Another month of high-level performances made narrowing the field no easy task.
From unbeaten football teams to state-ranked golf programs and postseason contenders on the volleyball court, these teams gave Palm Beach County sports fans plenty to celebrate throughout September.
To recognize those accomplishments, The Palm Beach Post is pleased to release September's "Team of the Month" poll, highlighting the top high school team performances from the previous month. Readers will have the chance to vote for the area program they believe had the best month, regardless of sport. Polls will close at noon on Oct. 6.
If you would like to nominate a team for future editions, contact deputy sports editor Eric J. Wallace (ejwallace@usatoday.com) or prep
sports reporter Alex Peterman (apeterman@usatoday.com). Nominees from all in-season sports are welcome.
The Post's Team of the Month (September)
Jupiter football
The Warriors went a perfect 3-0 in September and showed plenty of resilience along the way, erasing a 14-point deficit to beat Palm Beach Lakes. Jupiter also leaned on a stingy defense that allowed fewer than 11 points per game during the month. September success has become routine for the Warriors, who are 11-2 over the month during the past four seasons.
Royal Palm Beach football
Royal Palm Beach responded from a heartbreaking season-opening loss to go 4-0 in September, highlighted by wins over Archbishop McCarthy and South Fork in a four-day span. The Wildcats navigated injuries to key players and never lost momentum, quickly establishing themselves as one of the county's hottest teams.
King's Academy football
Time after time, the Lions delivered in September's biggest moments. King's Academy went 3-0 during the month, highlighted by a last-minute blocked field goal to beat Miami Beach and a stunning late comeback to force overtime and defeat American Heritage-Delray. Turns out "survive and advance" isn't just for the playoffs.
Seminole Ridge volleyball
The Hawks put together one of the area's best months, compiling a 16-2 record in September. Seminole Ridge handled a busy schedule with consistency and has positioned itself well for a district title run and favorable regional playoff seeding.
Benjamin golf
September belonged to Benjamin. The Buccaneers swept the team titles at the South Florida PGA West Coast High School Championship, with Matthew Stigliano and Reese McMillan claiming individual crowns. The boys also won Palm League and Central Florida Prep Invitational titles, helping the boys finish the month ranked No. 1 in Florida and the girls No. 5.
Spanish River cross country
Spanish River delivered the top local performance at its home invitational. Seniors Casey Sangely and Alba Antunez-Perez won championship-flight individual titles, while Antunez-Perez helped lead the Sharks' girls team to the team championship with all five scoring runners finishing in the top 15. The standout performances came in the season debut for both runners.
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: September's Best: Vote for Palm Beach County 'Team of the Month'
