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FHSAA State Championships: Rural Recap

May 15, 2025
Rocco Iervasi & Cayden Hatcher
Prep Baseball Florida Directors


FORT MYERS, FL – The 2025 FHSAA Class Rural Baseball State Championships delivered a thrilling showcase of small-town talent, with the Holmes County Blue Devils emerging as champions in a dramatic three-game journey at Hammond Stadium. From dominant pitching to clutch hits, the Blue Devils’ path to the title was a testament to grit, teamwork, and late-game heroics.

Semifinal: Holmes County vs. Port St. Joe

The journey began on Wednesday, May 14, as Holmes County faced the Port St. Joe Sharks in a semifinal clash. The Blue Devils leaned on their ace, Lyndan Flanary, who took the mound with a quiet confidence that belied the stakes. Flanary was nearly untouchable, striking out 10 batters over six innings while allowing just one hit and one run. His command set the tone, but the game remained tight early.

Port St. Joe struck first in the fourth, when Peyton Knox’s single brought home a run, giving the Sharks a 1-0 lead. The crowd at Hammond Stadium buzzed, sensing an upset. But Holmes County had other plans. In the bottom of the fourth, the Blue Devils erupted for five runs, flipping the game on its head. A critical error by Port St. Joe opened the floodgates, allowing two runs to score, while Flanary himself chipped in with a two-RBI performance, going 2-for-4 at the plate.

Port St. Joe’s Baylor Partie battled valiantly, pitching six innings and allowing five runs—none earned—while striking out four. But the Sharks couldn’t recover from the fourth-inning collapse. Kash Nelson sealed the deal for Holmes County, tossing a shutout inning in relief. The 5-1 victory sent the Blue Devils to the championship game.

Semifinal: Lafayette vs. Trenton

On the other side of the bracket, the Lafayette Hornets faced the Trenton Tigers in a battle of offensive firepower and pitching prowess. Ethan Tuten was a force on the mound, racking up 12 strikeouts over seven innings while surrendering just three hits and one run. Trenton drew first blood in the first inning when Pierson Weatherilt was hit by a pitch, driving in a run for a 1-0 lead. But Tuten settled in, stifling the Tigers’ bats.

Lafayette’s offense woke up in the fourth, with Jordan Murphy’s double down the left-field line and Tywan Williamson’s single to center sparking a rally. The Hornets piled on four runs, finishing with 11 hits in the game. Murphy led with two RBIs and went 2-for-3, while Garrett Taylor went a perfect 3-for-3. Trenton’s Brant Bivens fought hard but took the loss after 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits. Lafayette’s relentless hitting secured a 5-1 win, setting up a finals showdown with Holmes County.


Final: Holmes County vs. Lafayette

On Thursday, May 15, under the lights of Hammond Stadium, Holmes County and Lafayette battled for the Class Rural crown in a game that came down to the final pitch. The pitching duel was electric, with Holmes County’s Bradley Garrett and Lafayette’s Hyatt Richardson trading blows. Garrett, a lefty, allowed one run on six hits over seven innings, striking out five. Richardson matched him, giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits over 6.2 innings, with two strikeouts.

Holmes County struck first in the opening inning, as Rayce Griffin’s groundout brought home a run for a 1-0 lead. Lafayette answered in the fourth, tying the game at 1-1 when Trevor Byrd grounded out to plate a run. Noah Lamb led the Hornets’ offense, going 2-for-2, but the game remained deadlocked as both pitchers refused to budge.

As the seventh inning arrived, tension gripped the stands. With the score tied and two outs, Holmes County’s Lyndan Flanary stepped to the plate. The same pitcher who had dominated Port St. Joe now held the championship in his hands. Flanary, who went 2-for-4 in the game, laced a single into the outfield, sending Colby Powell racing home for the walk-off 2-1 victory. The Blue Devils’ dugout erupted, mobbing Flanary at first base as Holmes County claimed the 2025 state title.


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