fort Lauderdale was second (392) and St. Thomas Aquinas third (340).

Cypress Bay won the boys title with 624 points, finishing ahead of second place St. Thomas Aquinas (313) and third place Coral Springs Charter 251.

Cypress Bay’s sweep was their first in six years.

“I’m really glad we won the boys and girls titles for the first time in more than six years,” said Cypress Bay coach Rodrigo Mendes. “We struggled with the boys’ team the last five years. We’re a young team with many freshmen. Today’s win by more than 300 points was impressive.”

Sophomore Laila Harran of West Broward set a new meet record in the 200-yard freestyle with a winning time of 1:49.16. Her time bettered the record of Katheen Golding of Cooper City (1:50.39) set in 2018.

Harran set her second meet record in as many races winning the 50-freestyle in 23.16. Her time improved on her own record time of 23.23 set last year.

Carolyn Levy Powell of St. Thomas Aquinas won the 100-freestyle (52.64) was second in the 500-free (23.72). The Fort Lauderdale girls 200-yard freestyle relay broke their own meet record set last year’s with a time of 1:38.45.

Tajhari Williams of South Broward was a double-winner with victories in the 50-free (21.25) and the 100 backstroke (52.03).

The Cypress Bay boys broke the meet record 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:37.37. Stoneman Douglas held the record of 1:37.97 set in 2011.

BOYS

TEAM SCORES (Top 5)

1. Cypress Bay 624; 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 313; 3. Coral Springs Charter 251; 4. Pompano Beach 236; 5. Stoneman Douglas 211.50 

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

200 Medley Relay: 1. Cypress Bay 1:37.37; 2. Coral Springs Charter 1:37.95; 3. South Broward 1:41.28; 200 Freestyle: 1. Ethan Persten (CGL) 1:44.87; 2. Roman Kondrashov (MSD) 1:47.51; 3. Guillermo Mantilla (CB) 1:48.48; 200 Individual Medley: 1. John Albornoz (CSC) 1:54.20; 2. Noah Mejias (CB) 1:56.38; 3. Becket Menacho (DB) 1:56.38; 50 Freestyle: 1. Tajhari Williams (SB) 21.25; 2. Brian Hamilton (CSC) 21.35; 3. Liam Fothergill (CB) 22.12; 100 Fly: 1. Noah Mejias (CB) 51.70; 2. Felipe Alverez (CB) 52.16; 3. Michal Michalek (COOP) 53.17; 100 Freestyle: 1. Ethan Persten (CGL) 47.55; 2. Brian Hamilton (CSC) 48.29; 3. Liam Fothergill (CB) 48.43; 500 Freestyle: 1. Kavon Clarke (CG) 4:44.71; 2. Becket Menacho (DB) 4:44.87; 3. Roman Kondrashov (MSD) 4:49.19; 200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Cypress Bay 1:29.03; 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 1:33.18; 3. Cooper City 1:33.62; 100 Back: 1. Tajhari Williams (SB) 52.03; 2. Felipe Alvarez (CB) 52.80; 3. Keagan Ives (CB) 53.70; 100 Breast: 1. Kai Rivera (SP) 1:04.81; 2. Nomar Alvarez (CB) 1:06.39; 3. Martin Petkov (PPC) 1:06.83; 400 Freestyle Relay: 1. Cypress Bay 3:15.78; 2. Coral Springs Charter 3:17.31; 3. Coral Glades 3:18.42; Diving: 1. West Pocker (FTL) 335.35; 2. Jacob Drysdale (CB) 263.35; 3. Daniel Silva (CGL) 136.90.

GIRLS

TEAM SCORES (Top 5)

1. Cypress Bay 410.5; 2. Fort Lauderdale 392; 3. St. Thomas Aquinas 340; 4. Stoneman Douglas 304; 5. Pompano Beach 249.5.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

200 Medley Relay: 1. St. Thomas Aquinas 1:47.64; 2. Cypress Bay 1:53.53; 3. Plantation 1:54.27; 200 Freestyle: 1. Laila Harran (WB) 1:49.16; 2. Da’Jah German (FTL) 1:52.53; 3. Katherine Voet (FTL) 1:53.83; 200 Individual Medley: 1. Victoria Colmenares (PPC) 2:35.46; 2. Molly Chaison (CSC) 2:34.25; 3. Bella Schubow (MSD) 2:33.79; 50 Freestyle: 1. Laila Harran (WB) 23.16; 2. Carolyn Levy Powell (STA) 23.72; 3. Neika Gayle (24.58; 100 Fly: 1. Sophia El Chantiry (MSD) 57.17; 2. Aina Rodriguez (PB) 57.24; 3. Zoe Schnoeller (FTL) 58.09; 100 Freestyle: 1. Carolyn Levy Powell (STA) 51.64; 2. Carley Kaplan (WB) 54.02; 3. Caroline Almeida (FTL) 54.39;  500 Freestyle: 1. Da’Jah German (FTL) 5:01.07; 2. Katherine Voet (FTL) 5;08.04; 3. D’Ziah German (FTL) 5:11.34; 200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Fort Lauderdale 1:38.45; 2. Plantation 1:39.77; 3. Douglas 1:41.21; 100 Back: 1. Lena Lajko (STA) 58.69; 2. Mariana Montes (CSC) 1:00.86; 3. Georgina  Henriquez (WEST) 1:01.41; 100 Breast: 1. Neika Gayle (PLAN) 1:06.12; 2. Addison Scott (STA) 1:06.39; 3. Olive Jones-Torres (CB) 1:12.07; 400 Freestyle Relay: 1. Fort Lauderdale 3:36.012; 2. Stoneman Douglas 3:38.54; 3/ St. Thomas Aquinas 3:39.55; Diving: 1. Hayden Ferenc (FTL) 284.80; 2. Sophia Cavaretta (FTL) 358.05; 3. Ginger Boardman (FTL) 216.00.

Dave Brousseau is a veteran journalist who worked at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and is a longtime BCAA Correspondent. Need to reach out to him? Contact him at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.