Backpacks have been placed in hibernation for a couple of months.
But even with students being off from school for the sunny summer days, that doesn’t mean it’s time to move forward from the year that was.
TCPalm is currently looking back at the Treasure Coast’s top performers with the release of Spring All-Area teams. But here, we’re going as far back as this past fall to examine the area’s top program during the 2025-26 athletic calendar.
Which team, pound-for-pound, was the best?
We want to hear the answer from you as a poll was set up below. Voting ends at 12 p.m. Friday. Here are the area’s 10 candidates:
Team of the Year candidates
Jensen Beach girls tennis
The Falcons earned state runner-up honors for the second year in a row. Their performance at the Class 3A state championship meet was the puncation to a season that saw the team cruise to a District 14-3A title and the Region 7-3A crown. Behind new head coach Alec McIntrye, Jensen Beach finished with a 17-3 record.
Jensen Beach boys wrestling
Six Falcons wrestlers qualified for states, more than any other area program. Of those six wrestlers, four notched top-three placements in their respective weight class at the Class 2A state championships, leading to a fifth-place team finish. Jensen Beach had no trouble en route to the District 14-2A title and was the Region 4-2A runner-up, while also successfully capturing a district title in dual competition.
Martin County baseball
The 2026 Tigers baseball team put together a year for the ages. County edged Dwyer to collect its first district title since 2022. Later, the team accomplished something it had not done 58 years: advance to a state semifinal. After sweeping top-seeded Bloomingdale in the regional semifinals, the Tigers rallied from a 0-1 deficit to beat Lake Minneola in a best-of-three series in the Region 2-6A Final. Their series comeback was highlighted by erasing a 9-1 deficit in the top of the sixth inning and 10-9 deficit in the seventh in Game 3. Martin County suffered an extra-inning loss to Buchholz in a 6A semifinal to finish with a 24-8 record.
Pine boys soccer
Of all the teams on the list, this is the only program that brought home a state title. Pine continued its dynasty by capturing its fourth championship in the last five years thanks to a 2-0 victory over Canterbury in the Class 1A state title game. Finishing this season undefeated at 22-0-2, the Knights outscored their opponents by a 94-9 margin.
St. Edward’s volleyball
The Pirates stood at 11-10 near the end of the regular season before using a blistering run to not only capture the program’s first-ever regional title, but also take home state runner-up honors. Following a sweep in the regional quarterfinals, St. Edward’s took down top-seeded Geneva in the semifinals before avenging a district-title loss to Brevard HEAT in the region finals. The Pirates defeated Harvest Community in a five-set thriller in a 1A semifinal before falling to Boca Raton Christian in the state championship match to finish at 19-2.
St. Lucie West Centennial girls basketball
Behind the play of a veteran group, the Eagles broke a drought that lasted for nearly a quarter of the century. The area’s best girls basketball squad won the program’s first regional title since 2002. Additionally, Centenniall picked up its third consecutive district title while earning a top-10 ranking for much of the season. After bowing out in the 4A semifinals against eventual champion Doral Academy, the Eagles finished their campaign with a 23-7 record.
Somerset College Prep boys bowling
The Spartans enjoyed a near-perfect fall, finishing the regular season with a 15-0-1 record. Somerset narrowly missed out on the District 12 championship, settling for runner-up honors. But the team bounced back with a strong showing at the FHSAA State Championships, taking third overall.
Vero Beach baseball
Like Martin County, Vero Beach made the trip to Fort Myers. But unlike the Tigers, Vero returned to familiar grounds as the team earned its second state berth in the last three years. The team was carried by outstanding pitching, particularly at the top of its staff. Mix in a dangerous lineup from top to bottom and you have ingredients for the area’s top-ranked team. Winning its third district title in a row, Vero Beach pummeled Fort Pierce Central before sweeping Harmony and Park Vista to win the Region 3-7A title. The team was beaten by Venice in a 7A semifinal to finish the year at 24-5.
Vero Beach beach volleyball
Ranked nationally among the very best teams in the country, Vero notched its fourth regional title in the last five seasons after beating Timber Creek, Dwyer and Winter Park in the postseason via sweeps. The program remains undefeated in district tournaments as it defeated Viera 4-1 for its fifth consecutive district championship. Vero Beach fell to St. Thomas Aquinas 3-2 in the 3A state semifinal to finish the season at 14-1.
Vero Beach football
One miracle play from a state championship, Vero Beach put together the best football season the area has seen in years.
The program more than met its preseason hype, dicing through opponents with a prolific offense that averaged nearly 42 points per game and a stingy defense that relinquished 14 points per game. The team had a stretch of nine consecutive games of scoring at least 40 points.
Vero Beach set the program mark for wins in a season, finishing at 14-1 and the 7A runner-up. The team won its first regional title in 27 years and reached its first state title game in 44 years. Vero also spent multiple weeks ranked at the top team in the state.
Vote: Who was the best team on the Treasure Coast during the 2025-26 high school year?
Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at 772-985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vote for the Treasure Coast’s best team during the 2025-26 school year
Reporting by Patrick Bernadeau, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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By Patrick Bernadeau, Treasure Coast Newspapers | USA TODAY Network
