SFCA, Neumann, ECS, and Estero Softball Advance; Fort Myers Baseball Wins Region Final Opener

Southwest Florida's baseball, softball, and track FHSAA playoff summary for the week of May 5-10, 2025.

WEDNESDAY

Softball

Class 1A-Region 3

SFCA 11, Canterbury 3: For the first time in 10 years, SFCA won an FHSAA regional quarterfinal game, downing St. Pete Canterbury.“Man, we just went to work,” SFCA coach Chris Davis said. “We scheduled even harder to prepare ourselves, because we were proud to make the state playoffs last year, but we wanted to actually win and get better. We decided we needed to play better competition…”A first inning riddled with fielding errors by the Crusaders (7-17) allowed the King's to score four runs. With two runners on, Vivian Stark singled to bring in Natalie Recker for the team’s first run.

In the subsequent at-bat, Olivia Tyler hit a single driving in Kaley Fleischer for the RBI. This led to yet another run for SFCA when Canterbury’s catcher made an error, overthrowing the third baseman in an effort to stop Stark from stealing, enabling Stark to score. The inning concluded with Jada DiMaria hitting an RBI double. During the interval between the top of the second and third innings, King’s (14-10) conceded two runs due to three walks and three successful stolen bases.

However, Aubrey Reilly delivered the momentum changer with her first home run to deep center field. This brought two runs to make it 6-2.“It was great to see,” Davis said. “We came out and we set a good tone with four runs right off the top. Then we made a couple of mistakes, let them right back in at 4-2. I thought she'd grabbed momentum back for us, and it just helped us keep it.”

A four-run fourth inning by SFCA effectively put the game away. A Tyler RBI single, Fleischer forced home a run on a walk, and a two-RBI double by Evee Lavender moved the score to 10-2. Each team scored one run apiece before the game ended in the seventh.“It's the next step for our program,” Davis said. “ We want to build a program that's sustainable. Whoever we play with their Seacrest or ECS, we want to give them our best showing, and we want to be proud of whatever we put on the field.”- Jeffrey Hrunka

St. John Neumann 11, Bradenton Christian 4: In the regional quarterfinals, the Celtics scored during their initial four turns at bat against Bradenton Christian and dominated the Panthers at St. John Neumann High School, posting nine runs following Bradenton Christian’s first two scores.

St. John Neumann (17-4) is set to play against Shorecrest Prep away in the 1A-3 semi-finals on Tuesday evening. Shorecrest Prep secured their spot by defeating Northside Christian with a score of 13-6.

Cecilia Spencer recorded four hits and three RBIs for Neumann. Sophia Escobar contributed with one hit and three RBIs. Jolie Barth drove in two runs. Additionally, Jennifer Drake got two hits.

“I am ecstatic about how we played. We came out aggressive on the bases,” said St. John Neumann coach Ashley Spencer. “We got behind early, but we didn’t give up. We stayed in it the whole time. We came in with a plan to be aggressive at the plate and be smart-aggressive on the bases, and we stuck to it. We tried not to chase things at the plate, but be aggressive, and I think we did it.”

The huge lead was safe for Escobar in the pitcher’s circle. After Bradenton Christian scored two in the first, Escobar posted five straight shutout innings.

It's always enjoyable being at home, but I believe we'll be excited about heading over to Shorecrest Prep," Spencer stated. "I anticipate it will make for an excellent contest, and I think the girls will have a blast on their journey. It should turn out to be quite a entertaining day.

Spencer calls Escobar the Celtics’ backbone.

She’s a fighter," Spencer stated. "She has shown resilience, even with her tiredness. This year, she performed exceptionally well without needing many innings. She wasn’t involved in too many complete seven-inning games during the season; however, she adapted nicely following the initial few hitters.

Sofia Puccia recorded three hits and one RBI for the Panthers (8-11).

“We just made too many mistakes and Neumann capitalized on them,” said Bradenton Christian coach Lacey Stovall. “They played a great game. Escobar just threw consistently. This is an emotional exit for our seven seniors, and there’s no consoling them right now.”

St. John Neumann is on a roll, having won six of its last seven. And the Celtics have won their last three by a 40-11 aggregate.

― Tom Corwin

ECS 19, Seacrest 0: The Sentinels (24-3) scored 10 in the first and nine in the second inning for a quick win. They'll host SFCA on Tuesday.

Class 2A-Region 3

Bishop Verot 12, Avon Park 2 (5 inn.) : The host Vikings put together an impressive performance in their state playoff opener to mercy-rule the Red Devils and advance to the Class 2A regional semifinal round for the third consecutive season.

On the mound, sophomore Paige Bettermann effectively worked her way out of trouble, allowing just one earned run on four hits and four walks while striking out seven. In the field, the Vikings played solid defense with senior center fielder McKenna Robbins laying out to snare a two-out liner to keep Avon Park off the scoreboard when the game was still in doubt.

At the plate, Robbins and senior second baseman Crimson Lawrence teamed up to achieve the cycle, with Lawrence having an impressive performance of 4-for-4 including a double, a two-run homer, and a two-run single to clinch victory for Bishop Verot (17-7).

She has maintained a consistently strong performance with her batting throughout the entire season," stated Coach Christopher Gatewood of the Vikings. "She has truly stepped up when it counts. Although our offensive efforts began somewhat slowly at the start of the year, our top three hitters possess remarkable swiftness as left-handed batters. If these players can make their way onto base and create opportunities ahead of her, she helps us score more points.

In the bottom of the first inning, Bishop Verot achieved this feat when freshman right fielder Willa Pagnutti drew a leadoff walk. Senior left fielder Jaelyn Riley, along with Dobbins and Lawrence, subsequently hit three consecutive singles, which aided the Vikings in establishing an early 4-0 advantage.

The Red Devils (13-11), who were competing in their inaugural state playoff game since 2006, managed to get runners to third base during the first three innings but failed to capitalize when it counted against Bettermann.

She has maintained this attitude throughout the entire season; I think she performs somewhat better under stress," Gatewood stated. "Honestly, I would prefer if she didn't place us in such tense scenarios sometimes, but she appears to truly step up her game when there are players on base and she realizes she needs to focus intently.

Avon Park scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth, making it 5-1. However, the Vikings responded in the bottom of that inning when the swift Robbins hit an RBI triple, followed by Lawrence smashing a two-run homer to right-center field. This extended Bishop Verot’s lead to 8-1, essentially securing their victory.

This season, our team is slightly more compact and quicker compared to recent years, which allows us to bring new players into the game and find scoring opportunities through various means," Gatewood stated. "Despite dealing with numerous injuries, everyone has been rising to the challenge and adapting to whichever role we've needed them in. Each player has shown selfless play, and this approach seems to be benefiting us.

On Tuesday, May 13, the Vikings will welcome Tampa Berkeley Prep for the regional semifinal match.

― Dan DeLuca

Class 3A-Region 4

Somerset Academy won 2-0 against Aubrey Rogers.

Cardinal Gibbons scored 4 points, while LaBelle scored 1 point.

Class 4A-Region 3

Estero 12, Hudson 7: In the second inning, the Wildcats secured their advancement with seven runs. On Tuesday, they'll be up against Osceola, who dominated Port Charlotte with a score of 10-0. Makenzie Baxter contributed significantly by driving in two runs and scoring another pair herself. Trenedy Eggleston notched down two hits along with bringing home two RBIs. Additionally, Lillian Peregrion managed a double, crossed home plate twice, and earned an RBI as well. Meanwhile, Madelyn Millette smashed a triple and also made her way across the plate twice. Ava Winebau shined brightly too, securing three hits, stealing bases four times, crossing home once, and delivering one more into play.

Class 4A-Region 4

Key West 7, Barron Collier 1

Baseball

Region 5A-3

Fort Myers 2, Braden River 1 Brady Best from Fort Myers High truly embodied his last name during Wednesday evening’s opening match of the Class 5A-Region 3 finals held at Braden River High.

The right-handed pitcher from The Green Wave conceded only three hits across six innings and permitted just one unearned run, helping Fort Myers (21-10) secure a narrow 2-1 win against the Pirates (18-11).

The best pitcher was engaged in a duel against Braden River’s southpaw, Denzel Diaz, who similarly pitched for six innings. Diaz allowed two earned runs off six hits and recorded six strikeouts. Notably, he struck out all three batters in the top of the second inning.

Brady has consistently performed well for us throughout the entire season," stated Brad Crone, who is in his second year as the head coach of Fort Myers. "When called upon, he stepped up as the next available player. This year, we haven't had a clear No. 1 pitcher. Brady has taken on the role of our third starter in each series.

“He delivered tonight in a big way. He kept them off balance. They have a really good hitting squad.”

Zander Mankin threw a scoreless seventh inning to secure the save for the Green Wave.

In the top of the third inning, The Green Wave secured all their runs when Mankin, starting at first base after getting a leadoff hit, set things in motion. Following this, shortstop Madrid Tucker managed an infield single, and subsequently, center fielder Michael Magas brought them both home with a double that sailed into the left-field wall.

We simply attempted to focus on small-ball tactics and create scoring opportunities," Crone stated. "We were aware that this wouldn't be a high-scoring match-up. This is sometimes how baseball unfolds. A single hit has the potential to alter the entire course of the game. It provided us with some breathing room.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Pirates managed to score their only run when third baseman Brayden Sands started the frame with a single. Sands eventually scored when second baseman Jackson Williams got on base due to a throwing error.

Other hits for Braden River included infield singles from designated hitter Luke Duffy and center fielder Nick Curbelo, along with a solid line drive to left field by right fielder Jacoby Cox.

That’s precisely why you play a three-game series," stated Gregory Creek, the head coach at Braden River. "Both pitchers were consistently hitting their spots. We made some solid contact but our hits just didn't drop. With an additional hit or two, the outcome would be completely different. Such is the nature of baseball.

'We simply need to maintain our aggression. We've stayed aggressive throughout the entire season. Our strategy will be to consistently attack the strike zone with another pitcher and see where it takes us. The nature of baseball is unpredictable. Even when you execute everything perfectly, victory isn’t guaranteed. That’s just how the sport goes.'

On Thursday evening, the two squads face off once more in the crucial second match of the best-of-three region final series. Following their late-night arrival back in Fort Myers from Wednesday’s game, The Green Wave will embark on another long journey to Bradenton for this pivotal matchup.

These are the circumstances we're facing," Crone stated. "We've traveled this path before. We'll make the necessary adjustments. We'll move with the current.

Following their defeat in the initial regional quarterfinal against Gulf Coast, the Green Wave rallied to win the subsequent two matches against the Sharks. Advancing further, Fort Myers triumphed over the region’s highest-ranked team, Charlotte High, securing victories in both games held in Punta Gorda to earn a spot in the regional finals.

Braden River won a pair of games at home over Mariner High in its regional quarterfinal before doing the same thing to Manatee High in its regional semifinal series.

― James Brockman

Fort Myers Signing Ceremony

Fort Myers High School celebrated with a spring signing event for 20 student-athletes who will continue their athletic careers at higher levels. Here’s where they’re headed: 1. Craig Allard Jr., cross country and track - North Florida. 2. Amelia Alonso, golf - Southern Wesleyan. 3. Daniel Bautista-Martinez, cross country - Ave Maria. 4. Troy Britton, cross country and track - Stetson. 5. Bria Brockington, soccer - Warner. 6. Masha Dorofeev, cross country and track - UCF. 7. Gabby Dwyer, beach volleyball - Tulane. 8. Amber Englehart, volleyball - Stetson. 9. Luke Fleming, football and baseball - Ave Maria. 10. Landon Gomez, soccer - Ave Maria. 11. Julia Lemmon, track - Stanford. 12. Monica Mercado, basketball - Eastern University. 13. Ashton Mora, baseball - Pasco Hernando State College. 14. Jose Paz Terán, soccer - Weber. 15. Lyza Pentara, flag football - Barry. 16. Cedar Reilly, cross country and track - Southern Connecticut State. 17. Sage Rodmyre, softball - Maryland. 18. Ashlee Tenkley, beach volleyball - North Florida. 19. And Joelle White, track - FAU.

TUESDAY

Baseball

Class 3A-Region 3

Bishop Verot 5, Calvary Christian 4: The Vikings coach Casey Scott had a straightforward message for his team before Tuesday’s crucial match against the Warriors.

Just head out and join our game," he stated. "If we do this, we're at ease with whatever outcomes arise.

Although it might not have been particularly cozy, Bishop Verot came through when it counted, overcoming a three-run shortfall to push the game into a third round on Thursday in Clearwater.

That's a fantastic initiative over here, so we understood it wouldn't be simple," Scott stated. "I'm simply incredibly proud of everyone persevering throughout.

In their second successive match, Calvary Christian (29-4) once again employed a strategy involving smaller players and took advantage of several errors made by the Viking defense to take an early lead. During the initial frame, the Warriors converted an infield hit, a successful squeeze play, a softly-hit single, and yet another well-placed bunt into the contest's inaugural score.

During the second inning, Calvary Christian scored an additional two runs against Vikings starting pitcher Blake Lavenia; one of these runs was due to catcher Ashton Recore hitting a home run, with the other resulting from a fielding mistake by Bishop Verot.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Vikings (31-2) finally got on the board with a solo home run from Grayson Carpenter, scoring their initial runs of the series.

The Warriors seemed ready to take control of the game in the fourth quarter as they loaded the bases with nobody out against Bishop Verot’s relief pitcher, Boston Selig. However, Calvary Christian could only manage to score one run from this situation. The lone run was scored due to a failed suicide bunt attempt; Warrior player Tripp Fecarotta successfully evaded the tag during a rundown and made it across home plate. In their next turn at bat for additional runs, Calvary Christian had runners reach via a two-out hit by Brett Garcy. Nevertheless, Carpenter tagged out Recore at home plate, preventing further scoring and keeping the scoreboard reading 4-1.

The Vikings narrowed the gap to 4-2 when Carpenter hit an RBI double with two outs against Warriors' reliever Cooper Notz. The southpaw prevented additional harm by fanning Verot's second baseman, Braylon Sheffield, stranding runners on second and third to conclude the frame.

However, Notz and Calvary Christian were not as lucky in the fifth inning. Vikings' third baseman Joey Lawson started things off with a double, followed by first baseman Nick Raber who earned a walk. This brought up Brody Baxmann, the sophomore outfielder. On Notz’s initial offering, Baxmann swung aggressively and sent the ball over the right-field fence, giving Bishop Verot their first lead of the series.

I simply wanted to catch him off guard," Baxmann stated. "I went for a fastball on the very first pitch; I was aware of my capabilities. It all came down to having faith in myself.

In the meantime, Selig stabilized after a somewhat uncertain start, preventing the Warriors from scoring for the last three innings, which helped prolong Bishop Verot’s campaign.

“That’s quite an achievement for a sophomore right there,” Scott commented about Selig. “He has had to step up in crucial moments, and he’s performed well. He was really enthusiastic, and his energy rubbed off on our team, allowing us to create that significant scoring opportunity and provide him with the backing he needed.”

We're really looking forward to returning to work tomorrow and having the chance to head up there on Thursday.

— Dan DeLuca

Class 1A-Region 3

Canterbury 6, St. John Neumann 5 (8 innings) In a regional finals series filled with numerous thrilling moments in the later innings, it was Canterbury’s turn on Tuesday to achieve some dramatic comebacks.

The Cougars (23-11) scored twice in the eighth inning, getting right off the mat after a surprising St. Neumann rally to force it into extra innings, and tied their regional final series to send the series back north for a decisive Game 3.

“Right now, it’s a battle of attrition, and the will to want it,” Canterbury coach Frank Turco said. “We think our kids will rally and find a way to figure it out. It’s a chess match out there. We have been resilient, and this is one of the crazier teams I’ve ever had. And this is one of my most enjoyable teams. I don’t know how we’ll pull a rabbit out of the hat, but we’re going to try.”

On Monday evening during the first game, Neumann secured a 4-3 win with two runs in their final turn at bat.

On Tuesday, Canterbury’s starting pitcher J.T. Huether had nearly dominated Neumann until the Celtics burst into action with four runs across their last two turns at bat.

Huether kept the Celtics (20-12) to just a single hit over his initial five innings of work. Neumann’s starting pitcher, Jackson Clark, also performed admirably, allowing merely three hits throughout 5 1/3 innings.

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Celtics' left fielder Gus Fusco tied the game at 4-4 when he reached base on an error with the bases loaded, forcing the game to go into extra innings.

This is exactly how we envisioned this series—games going into crucial moments," stated Coach Charlie Maurer of Neumann. "I believed the squad executing more cleanly would come out victorious. Unfortunately, we committed far too many errors and provided them additional opportunities on base. Despite our reservations, we support this fresh series structure, and we'll leave everything up to chance on Thursday. Hats off to J.T.—he really threw us for a loop.

Fusco recorded two hits and two RBIs for Neumann. Nick Frontino also contributed with two RBIs.

Adams Mejia recorded three hits for the Cougars. Ashby Piatt contributed with two hits and two RBIs, while Noah Kiefer also got two hits.

In the sixth inning, the Celtics initiated a rally when Darian Kester got to first base after being hit by a pitch and Frontino smashed a home run to left field, a 360-foot shot that reduced the Cougar lead by half.

— Tom Corwin

Class 4A-Region 3

Jesuit 9, Barron Collier 0: The Cougars were unable to score in consecutive matches against the hosting Tigers, who will head back to Fort Myers for yet another Final Four appearance with Coach Miguel Menendez at the helm.

From the beginning, Alan Overmyer faced challenges as he let Jesuit’s initial six hitters step up to home plate successfully, resulting in an early score of 4-0 following the opening frame. His difficulties persisted into the third inning with his team trailing 5-0; then Brody Smith hit a homerun extending their lead to 7-0. This marked the end of Junior's stint where he conceded seven hits along with six earned runs plus two bases-on-balls versus striking out four opponents across only 2⅓ innings pitched.

Barron's batters struggled against Kaden Waechter, who gave up only three hits and one walk while recording 10 strikeouts. At the same time, Waechter managed to go 2 for 3 with a double at the plate. On the other hand, Wilson Andersen came close to achieving the cycle but needed one more home run; he hit an impressive 4 for 4 off of Barron's pitchers.

The Cougar team (24-9) recorded their highest number of victories in a single season since 2006, where under coach Ted Parsons' guidance, they achieved a record of 28-4 along with reaching the State Final Four in Class 5A.

— Staff at the Naples Daily News

MONDAY

Baseball

View FHSAA baseball games on the NFHS Network

Class 1A-Region 3

St. John Neumann 4, Canterbury 3 The Celtics won Monday's game dramatically, securing a 4-3 walk-off victory against the Cougars.

Neumann came back from a 3-1 deficit in the seventh inning. When Cole Travers hit a double into the left-center field gap, it set up an opportunity. Then, an error occurred with the bases filled, allowing the winning run to score.

In the fourth inning, Canterbury got on the board first when J.T. Huether scored a run following his double. The advantage was extended to 3-0 by Anthony Tenuto who hit a home run to right field against starting pitcher Owen Phypers from Neumann.

In the sixth inning, Tenuto was brought in to replace Ashby Piatt, who had pitched for five innings. During this time, he allowed just two hits, walked four batters, and gave up one unearned run along with striking out four hitters—all of which came on 80 total pitches. Tenuto then kept things scoreless through his own sixth-inning appearance but ran into trouble in the seventh. There, Boston University managed to put pressure on him, resulting in them getting two hits and drawing another walk. This ultimately led to Three earned runs being scored off Tenuto as well.

Anthony Kanellos got the win for Neumann, surrendering no hits and no runs over a scoreless seventh, striking out two.

Travers led Neumann with two hits from the leadoff position. Nick Frontino and Travers each drove in one run, while the team finished with seven walks. Beau Rurey and Darien Kester led the team with two bases on balls each.

Neumann aims to make a comeback at the Final Four under coach Squeeze Maurer tonight against the Cougars, with the game set to start at 7:30 PM.

— Staff at the Naples Daily News

Class 3A-Region 3

Calvary Christian 4, Bishop Verot 0: Mistakes plagued the Vikings during their Monday night game, with all of the Warriors' runs being unearned. The Calvary secured Verot's second defeat of the season with a decisive 4-0 victory.

After the second inning, North Carolina recruit Joey Lawson couldn’t record another strikeout as Calvary adapted to facing him. Lawson committed four errors in the field, with Verot’s bunting strategy effectively capitalizing against the Warriors. Over his 5 1/3 innings pitched, he gave up three hits, zero earned runs, walked four, and struck out two players.

Together, Verot players managed only 2 hits out of 19 attempts and also drew four walks. Committing to Ole Miss, Grayson Gibson (with a record of 10 wins against no losses and an ERA of 0.32) fanned 10 batters from Verot, which included Lawson, who struck out three times.

The Vikings will try to stave off elimination when they face a Warrior squad heavy with pitchers on Tuesday night in Game 2.

— The News-Press staff

Class 4A-Region 3

Jesuit 8, Barron Collier 0: Wilson Andersen, who has committed to Florida State, pitched effectively yet again, giving up only one hit and a walk while recording 16 strikeouts against Barron Collier batters.

Anderson, Kaden Waechter, Christian Sheffield, and Bryce Besecke all hit home runs in Jesuit’s victory, with Anderson contributing two doubles as well. Brody Smith also recorded an extra-base hit, helping the Tigers finish 9 out of 27 at bat as a team.

Barron Collier saw a singular hit from Grady Gallen in the loss, going 1 for 22 at the plate.

The Cougars will aim to stave off elimination tomorrow and force a deciding Game 3 back home on Thursday.

— Naples Daily News staff

Softball

Watch FHSAA softball on NFHS Network

The Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) for District 18, which includes 38 high schools across Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Hendry, and Glades counties, has chosen their coaches and players of the year. Below are the recipients.

Player of the Year

Keyah Kamara - Independent at Mason Classical Academy

Rural: Preslynn Baker - Moore Haven

1A: Keaunna Green - evangelical Christian

2A: Crimson Lawrence - Bishop Verot High School

3A: Jayline Martinez - Aubrey Rogers

4A: Gianna Frino - Barron Collier

5A: Abigail Hynes from North Fort Myers

6A: Mallory Tiedeman - Gateway

7A: Yasmin Silva - Lehigh

Coach of the Year

Independent: Ted Alpert - Mason Classical Academy

Rural Area: Preston Baker - Moore Haven

1A: Ashley Spencer - Saint John Neumann

2A: Chris Gatewood - Bishop Verot High School

3A: Holly Davis - Aubrey Rodgers

4A: Riley Goff - Port Charlottee

5A: Brian Hodgson - Gulf Coast

6A: Mark Peterson - Portalgateway

7A: Arial Raulerson - Lehigh

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The article initially appeared in the Fort Myers News-Press. SFCA, Neumann, ECS, and Estero softball move forward; Fort Myers baseball wins region finals Game 1