A season after winning its first state championship since 2002, the Lake Mary girls soccer team is off to a fantastic start to the 2025-26 campaign. With a 6-1 road win over Oviedo (6-1-1) on Tuesday night, the Rams have now won their first eight games; 15 straight dating back to last season.
After a first half that ended deadlocked at 0-0, Lake Mary caught fire in the second half, scoring six goals and getting braces from both junior fullback Teagan Jahns and junior midfielder Myah Bonnett. All-Area senior forward Ava McKay and senior midfielder Peyton O’Linn also scored.
Junior Kailey Susi delivered two assists to push her team-leading total to nine for the season.
Losing eight seniors from a championship team, including top scorer Lindsay Sheets, would be a tall order for any team to offset. But getting key contributors like McKay (6 assists), Susi, Jahns (9 goals) and sophomore Siena Sigurdsson (8 goals) back helped in maintaining the championship standard.
Lake Mary coach Christian Eisselle credits the team’s hot start to the team culture.
“The seniors from last year left behind a culture and a legacy that’s very positive and hard-working,” Eisselle said. “These younger ones really latched onto that and are continuing to push themselves every single day. That’s a good formula for success.”
Lake Mary is seeking its fifth state championship.
For Oviedo, the Lions went into the game playing an emergency goalkeeper in sophomore midfielder Zoe Ivaszuk after losing both of their usual keepers — Rachel Brammer and Mia Babilonia — to injuries. In the 54th minute, Ivaszuk went down with a concussion and had to be replaced by senior defender Kiara Hernandez.
The Lions did get a spark when senior Emma Goodnough scored directly from a corner kick in the 77th minute to put them on the board.
“You’ve got to take losses as a learning experience, get better, and hopefully you can be healthy and competitive at the end of the season,” Oviedo coach Scott Waisanen said. “What matters is to be healthy come district time in January.”
Lake Mary plays at Lake Brantley (6-1-1) on Tuesday.
Mike Cuff, pictured last season, has posted 361 of his 400 career wins at Lake Brantley. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
Cuff at 400
Lake Brantley boys basketball coach Mike Cuff celebrated his 400th career win Monday night when the Patriots (3-1) won 59-43 at home against his high school alma mater, Bishop Moore (1-3). That was a clash of the two teams he has coached in 25 years as a head coach.
Cuff, who turns 60 on Dec. 19, coached Bishop Moore for three years (2000-03) before moving to Brantley as an assistant. He became the Patriots head coach in 2004.
Highlights include Brantley’s only region final appearance in a 24-5 season of 2006-07 and a school record for wins (25-5) in 2020-21. That included beating favored Oak Ridge and then Evans for a district title.
“I’ve been blessed with good players, great assistant coaches and great administrators throughout the years,” Cuff said Tuesday. “That’s what makes it so worthwhile.”
Volleyball
State champs Winter Park (31-1) and Oviedo (25-6) got more rewards from the Florida Dairy Farmer’s awards program.
Winter Park senior Amelia Mancino and Wildcats coach Stephanie Gibson were voted 7A player and coach of the year by a panel of coaches and media representatives. And the 6A honors went to Oviedo junior setter Delaney Sloane and her coach, Jen Darty.
Mancino racked up 318 kills, 219 digs, 71 aces, 26 blocks and a .269 hitting percentage as an outside hitter.
Sloane delivered 948 assists, along with 224 digs, 71 aces, 53 kills and 33 blocks.
Another round of voting includes the other classifications and will determine the Miss Volleyball and coach of the year honors.
The city of Winter Park joined contributors in breaking ground Wednesday on a new Cady Way Beach Volleyball Complex that will have competition-level courts. The project, with sponsor Orlando Health and the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation (aquatics), includes plans to include a new 50-meter competition pool, upgraded locker rooms and expanded programs.
Boys basketball
Lake Highland Prep (3-0) plays at Edgewater (5-0) in a big Thursday 7:30 p.m. matchup.
DJ Hines scored 21 points with seven assists, seven steals andfive rebounds for Master’s Academy (4-1) in a 64-51 win against Celebration (3-1).
Mateo Medina scored 30 points for Geneva School (3-0) in an 88-56 win vs. Circle Christian. The Knights play Thursday at Lake Mary Prep (4-0).
Alexander Dipaolo scored 30 for CFCA in a 63-52 loss to Edgewater.
Timber Creek’s Ethan Espinal had 28 points with six 3-pointers as the Wolves (3-1) dealt Wekiva (4-1) its first loss.
Eustis (5-1) dealt Orlando University (2-1) its first loss, 78-74 in overtime.
Senior guard DeAndre’ Curate is averaging 23.3 points for Mount Dora Christian (3-0).
Legacy Charter (4-0) won 63-36 against Ocoee (0-4).
Orlando high school basketball: Edgewater Eagles (4-0) continue challenging schedule
Girls basketball
Sarah Jean had 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine steals for Oak Ridge (5-0) in a 63-36 win vs. Boone.
Leesburg (4-0) dealt Lecanto (2-1) its first loss, 42-37, Tuesday.
Metro Conference tournaments have semifinals on Thursday and finals on Friday.
Lake Howell (5-0) plays at Hagerty (4-0) on Friday.
Girls soccer
Lake Minneola (6-0-2) and Mount Dora Christian (6-0-1) played to a 0-0 tie Tuesday.
Horizon (8-0-2) plays at Lake Minneola next Tuesday night.
Boys soccer
Innovation (7-0-1) dealt West Orange (3-1) its first loss, 4-1, on Tuesday.
Windermere Prep (7-0-1) and Orangewood Christian (2-1-2) played to a 1-1.
Olympia (6-0) hosts Windermere High (6-0-3) on Friday night.
Wrestling
Kissimmee Osceola hosts the Danny Byron Memorial Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
Saturday’s Let Freedom Ring girls tournament brings some 60 teams to Freedom High School.
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com. Chris Martucci reported the Lake Mary girls soccer win.