Winter Park icon Stephanie Gibson was voted Florida Dairy Farmers girls volleyball coach of the year, making the 36-year legend the first coach to claim that honor five times.
Gibson has been state coach of the year in four different decades, starting in 1995 when she won the second of her two state championships at Miami Sunset. She was back-to-back coach of the year with Winter Park title teams in 2004 and ’05, and earned the prize again in the Wildcats’ championship in ’13.
This year the Wildcats went 28-1 and dethroned Tampa Plant in the 7A state final to up Gibson’s career coaching record to 871-238 with seven state championships. She’s 542-196 at Winter Park. Tyler Peluso, a stellar setter, was the only senior starter and Winter Park’s junior varsity was undefeated.
“I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon. They may have to fire me to get me to leave,” said Gibson.
Katie Stewart of Class 5A state champ Tallahassee Chiles (25-1) took the Miss Volleyball player of the year in voting by a state panel of coaches and media. Peluso, the 7A player of the year, was runner-up in that voting.
Bishop Moore’s Leah McDonald voted 4A player of the year.
Joining Gibson as coaches of the year for their classifications were Tanya Jarvis-Starrett of 4A champ Bishop Moore and Katie Gallagher of 3A champ Lake Highland Prep.
Innovation soars
Innovation, which opened in August as the newest Orange County public school, saw its girls volleyball team go all the way to the FHSAA final four in November. The school’s undefeated girls soccer team (8-0) might be even better.
The Bulls have outscored opponents 55-2 and are No. 6 in MaxPreps’ 5A state rankings. They’re No. 1 in Region 2, making Innovation a favorite to reach the state tourney.
“You would never know this is a team that came together in just a matter of weeks,” said Innovation coach Kellie Chambers. “They like each other, and they play as a very cohesive team.”
Innovation, built to reduce overcrowding at Lake Nona, has no seniors but is situated in a soccer hotbed. Every starter has club soccer experience.
Team captains Sofia Slepushkina and Briella Doyle are standout juniors who played for Lake Nona last season. A number of freshmen, including Kamila Makki Ramirez and Christina Bratts, play key roles.
Innovation stands No. 5 among Orlando area schools, trailing only 4A Montverde Academy, 4A Lake Highland Prep, 7A Lake Mary, 7A Timber Creek and 3A Bishop Moore.
Boys basketball
MaxPreps rolled out its first computerized Florida boys basketball rankings on Monday. Here’s the top-rated FHSAA Orlando area team. Win-loss records are through Tuesday:
1. Oak Ridge (5-1)
2. Evans (4-1)
3. St. Cloud (7-0)
4. Osceola (5-1)
5. Windermere (6-1)
6. Edgewater (5-2)
7. East River (6-1)
8. Eustis (6-1)
9. Olympia (4-3)
10. Master’s Academy (5-2)
11. Lake Howell (4-1)
12. Harmony (4-2)
13. Lake Highland Prep (4-2)
14. Poinciana (5-1)
15. Gateway (4-2)
16. Winter Springs (5-1)
Noteworthy:
Oak Ridge, coming off its pulsating 85-80 win against Evans, is scheduled to play a Hoopfest in Paradise game in the Bahamas on Saturday.
St. Cloud won 67-59 at Master’s Academy on Tuesday to maintain its status as the only area undefeated team.
Windermere has won six in a row since opening with a 50-46 loss to Lake Highland Prep.
Edgewater deserves to be a bit higher, given that its losses were to unbeaten state title contenders Tampa Blake and Riviera Prep. The Eagles won the Rotary Tip-Off Classic ahead of Osceola.
Oviedo (3-4) dealt East River its first loss on Monday, 46-38; but lost a day later, 50-45 at Windermere Prep (6-3). The Lions and Lakers have played tough schedules. Both could be top 10 teams.
Southland Christian (15-1), which plays outside the FHSAA, got 31 points from senior guard Carlos Escalera Jr. and dealt Poinciana its first loss, 65-63, on Tuesday.
Here are matchups for Saturday events:
Hoops with a Heart
at Bishop Moore
Boone vs. Seminole, 1:30
Cocoa vs. Lake Minneola, 3:30
Oviedo vs. Orlando Christian Prep, 5:30
Bishop Moore vs. Viera, 7:30
Admission: donations welcomed. All revenue benefits former Bishop Moore coach Rob Graham, who suffered sudden cardiac arrest in 2005.
Orange County vs. Polk Shootout
At Apopka High
Davenport vs Cypress Creek, 12:30
Lake Region vs Dr Phillips, 2
Victory Christian vs The First Academy, 3:30
Discovery vs Apopka, 5
At Ocoee High
Ridge Community vs CFCA, 2
The Vanguard School vs Hope Academy, 3:30
Auburndale vs Ocoee, 5
Admission: $10.
Wrestling
Hagerty junior Nikolas Blake, a state runner-up last season, was the only area weight class winner at Osceola’s rugged Danny Byron Invitational.
That event drew Georgia state champ Camden County and South Florida powerhouses South Miami and South Dade. Timber Creek was sixth in the team standings.
DeLand’s Grace Lashinsky and Jikayla Hutto of host Freedom were the two area winners in the Let Freedom Ring girls tournament. Flagler Palm Coast was the team champ ahead of Freedom.
Girls basketball
Here’s MaxPreps’ top area girls teams, unveiled Monday. Win-loss records are through Tuesday:
1. Timber Creek (6-1)
2. The First Academy (5-2)
3. CFCA (7-2)
4. Lake Howell (7-0)
5. Lake Highland Prep (5-3)
6. Ocoee (8-1)
7. Seminole (6-2)
8. Windermere Prep (5-2)
9. Leesburg (3-4)
10. Gateway (4-2)
11. Oak Ridge (4-2)
12. Dr. Phillips (3-3)
Noteworthy:
Timber Creek has one senior, Serene Exalant, and just two returning starters, Exalant (15.1 points per game) and junior Laila Allen (5.6 assists), in a homegrown lineup.
Madison Perez (12.6 ppg), a junior, and Karenna Ortiz (9.1), a sophomore, have stepped up.
The Wolves loss was against Central Pointe Christian of Kissimmee, which plays outside the FHSAA.
Defending state champs Dr. Phillips and Lake Highland are among the underrated. Both have lost only to heavy hitters and neither has lost to an area team. DP owns a 53-35 win against higher-ranked Ocoee.
Lake Howell was averaging 71.6 points per game going into a Wednesday game at Master’s Academy (5-2).
TFA’s five-game win streak includes tight wins vs. Bishop Moore (41-39), St. Cloud (41-36) and Lake Mary (29-26).
Freedom senior Olivia Staples scored 35 points in a 55-54 win vs. Innovation to surpass 1,000 for her career.
Girls soccer
Lake Highland Prep (7-0-1) at Montverde Academy (10-0) on Friday at 7 p.m. matches up two national top 10 teams who share the same district. MaxPreps ranks the Eagles No. 2 and LHP No. 9.
Montverde hasn’t lost to the Highlanders since 2012 and pulled out 2-1 and 4-3 (overtime) playoff wins last season on its way to a repeat 3A state championship.
Lake Mary played Lake Highland to a 2-2 tie Tuesday night.
After losing 2-1 against Bishop Moore and 4-3 vs. Montverde, Lake Mary has gone 5-0-2, including a 1-1 tie against four-time state champ Ponte Vedra (7-0-1).
Boys soccer
There are still seven area teams who have not tasted defeat through Tuesday night games:
Mount Dora (9-0)
Kissimmee Gateway (7-0)
Foundation Academy (7-0)
The First Academy (6-0-1)
Hagerty (5-0-2)
Lake Nona (4-0-2)
Ocoee (4-0-4)
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
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