Columbus Fall Sports Round-Up
By Mark Tanner
As the fall sports season reaches its midpoint, Christopher Columbus athletes have given the Explorer community plenty to celebrate. From the golf team's tournament victories to the swim and dive team’s stellar performance, Columbus athletes continue to demonstrate the hard work and determination that define Explorer athletics. The Explorers have established themselves as competitors to watch this fall.
Golf: Explorers Take First at Youth Fair Championship
The Columbus golf team has been putting together an impressive fall, with a first-place finish at the Dade County Youth Fair Championship on Sept.28 as its highlight. Competing against more than 20 Miami-Dade high school teams, the Explorers finished with a team score of 284, just four strokes over par.
Sophomore Sebastian Eterovic led the way, shooting a six-under-par 64 to capture the individual championship. Junior Jake Williams also delivered a strong performance, finishing tied for third with a one-over-par 71. Seniors Eduardo Perez Sainz, Eduardo Marin and Hector Perez Sainz contributed scores of 74, 75 and 76, respectively.
The team continued its success at the Lakewood Ranch Invitational, finishing third out of 22 teams. After opening with a 292 in the first round, Columbus bounced back with a 282 in the second round to finish with a combined score of 574.
With multiple strong finishes and contributions from golfers across all grade levels, Columbus has shown that it can compete with some of the best teams in the area.
Cross Country: A Dominant Performance at King of the Hill
The Columbus cross country team delivered a standout performance at the King of the Hill Invitational at Tropical Park on Sept. 10.
Despite some lightning delays that forced the JV and V boys races to be put together, the Hellions finished in first place. Junior Nicholas Garcia led the way, completing the 5k in just 16 minutes and 43 seconds to claim the individual title.
Against a field of 340 runners representing 30 teams, Columbus recorded 17 personal-best times. The results showed the teams' depth and the progress they have made throughout the off-season.
Swim and Dive: Boys Capture GMAC Championship
The Columbus swim and dive team has enjoyed a very productive stretch, highlighted by a championship victory at the 2026 GMAC Championships.
Before claiming the GMAC title, a team of 17 swimmers and 2 divers traveled to Ocala for the Florida Swims Annual High School Invitational on Oct. 4. The Explorers finished third in the boys' division, improving by one position from the previous year.
Divers Gianmarco La Neve and Trevor Paz placed third and sixth, respectively. In the pool, Ilan Villar finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke, while Marcel Cowley placed second in the 100-yard backstroke and third in the 200-yard individual medley.
Tomas Franchak also finished sixth in the 200-yard individual medley.
The team followed that amazing performance with a first-place finish at the GMAC Championships. After being 4 points behind Miami Beach halfway through the competition, Columbus rallied to finish with 127 points, comfortably ahead of Miami Beach’s 88.
Several Explorers delivered first-place individual finishes. Cowley won the 100-yard backstroke, Jacob Bargues took first in the 500-yard freestyle, and Jorvir Tigrero finished first among Columbus swimmers in the 100-yard freestyle standings with a second-place overall finish.
The relay teams also played a major role in the championship. Columbus won the 400-yard freestyle relay and finished second in the 200-yard medley relay, while the 200-yard freestyle relay earned third place.
The GMAC victory gives the Explorers another accomplishment to build on as they prepare fot their next invitational at Belen.
Football: Explorers Build Momentum
The Varsity football team has continued to establish itself as one of South Florida’s top programs, putting together a strong and dominant start to the 2026 season.
One of the team's earliest victories came on Aug. 29, when Columbus defeat. Bishop Gorman of Nevada, 33-28. Although Columbus later fell to the No.1 team in the nation, St. Thomas Aquinas, 31-24, they responded with a string of victories.
Columbus defeated Palmetto 34-7 and South Dade 45-7 before recording back-to-back shutouts against Homestead and Southwest Miami. The Explorers defeated Homestead 58-0 on Sept. 24 and followed it with a 53-0 victory over Southwest on Oct. 1.
Most recently, Columbus defeated Coral Gables 51-13 on Oct. 9, extending its winning streak to five games and improving its overall record to 7-1.
The offense has been led by senior QB Kai Moore, who threw for 100 yards and four touchdowns against Coral Gables. Junior WR Tony Brown III has also contributed to the passing attack, while senior Cecil Smith has provided production as a running back and receiver.
Defensively, junior linebacker Chanavis Chance and senior defensive end Phillip Jones have been among the team’s statistical leaders.
With district victories piling up, the Explorers are right where they want to be for the remainder of the regular season. Their upcoming matchup against Miami Central on Oct. 16 will provide another major test as they look to continue their winning run.
Bowling: Benigno Delivers a Near-Perfect Game
Senior Jake Benigno rolled a match high of 278, coming close to a perfect game of 300.
Bowling a 278 requires crazy precision and consistency, making this performance a standout achievement for Benigno and the Explorers. His score shows the individual talent Columbus athletes display across all of the school’s sports programs.
As the season unfolds, the bowling team will look to build on performances like Benigno’s and continue competing against its opponents.
One School, One Team
Across the golf course, running trails, swimming pools, football field, and bowling lanes, Columbus athletes have given the school plenty of reasons to be proud and go out to support their school. Each team has found success in its own way, whether it's individual championships, personal bests, team trophies, or impressive win streaks.
As the fall season unfolds, the Explorers look to build on these accomplishments and pursue even higher goals. The season is far from over, and the Explorer community has plenty more to look forward to.
Which sport are you most excited to watch?
Football
Swimming
Bowling
Cross Country
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