USA Football’s 15U boys’ flag football national team won USA Football’s annual Junior International Cup in Los Angeles.

Miami’s Britton Bayag (Westminster Christian) was named MVP as Team USA defeated Japan 43-20 for the gold medal.

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The champs also included Jeffrey O’Neal Jr. (Dillard High School/Fort Lauderdale), Gabriel Reina (Florida Christian School/Miami) and Anthony Vera (Westminster Christian School/Miami).

To make Team USA, there was a two-round process. This year at the University of Charlotte in North Carolina. They went from 45 players to 18 players in the first round of tryouts. Then from there, the final 12 comprise the roster with the other six as alternates.

In the 17U boys’ division, Team USA defeated Japan 24-19 for the bronze medal. In the semifinals, Canada edged Team USA to dethrone the two-time champions. The team included Luc Carroll (Gulliver Prep/Miami), Eric Costa (Hialeah-Miami Lakes/Miami Lakes) and Samuel “Champ” Smith (Gulliver Prep/Miami). Team USA was again coached by Johan Betancourt (Gulliver Prep/RYAN Football) and Andy Baca (RYAN Football).

The United States, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and Panama competed in the event at the 15U and 17U boys’ levels. The US boys’ teams combined for an 11-1 record.

Event Recap

USA Football’s 15U boys’ flag football national team went 6-0 en route to the championship.

Team USA was 4-0 in pool play, defeating Canada, Japan, Mexico and Panama. Then they defeated Mexico 33-7 in the semifinals and Japan 43-20 in the gold medal game.

• Quarterback Anthony Vera of Miami was the Player of the Game in the semifinal win over Mexico. Vera is entering ninth grade in the Fall at Westminster Christian School. He also won a gold medal in the 2023 Junior International Cup in Charlotte, NC as a member of the 2023 15U US boys’ flag football national team. He also plays tackle football.

• WR and DB Britton Bayag of Miami was named MVP of the 15U boys’ division. Bayag is also entering ninth grade in the Fall at Westminster Christian School. He plays tackle football and basketball and runs track. He finished second in the 2024 FLYRA Middle School State Championship in the 100-meter dash in the Spring, clocking 11.18 seconds. 15U head coach Rudy Fernandez and 17U head coach Johan Betancourt were his first flag football coaches, when he was growing up.

• Rusher Gabriel Reina is a Miami native. He’s going into ninth grade at Florida Christian School. He also competes in tackle football, wrestling and lacrosse. Reina previously placed third in his district as a wrestler.
• DB and WR Jeffrey O’Neal Jr. is from Fort Lauderdale. He will be an eighth grader in the Fall at Dillard 6-12. He’s an extremely talented tackle football player.

USA Football’s 17U boys’ flag football national team went 5-1 for bronze.

Team USA was 4-0 in pool play, defeating Canada, Japan, Mexico and Panama. They then lost to Canada 28-27 in a hard fought semifinal and defeated Japan 24-19 in the bronze medal game.

• WR Luc Carroll is a Miami native. He’s entering 11th grade at Gulliver Prep. Carroll won a gold medal at the 2023 Junior International Cup in Charlotte with the 2023 15U US boys’ flag football national team. He competes in tackle football and track in high school He’s won multiple district titles in tackle football and qualified for the state championship in the 100-meter dash.
• DB Eric Costa is from Miami Lakes. He’s entering 12th grade at Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School. He’s been playing flag football for eight years. He said: “I’ve been playing flag football since I was young, and it’s become more than just a hobby. It’s a fundamental part of my life. When I’m on the field, I feel completely comfortable.”
• DB Samuel “Champ” Smith is from Miami. He’s entering 11th grade at Gulliver Prep. He plays varsity tackle football, basketball and competes in track & field. He’s also played basketball for the Ray Allen Select AAU program. He is a FHSAA District 16-2A champion in the high jump and placed in the top three in FHSAA Region 4-2A. Has won multiple district championships in football and one in basketball.

Flag football will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.

More flag football

The Liberty City Warriors won the Girls’ High School Division of the G2W Sportz Flag Football Tournament at Flamingo Park in Cooper City.

The Warriors, composed of Edison flag football players, went 6-0 in the two-day event, beating St. Thomas Aquinas 7-0 in the finals. They also defeated Category 5 twice, Queen of Mayhem, The South and Red Notice. The Raiders beat Game Changer from Las Vegas in the semifinals.

The champs are Torri Cotman, Angel Moton, Jennifer Burton, London Harris, Zahara Leaks, Mikera Miller, Brianna Bogans, Imani Rodgers, Taylah Akhdar, Brianna Bogan, Cherish Thomas, Saryah Williams, Rakayia Louis, Camille Canidate, Poetry Auguste, Jade Majors , Tykwondra Ponder. The coaches are Vince Hall, Gary McIntosh and Ken Simmons.

Wrestling

Several high school wrestlers from Broward and Miami-Dade counties placed during the US Marine Corps Juniors and 16U Freestyle/Greco National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota.

They were led by Mya Bethel of North Miami and Jovani Solis of Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines.

Girls: 16U Freestyle: 106 Abigail Gonzalez 4th place (Mater Lakes Academy); 190 Latoya Sylvestre 7th place (South Broward HS); 155 Mya Bethel 3rd place (North Miami HS).

Boys: 16U Freestyle: 113 Jovanni Tovar 7th place (Southridge HS); 132 Jovani Solis 4th place (South Dade HS); 157 Tyree Graham 6th place (South Dade HS); 190 Peter Mocco 8th place (Coral Springs Charter).

Boys: 16U Greco: 138 Jovani Solis 2nd place (South Dade HS).

Results provided by Ricky Marcus of The Florida Wrestling Room.

In the fall, Mocco will be a freshman at Cardinal Gibbons, where his brother, standout wrestler Michael, will be a junior. Michael also wrestled for Coral Springs Charter as a seventh and eighth grader. Solis will be a freshman, too, joining his brother, Elvis Jr., who will be a senior at South Dade.

Peter Mocco, as an 8th grader at Coral Springs Charter, won an FHSAA Class 1A state title at 190 pounds, concluding the season at 17-0. As a sophomore, Michael Mocco (41-2) won his second Class 1A state title – this time at 215 pounds.

As an eighth grader, Jovani Solis won a Class 1A state title at 132 pounds to finish the season at 63-0. He helped Somerset Academy-Pembroke Pines rally to win the Class 1A state team title, the program’s fourth state team championship.

Elvis Solis Jr., as a junior at South Dade, won a Class 3A state title at 138 pounds, going 40-0. He helped powerhouse South Dade win its 25th state team title (11th consecutive).

Submit summer sports info

If you have summer sports results with local top performers (with stats) for high school or middle school-aged athletes in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, email [email protected].

They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. Send after the game, the next day or weekly. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online.

New athletic directors, coaches

For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade, if you have new sports administration and/or coaching hires to announce, email [email protected].

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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone

jvarsallone@miamiherald.com