The FHSAA released its baseball playoff brackets Monday, and four area teams punched their tickets to the postseason. Their paths to Fort Myers, however, look very different.
Here’s a breakdown of each bracket and what lies ahead.
Class 5A, Region 1
- No. 1 Chiles vs. No. 8 Ponte Vedra*
- No. 2 Niceville* vs. No. 7 Beachside
- No. 3 Mosley vs. No. 6 Columbia*
- No. 4 Gulf Breeze vs. No. 5 Lincoln*
*District champion
In most regions, the Eagles would be the No. 1 seed. Instead, they sit at No. 2 behind a Chiles team with one of the strongest résumés in the state.
Niceville opens at home against Beachside in a game it should win. The winner will face either Mosley or Columbia in the Elite Eight. The Eagles played Mosley during the regular season and lost 6-5 after building a 5-0 lead and allowing six unanswered runs, so a rematch would carry extra weight. Columbia would be the more favorable draw, but Niceville should be favored in either matchup.
From there, a showdown with Chiles likely awaits. The Timberwolves have an impressive body of work, but they are beatable — and if any team in the region is positioned to knock them off, it’s an Eagles squad that looks like it’s peaking at the right time.
Class 4A, Region 1
- No. 1 Choctaw* vs. No. 8 Baker County
- No. 2 Bishop Kenny* vs. No. 7 Escambia
- No. 3 Clay* vs. No. 6 Wakulla*
- No. 4 Arnold vs. No. 5 St. Augustine
The road to Fort Myers runs through the Andy Snaith Baseball Complex, and the Indians caught a break with the bracket release. Choctaw has a clear path to the program’s first Final Four appearance.
The Indians open at home against a Baker County team that has won just three of its last six games. The winner will face either Arnold or St. Augustine, with St. Augustine representing the more favorable matchup, though Choctaw should be favored against Arnold as well.
A regional final would likely bring either Bishop Kenny or Clay, with Bishop Kenny presenting the biggest obstacle to a Final Four trip. Choctaw is the clear favorite in this region, but nothing is guaranteed.
Class 3A, Region 1
- No. 1 South Walton* vs. No. 8 Wolfson
- No. 2 Fernandina Beach* vs. No. 7 Bay*
- No. 3 Suwannee* vs. No. 6 West Nassau
- No. 4 West Florida Tech vs. No. 5 Baldwin
For Nick Borthwick’s squad, the road to the Final Four looks more like a coronation than a challenge. And it runs through the Hawks’ Nest.
South Walton opens at home against Wolfson in a game it should handle easily. The Elite Eight would then bring a district championship rematch with West Florida Tech or a matchup with Baldwin. The Jaguars gave the Seahawks a real test in the district championship, but South Walton should win a rematch.
A regional final would likely pit the Seahawks against Fernandina Beach or Suwannee — the latter a rematch of last year’s Elite Eight meeting. South Walton has played like a state championship favorite all season, and a failure to reach the Final Four would be a surprise.
Class 1A, Region 1
- No. 1 St. John’s Country Day* vs. No. 8 Cornerstone Classical
- No. 2 St. Joseph’s Academy vs. No. 7 Rocky Bayou*
- No. 3 St. John Paul II vs. No. 6 Covenant School*
- No. 4 North Florida Christian* vs. No. 5 Christ’s Church Academy
The Knights were not expected to host a playoff game. But thanks to their district championship moving them to the No. 7 seed, they will.
Rocky Bayou hosts St. Joseph’s Academy in the first round. The winner advances to face either St. John Paul II or Covenant School. Should the Knights reach the Elite Eight, top-seeded St. John’s Country Day would likely await.
The odds are stacked against Rocky Bayou. But don’t count the Knights out.
