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FHSAA State Championships: 1A Recap

May 16, 2025
Rocco Iervasi & Cayden Hatcher
Prep Baseball Florida Directors



FORT MYERS, FL – The 2025 FHSAA Class 1A Baseball State Championships at Hammond Stadium delivered a gripping three-game saga, culminating in the Canterbury Cougars hoisting the title after a dominant performance. Through stellar pitching, timely hitting, and clutch plays, Canterbury carved their path to victory, overcoming fierce competition from St. Johns Country Day, Brito, and Orangewood Christian in a showcase of Florida’s finest small-school baseball talent.

Semifinal: St. Johns Country Day vs. Brito

The semifinals kicked off on Wednesday, May 14, with St. Johns Country Day Spartans facing the Brito Panthers in a pitcher’s duel that kept fans on edge. Brayden Harris, the Spartans’ ace, was a force on the mound, hurling 5.2 scoreless innings, striking out eight, and allowing just four hits. Brito’s Samuel Castro matched him pitch for pitch, surrendering only two runs on two hits over six innings while fanning five, but it wasn’t enough to stop St. Johns’ early spark.


The Spartans struck in the bottom of the first, as Preston Cole’s double to center field and Harris’ bases-loaded walk plated two runs, giving St. Johns a 2-0 lead. That slim margin held, thanks to Harris’ dominance and a shutdown relief appearance by Chandler Dantzler, who tossed 1.1 scoreless innings with a strikeout.


The Panthers fought back, with Raivon Pinder and Luis Diaz each collecting two hits but it wasn't enough as the 2-0 victory sent St. Johns Country Day to the 1A championship.

Semifinal: Canterbury vs. Orangewood Christian

In the other semifinal, the Canterbury Cougars clashed with the Orangewood Christian Rams in a game that stretched to extra innings, testing both teams’ resolve. The pitchers set the tone early, with Canterbury’s JT Huether striking out 12 over six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. Orangewood’s Max Sakala was equally sharp, tossing four scoreless innings with four strikeouts.


Orangewood drew first blood in the top of the first, as Austin Wendorf’s single brought home a run for a 1-0 lead. Wendorf, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, kept the Rams’ offense humming. Canterbury answered in the sixth, tying the game at 2-2 after an error and Brayden Habuda’s fielder’s choice brought in runs.

As the game moved to the eighth inning, tied at 2-2, Canterbury’s Noah Keifer stepped up. The leadoff hitter, who went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, delivered a walk-off single, sending a teammate racing home for the 3-2 victory.


Final: Canterbury vs. St. Johns Country Day

On Thursday, May 15, the Canterbury Cougars and St. Johns Country Day Spartans met under the Fort Myers lights for the Class 1A title, and Canterbury’s balanced attack proved too much. The Cougars jumped ahead in the first inning, as Ever Silvente’s single drove in a run for a 1-0 lead. An error by St. Johns in the second allowed another run, making it 2-0.


Canterbury extended their lead in the third, with Silvente grounding out and Anthony Meady singling to center, each plating a run to push the score to 4-0. Meady, who started on the mound, was stellar, allowing just one run on four hits over five innings, striking out four. Silvente, the catcher, led the offense with two RBIs, going 1-for-3, while Meady and Keifer each added two hits.

St. Johns battled back, showing patience with six walks and getting RBIs from Brayden Harris and Nick Bowden. Despite a late push in the seventh, the Spartans couldn’t overcome Canterbury’s early surge. Anthony Tenuto closed the last two innings as the Cougars would go on to win 6-2 in the State Championship Game.


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