Student wins Orange Bowl art contest

Miami Northwestern High School student Michael Spears was named grand prize winner of the 2010 Orange Bowl Creative Art Contest sponsored by the Orange Bowl Committee, Baptist Health South Florida and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

The contest was open to K-12 students in Miami-Dade and Broward counties who were asked to create posters reflective of this year’s Orange Bowl Festival theme, “Eat Well, Live Well, Play Well.”

The following were the winners in each category: 

• K-2 grade – Jannelle Garcia, 1st place, and Julian Vargas, 2nd place, Doral Academy Charter Elementary School; Diago Gomez, 3rd place, Hialeah Elementary School

• 3-5 grade – Zak Visnjic, 1st place, Pembroke Pines Charter Elementary School- Central; Ashley Arbelaez, 2nd place, and Ricardo Matthews, 3rd place, Doral Academy Charter Elementary School

• 6-8 grade – Michelle Bonilla, 1st place, Hammocks Middle School;  Dayna-Leise Lawrence, 2nd place, and Caitlin Brown, 3rd place, Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School-Central

• 9-12 grade – Luke Valentine, 1st place, Western High School; Liliet Fernandez, 2nd place, Southwest Miami High School; Maria Alvarez, 3rd place, Coral Springs High School.

First place winners each get a $200 Savings Bond and burritos for 10 at Chipotle Mexican Grill; second place winners each get a $100 Savings Bond and burritos for four; and third place winners, a $50 Savings Bond and burritos for two.

The contest was among a series of events sponsored by the Orange Bowl Committee to usher in the Orange Bowl Festival.

As part of those events, 24 youth football teams competed for league titles at the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance Championships presented by Sports Authority in association with community sponsor Wachovia bank on Dec. 11-12 at the Florida International University Stadium.

In the first game, the Olinda Park Bulls defeated the North Miami Beach Sun Devils 12-6 in a 175-lb. division championship game. Olinda Park’s Lezhan Jones intercepted a deflected pass in the fourth quarter and later scored the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard run with 1:31 left in the game.

The WCFL All-Stars beat the Dick Conley Hurricanes 19-12 in the 85-lb. division. Maximus Martinez had a pair of touchdown runs, including a one-yard keeper in overtime to secure the win for the All-Stars.

In a 120-lb. division all-star game, the PBCYFL won 19-0 against the WCFL. Todd Centeio led the WCFL All-Stars with a
one-yard rushing touchdown and 44-yard touchdown pass to Varrick Davis.

A PBCYFL-WCFL rematch in the 140-lb. weight class saw the WCFL All-Stars claim a 14-12 victory. Jake Moschella’s 15-yard rushing touchdown with 3:26 left in the third quarter proved to be the game-winner.

The Homestead Hurricanes beat the PBCYFL All-Stars 12-0 in the 165 lb. division. Scores by Jimmy Plata Jr. on an 11-yard run
and McCathy Briere on a 32-yard interception return were enough to ensure a Hurricanes victory.

The WCFL All-Stars closed out the day with their third victory, this time in the 105-lb division, following a 19-0 shutout of the Homestead Hurricanes. Charles Richardson led the All-Stars with two touchdowns, including a 25-yard kickoff return in the first quarter.

The Moore Park Generals opened the next day’s competition with a 20-6 win over the Dania Bears in the 75-lb. division championship. Kris Nealy’s one-yard touchdown run was the General’s first score.

Dania came back with a 6-0 victory against the Fort Pierce Seminoles in the 90-lb. division. The game’s only score came in the third quarter on a two-yard run by Alphonso Reliford.

The Lake Stephens Cardinals handed the Pahokee Baby Blue Devils a 25-0 loss in the 105-lb. division championship. Armstrong Johnson’s 82-yard touchdown run in the game’s opening minute sparked offensive touchdowns by Cameron Gatlin, Shelton Peak and Shemar Thornton of 14, 13 and one-yard, respectively.

The Kendall Hammocks Warriors beat the Broward Canes 24-0 to earn the 120-lb. division title. Harvey Clayton scored on a 19-yard run and a 35-yard punt return.

Olinda Park defeated the Doral Broncos 32-6 for the 130-lb. title. Daren Jones, Michael Robinson and Alexander Lemon had rushing touchdowns of 74, 38 and 38 yards, respectively, to compliment Javier Olayon’s touchdown return of 12 yards following a blocked punt.

The final game of the weekend featured a 19-13 win by the South Miami Grey Ghosts over the Pahokee Baby Blue Devils in a145-lb. division championship game. Wade Collier’s rushing score and Emmanuel Readon’s touchdown passes to Michael Pinacle and Kewon  Futch were enough to lift the Grey Ghosts to victory.