Spring break has come and gone in Alachua and the surrounding counties, which means the spring sports season has begun to speed toward the finish line.
The boys and girls lacrosse seasons will be over by this week’s end. Flag football follows a few days later. Even baseball, due to a new postseason format, sees its regular season end in about a week and a half.
That means we know which teams and storylines are ones you need to watch as the regular season concludes.
Here are some of those storylines, especially based off the latest FHSAA rankings:
Can Buchholz get back to Fort Myers?
It certainly seems like it right now. The Bobcats’ hot start began to draw the attention of pundits with a stunning upset of Jacksonville’s Trinity Christian (ranked No. 6 in the state).
Since that upset three weeks ago, BHS has kept on winning. It cruised through tough competition from the Knoxville area in Panama City Beach and are now one of just two undefeated teams in Florida and ranked third statewide.
Buchholz’s depth is what puts it a cut above everyone else. Blake Brewer leads the squad with 26 RBIs, which is still top 20 in the state. However, four ‘Cats have more than 10 RBIs. On the mound, Wyatt Clarke holds a 0.31 ERA.
Despite their high ranking, the ‘Cats have zero commits to Power 4 schools. Coach Ron Brooks thinks that gives the team a chip on their shoulder.
“I don’t know if they’ve been under-recruited or whatever,” Brooks said after the 6-1 win Saturday over Osceola. “They just want to go out and represent Buchholz the best we can.”
Unfortunately for Buchholz, Class 6A’s second best team – Pace – is in BHS’ region, but the Bobcats look like they can handle any team in Florida right now.
Which is the best softball team in Alachua County?
In the first softball rankings, released Monday, four Alachua County teams are in playoff contention right now. Santa Fe seems like the best. The Raiders are the area’s highest-ranked team at No. 26 statewide. Sure, they are seventh in Class 3A, but a few spots separate SF with Eustis and Crystal River. J’lyn Guyden is arguably the most potent player in the class. Her 27 RBIs lead 3A and rank fifth in Florida. A test Tuesday vs. Columbia should teach us a lot about the squad.
Newberry also shouldn’t be ignored. The Panthers are having their best season in program history at a perfect 10-0 so far. The schedule does ramp up a bit in the second half of the season, and they are stuck with Montverde in their region. NHS still expects to be a major threat come postseason time.
Then there’s GHS. The Lady Canes received about as devastating of a blow as one team can get before the season began with an injury to Leanna Bourdage. The sophomore and defending Sun big school player of the year, Bourdage was one of Florida’s best pitchers in 2024 and attracted attention from Florida softball coach Tim Walton as the Hurricanes advanced to the Class 5A state title game.
Bourdage can play this season, but only as a pinch runner. This shocking injury hobbled GHS to start the season, which began 0-4. The ‘Canes, though, have turned it on and won seven of eight. Now firmly in the postseason picture, GHS is looking like a team to avoid.
Oak Hall, Bradford, Buchholz — oh my — in lacrosse and flag football
In lacrosse, the area’s top team is once again Oak Hall — both in boys and girls. The boys defeated Episcopal School of Jacksonville Saturday and seem more confident than ever that this is the year Bolles is going down. On the girls side, the Eagles will look to contend with top-seeded ESJ.
Keep an eye, though, on Buchholz. The Bobcats will be likely district champions and a top four seed. The ‘Cats are experienced but hungry for a playoff run to surprise some people.
Flag football continues to grow in the sunshine state, and that’s reflected in the Gainesville area. Bradford is the area’s strongest team. The Tornadoes lost their hold on Class 1A-Region 1’s top spot, but they are capable of a trip to states behind Nichelle Brown. Her 1,465 receiving yards and 28 total touchdowns literally lead the country.
Right behind them, though, is Santa Fe — fresh off a dramatic win over Buchholz last week. The Raiders have Brooke Zeller — the county’s top player. Newberry and Buchholz also each sit on the edge of playoff positioning. Regardless, the postseason will be loaded with local teams, giving fans a chance to see the hot new show.
Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Buchholz, Oak Hall, Santa Fe — oh my! Here are the top Gainesville-area teams in the HS sports spring season
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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