Rodriguez earns a spot on U.S. Team

Appeared in the sports section of the Miami Herald
Published on Sunday, April 22, 2007


After losing in the medal round, Miami's Jeanette Rodriguez rebounded to win a spot on the U.S. Pan Am team.


D. Michael Quinones

dquinones@MiamiHerald.com

When the buzzer sounded, the look of joy on Jeanette Rodriguez's face bordered on disbelief.

But sure enough, this 16-year-old Miami resident had clinched a slot on the women's 48-kilogram U.S. Pan American team by virtue of winning two out of three grueling matches against Sayaka Matsumoto of El Cerrito, Calif.

After losing to Matsumoto in the national championship gold-medal round earlier in the evening, Rodriguez came back with a vengeance to take the first match in an epic Golden Score match that went to a judges' decision.

"I felt great in that match, " Rodriguez said. "My leg had started to cramp a little, but I was able to play through it."

Rodriguez also played through a little controversy. Matsumoto won the second match with what was deemed to be a controversial forced tap-out, which Rodriguez contended did not happen.

"That's one of the beautiful things about Judo, it has a lot of grey areas open to interpretation in the rulings, " said Rhadi Ferguson, a former Olympian Judoka.

Said Rodriguez: "No, I didn't tap out. But, whatever, its all Judo."

In the final match, Rodriguez scored a decisive waz-iri, or high point, after trailing early, a score that proved to be the difference in the match.

Rodriguez, who attends the North Miami USA Judo training center, alternated between competition and cheering for teammate Francesca Durand.

Durand defeated gold medalist Carrie Chandler 2-0 to qualify for a spot on the Pan Am team, joining Rodriguez and men's 100-kilogram winner Adler Volmar as South Florida representatives headed to Rio de Janeiro for the Pan Am Games.

"Our coaches just kept encouraging me. They always tell us we were born to do judo, and it really helps, " Durand said after her victory.

"It looks like I'm going to have to by a ticket to Brazil after all!" joked Jhonny Prado, sensei of the North Miami dojo.

Prado had just spent the day watching his judokas falter early in preliminary rounds, flirt with success in the gold-medal rounds, and then come through late in the qualifying rounds.

"Actually, I couldn't be happier to take this trip. All these kids deserve this, they train hard and they stuck together like a real team all day, " Prado said after the roller-coaster evening.

In other medal-round action, Jacksonville's Hiram Cruz outlasted Kyle Taketa in the 55-kilogram gold-medal match. Cruz scored a powerful ippon, or winning point, with time running out, securing his first national championship.

The world judo circuit continues in May as Team USA travels to the Pan Am Championships in Montreal.

Following their trip north, the U.S. team heads to Rio De Janeiro for the Pan Am qualifying rounds where, bolstered by a South Florida-heavy roster, it will attempt to prove its Olympic readiness.

Maryland's Davis wins men's foil final

Appeared in the sports section of the Miami Herald
Published on July 8. 2007

D. Michael Quinones
dquinones@MiamiHerald.com

Don Davis knelt near the edge of the competition platform, taking in the advice of his coach between rounds of the Men's Veteran 40-plus foil fencing finals and replying with a confident, "Definitely!"

Judging from his nonchalant demeanor, one would find it hard to believe this Maryland native was competing in his first tournament at the 40-plus division against top-seeded Frets Olivares of Weston.

Nor would one guess at that moment he was holding a tenuous 4-3 lead.

"I've been fencing well lately, so I wasn't too surprised, " Davis said.

"But I think I got ahead and started playing a little more passively than I needed to."

In the second round, Olivares evened the match by attacking Davis' parry-heavy defense and not allowing him a riposte (or return strike) before his strikes.

Tied 7-7 at the end of regulation, Davis gave up on his defensive strategy. He immediately landed a laser-quick thrust to start the round, scoring the touch needed to secure the gold medal.

The match clock, which keeps time for each three-minute round, read 2:59.

Said Davis: "I had to change my game. At this level, everybody can lunge and parry, and everybody can do it well, so it becomes trying to trick your opponent, what you can do against them and what works against them, and that's what I consider real fencing."

U.S. Fencing continued its championship week at the Miami Beach Convention Center, determining champions in Men's Veteran 50-plus and 60-plus foil, as well as Women's 40-plus foil.

With all-morning preliminary action on more than 40 mats, it might have seemed a bit hectic to the novice, but the afternoon division finals proved to be a clinic on good fencing.

In the Women's 40-plus foil, Dallas' Katalin Kennessey Gasparin jumped out to a big lead over Anna Breinerd, scoring seven touches in the first 90 seconds and hung on to capture the gold medal 10-7.

"When you get to the gold-medal rounds, you don't mind if take a few touches, " Gasparin said as she awaited the medal presentation. "As long as you win."

Tom Lutton took gold in the Men's 50-plus foil with a 10-9 victory over fellow U.S. World Team member Frank Thomiszer. In other finals, James Adams took gold in Men's 60-plus foil and Cory Abbe swept her way to the Women's Division II epee championship.

U.S. Fencing wraps up its week of championships today with the Men's Veteran Sabre and Women's Veteran Epee finals.

Greer does it all in Fury Victory

Appeared in the sports section of the Miami Herald
Published on June 24, 2007

By D. Michael Quinones

Cornerback Keondra Greer had three interceptions to help the Miami Fury women's football team shut down the rival Palm Beach Punishers 7-0 on Saturday night at Curtis Park.

But Greer's biggest play of the game came on the other side of the ball.

Lined up at receiver, Greer sprung running back Ronkia Toombs for the game's only touchdown with a bone-crushing downfield block.

"Our coach always says, 'Making a big play for someone else means making a big play for yourself, ' and that's what I tried to do, " said Greer, who also rushed for 39 yards.

Toomb's touchdown came on a draw play in the fourth quarter of a game in which the Fury (3-4) threatened to score several times but was stymied by mistakes.

A 20-yard run by Kalondra McKenzie down to the Punisher's 7-yard line at the end of the third quarter went for naught because the Fury was called for offsides and holding on consecutive plays. A third-down sack and a missed pass play on fourth down squelched the drive.

After starting the final quarter by forcing a turnover on downs, the Fury, composed almost entirely of two-way players, capitalized on what would be the game's only score."

"Our defense is an attack defense, and that's how we win games, " Fury coach Brandon Bryant said.

Miami, out of the playoff chase, looks to wrap up its season on a high note with a victory over defending International Women's Football League champion Atlanta next Saturday at Curtis Park.

Belen hopes sound of music sparks title run

Appeared in the Sports Section of the Miami Herald.

Published on Thu, May. 17, 2007
By D. MICHAEL QUINONES

The samba rhythms of Pelotero La Bola playing over the loudspeaker at the Belen Jesuit Prep Baseball Complex signifies two things -- catcher Byron Soler is at bat, and opposing pitchers better mind their fastballs.

Soler, a junior batting .417, sent Pembroke Pines Charter packing in the regional quarterfinals because of a walk-off home run. But he isn't the only Wolverine with theme music.
Each player on the team enters the batter's box to a signature song, taking practice cuts as the beats wind down.

However, if the Wolverines are to extend their season of clutch comebacks in the state Class 4A semifinals Friday against Orlando Bishop Moore, then they will have to do so on the neutral ground of Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, sans symphony.

''We're not worried,'' Belen coach Tony Meilan said. ``We did a Las Vegas trip and had a good showing at that tournament, so these guys have played well on the road before.''

Simply ''playing well'' might not be enough against a Bishop Moore team that is regarded by many as the best in the state.

The Hornets (29-1) will send Andy Horton (14-0) to the mound to face the Wolverines (20-10), whose bats have given support to a hard-working pitching staff.

Mauricio Rodriguez, a first-team Miami Herald All-Dade selection, will get the start for Belen.
''Pitching and defense is really what wins games for us,'' Meilan said. ``The comebacks and the runs we've had lately, that's more about these guys never giving up, even if its the bottom of the seventh, two outs, down by nine, whatever. We stay in the game.''

Meilan's infield is bolstered by All-Dade honorable mentions Adrian Lorenzo and power-hitting Justin Gonzalez, whose .425 batting average, seven home runs and 31 RBI make him Belen's top offensive threat.

After a relative romp to the District 16 title that featured victories over Key West and Mater Academy, the Wolverines roared back in two games that looked to be their undoing.
Trailing 4-0 in the Region 4-4A quarterfinals, the Wolverines scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to set up Soler's late-game heroics.

The regional semifinals provided more excitement as Belen fell behind Jensen Beach 9-2 before batting around in the bottom of the sixth to take an 11-9 lead and hold on for a 13-12 victory, again courtesy of a walk-off home run, this time by right fielder Eric Cos.

The Wolverines know they can't afford to get down early again.

''We're prepared to play this game like its just another opponent, but I think everyone knows how good they are in the back of their minds,'' Meilan said of Bishop Moore. ``We know its not just another game.''

Canes Trounce Wichita State

Appeared in the sports section of the Miami Herald


The UM women's tennis team reached the NCAA Round of 16, winning so quickly it didn't need to wait for a point from top-ranked Audra Cohen.
BY D. MICHAEL QUINONES

dquinones@MiamiHerald.com
http://www.miamiherald.com/606/story/105946.html

The silence at University of Miami’s Schiff Tennis Center was interrupted only occasionally during the Hurricanes' 4-0 drubbing of Wichita State, a win that sends Miami to the NCAA women's Round of 16.

But only a fraction of the noise was provided by the audience. The rest came courtesy of No. 1 seed Audra Cohen, who vocalized her first-match frustrations.

''It's in my nature to play the first couple of rounds poorly,'' said Cohen, the top-ranked women's collegiate player in the nation, after her no-decision match against Wichita's Madina Rakhim. ``I could have gone more to her backhand, but I wanted to play more balls, play more tennis, and see if I could get into a groove.''

''She can play with anybody in the country right now,'' UM coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said of Cohen. ``She could be a pro.''

Leading 6-4, 5-4, Cohen's likely victory was rendered moot when No. 3 seed Audrey Bañada defeated Lenore Lazaroiu 6-3, 6-2 to clinch the win for the Hurricanes (21-6).

''This is my last match here [at Miami], and I really wanted the match point,'' said Bañada, a senior ranked No. 48. ``It wasn't really the pressure to win, but I wanted to finish up last.''

Her finish also curtailed teammate and No. 21-ranked Laura Vallverdu's match against Florentina Hanisch, a match that looked to be going Miami's way as Vallverdu led 7-5, 4-1 before the end-match.

In early action, Miami won the doubles point as Cohen and Vallverdu won the No. 1 slot 8-4, and Bañada teamed with Gina Sabatino at No. 3 to win 8-2.

The Hurricanes got singles wins from No. 5 Caren Seenauth and Sabatino in the sixth slot.
Miami will need near-flawless performances from its three top-50 players if it hopes to defeat Pac-10 powerhouse Southern California (19-4) in the sweet 16 on Friday in Athens, Ga.

''They can play with the top teams in the country, without a doubt,'' Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said of her fearsome troika.

The victory against Lazaroiu was Bañada's 108th career singles win at Miami.
''I think if we stay together as a team through the tournament, we can go all the way,'' Bañada said.