Heights Meat Market presents:
1. Jesuit (21-5)
Jesuit senior Christian Sheffield
The Tigers took home a 14th-straight district title, defeating Brandon and Countryside by a combined 22-0. Senior Christian Sheffield was 3-for-4 with a home run, triple two RBI and three runs scored; Wilson Andersen homered, drove in four and struck out 12 against the Cougars; Shane Rupp hit a three-run homer against the Eagles; and Kaden Waechter struck out six in four shutout innings in the semifinal.
2. Berkeley Prep (22-5)
Berkeley Prep junior Lucas Farrar
Pitching led the way for the Buccaneers district championship run, as junior Jett Walters struck out seven across 6 1/3 shutout innings in a 5-0 semis win against Bishop McLaughlin, and junior Nolan Parmer held Tampa Catholic to two runs in Berkeley’s 5-2 final win, also going 6 1/3 innings. Lucas Farrar was 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and scored four times last week, while also picking up a save with a pair of strikeouts against the Crusaders.
T3. Bloomingdale (21-4)
Bloomingdale senior Payton Jennings
The Bulls won the Class 6A-District 6 title with a 7-2 semifinal win over Lakeland and a 10-6 win against Winter Garden Horizon and are aimed at a third-straight trip the state final. Bulls senior Vaughn Osting drove in two runs in each win last week, with a homer and a triple, while also picking up a win on the mound in the championship; Payton Jennings went 5-for-8 with two RBI, a double and a triple; Evan Plusquellic scored three and drove in three in the title game; and Izzy Perez earned the save against Horizon with two strikeouts in two, no-hit innings.
T3. Gaither (21-4)
Gaither senior and FAMU signee Matt Altman leads the nation with 12 wins.
The Cowboys claimed the 6A-10 district title by taking out Armwood 15-5 in the semis, then Matt Altman struck out nine for his 12th win to bring home the championship in a 6-1 win against Plant. Gaither junior Ryan Deak had three hits in the championship game; Noah Lockler struck out six in 2 2/3 innings against the Hawks; and senior Jacob Butler scored three and drove in a pair on the week.
5. Strawberry Crest (20-6)
Strawberry Crest sophomore Bubba Blount earned the win in both of the Chargers Class 7A-District 7 games last week.
Chargers sophomore Bubba Blount earned wins in both of Crest’s 7A-7 games last week, pitching a combined 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run, on three hits and had five strikeouts in wins against Plant City and Sumner. Nico Cappucci drove in four, including a three-run homer in the championship win over the Stingrays; Saxon Shah also pitched in both games, going 4 1/3 innings, with one earned run and four strikeouts; and Reuben Vasquez went 2-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI.
6. Tampa Catholic (21-6)
Tampa Catholic junior RHP Ty Fraga
The Crusaders absorbed two first-inning runs from Carrollwood Day to rally to an 8-2 semifinal win in Class 2A-District 9, but couldn’t repeat as district champs dropping the championship to Berkeley Prep. Senior Cole Bitman hit a three-run homer in the semifinal, and drove in a run in the district final; Finn Fluker earned the win against the Patriots going 4 2/3 innings; and Ty Fraga was 4-for-7 in the two games, while pitching two innings with no earned runs in the final.
7. Sickles (18-8)
Sickles senior LHP Jake Taylor
Gryphons senior Jake Taylor delivered six shutout innings leading Sickles to a second-straight district championship win against East Lake, 2-0, while the senior went 3-for-7 at the plate in that win and the 7-2 semifinal win against Mitchell. Lee Melamut was 4-for-6 on the week, including a three-hit, three-RBI game against the Mustangs; Ryan Carvajal had three strikeouts in a save against Mitchell; and Ben Durda struck out a pair to lock down the save against the Eagles.
8. Cambridge Christian (19-7-1)
Cambridge Christian sophomore Ian Jansen leads Hillsborough County with seven home runs.
The Lancers coasted to a Class 1A-District 9 win with lopsided wins over Lakeland Victory Christian and Foundation Christian, behind a 5-for-7, two homer, eight RBI week from sophomore Ian Jansen. Nathan Hazzard (3ip, 8 K) and Will Snider (1ip, 2 K) combined on a four-inning no-hitter in the championship game; Hazzard also went 5-for-7 with a double, triple, homer and five runs scored in the two wins; and Braiden Price hit a grand slam against Victory.
9. Freedom (19-7)
Freedom senior Gavin Tarr
The Patriots won a hard-fought game, 4-3, against East Bay to claim Freedom’s first-ever district title with Logan Handville stealing home in the top of the seventh to get by the Indians. Junior righty Gaige Spano allowed one earned run in a complete-game championship effort, and Gavin Tarr was 2-for-4 in the title game. The Patriots defeated Leto, 6-3, in the semifinal as David Simpkins earned the win on the mound and hit a two-run triple.
10. Sumner (17-8)
Sumner senior Ethan DeJesus’ 109 strikeouts lead Hillsborough County and are second-most in the state.
Stingrays senior Ethan DeJesus struck out 15 in no-hit performance leading his team to a 7A-7 semifinal game against Newsome, 5-0; but Sumner fell in the final 4-2 to Strawberry Crest. Senior Winston Pennant went 3-for-4 in the two games last week, hitting his fifth home run, as well as a double and triple; junior Isaiah Romano went 3-for-6 with a double, two RBI and a run scored; and Jaylin Chambers pitched a complete-game in the finals loss with three strikeouts.
