2025 District Playoff Preview: Class 7A

The district playoffs are here, and Stoneman Douglas (District 13) and West Broward (District 14) enter the postseason as favorites to win their respective divisions.

Douglas hasn’t lost its district since 2012, the first year of head coach Todd Fitz-Gerald’s tenure, and is once again the favorite to claim the Class 7A state championship. For now, the focus is on districts, and the FHSAA shook up Broward’s 7A districts ahead of the season. Douglas is no longer grouped with Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Monarch, Olympic Heights and Spanish River. Instead, the Eagles must get through Coral Glades, Taravella and Western to claim another district crown.

West Broward’s path to a fourth district title in five years also looks different from last year. Gone is the uber-competitive 7A-14 district that saw Flanagan, Taravella and Western all compete with West Broward in 2024, and now the Bobacats are the top seed in a division made up of Cypress Bay, Goleman and Hialeah Gardens. While three of those four teams have a winning percentage of .600 or higher, West Broward is the only one ranked inside the state top 150 by the FHSAA at No. 36.

The games still need to be played, but any result besides Douglas and West Broward winning their districts would be considered a massive upset. Still, teams are competing for spots in the regional tournament and every win matters.

Class 7A, District 13

Stoneman Douglas Eagles (21-2)

The Eagles are perennial state title contenders, but they’ve somehow exceeded the expectations set for the regular season. With 2024 senior core moving on to college, many expected Douglas to take a step back and drop more than two games this season. Instead, Douglas nearly went undefeated, dropping an early-season matchup against True North and the third game of a three-day Tampa road trip against Sickles (State No. 56).

A lethal top of the order has carried this team all year, starting with leadoff man Bennett Gary, who leads the team with 28 hits and five home runs. He’s second on the team with a 1.132 OPS and just saw a 14-game hit streak end. Junior Jake Rizzo (27 hits, 1.030 OPS) has emerged as the next up in a long line of Douglas hitters and cemented himself as the No. 2 in the lineup. Nick Diaz might be the most feared bat in the lineup, evident by his 25.6% walk rate. Even with teams pitching around him, Diaz has 22 hits and leads the team with a 1.062 OPS.

Batting cleanup is catcher Drew Freeman with 28 hits, 11 extra-base hits and 25 RBI — all of which are team highs. Michael Ossenfort and Gio Rojas typically make up the middle of the order. Rojas has 22 hits and 24 RBI, while Ossenfort’s numbers are hampered by only playing nine games. Ossenfort might be the most dangerous hitter in the lineup when healthy, though. He recorded 10 RBI over a three-game week before returning to the bench to cooperate.

Speaking of Rojas, he’s a potential 2026 first-round MLB draft pick and has played like it all year. He holds a 0.95 ERA and has struck out 64 of the 140 batters he’s faced. Rojas is the go-to arm for any big game Douglas plays in. Behind him are Monarch transfer Daniel Tartaglia and Coral Springs Charter transfer Chase Wildroudt. Tartaglia has particularly impressed with a 0.59 ERA and 58 strikeouts. Leading the bullpen is closer Breylynn Courtney with six saves in 13 total appearances. He’s another sub-1.00 ERA lefty arm for Douglas with 35 strikeouts.

There aren’t many holes in Douglas’ game this year, but the offense has had the occasional bad night and the pitching staff is loaded with lefties. A quality arm and lineup that’s good against left-handers might be the right recipe to get

Taravella Trojans (15-9)

The Trojans went through a coaching change during the offseason and entered the season as a bit of a question mark. The senior class has answered the call loudly, though, and made the first season under Jorge Miranda a success, regardless of how the playoffs go. A regional berth is likely with Taravella sitting at No. 4 in 7A-R4, and the Trojans will enjoy a home-field advantage in the district tournament.

JC Martinez and Sebastian Mayfield have led the offense with 32 hits apiece. Martinez has some of the most pop in the county, with 31 RBI, five home runs and a 1.312 OPS. Mayfield doesn’t have the power numbers Martinez does, but he’s incredibly consistent at the plate and is riding an 18-game hit streak. Tyler Morgan handles the duties behind the plate and is the only other Trojan with 20-plus hits. What stands out with him are the 21 walks to just 12 strikeouts. That’s an elite eye that helps produce runs.

The bulk of Taravella’s innings on the mound are thrown by Mikael Ghann (50.1 IP, 1.95 ERA) and Anthony Tizol (40.2 IP, 2.07 ERA). Ghann is more pitch to contact with a 0.99 WHIP and 37 strikeouts, while Tizol draws plenty of swing and miss with 58 strikeouts and 9.98 strikeouts per seven innings. John Almeida and Zach Stephens are the best bullpen/No. 3 options on the roster. Stephens has only thrown 10 innings this season but has a 3.50 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. Almeida has more innings under his belt (14.2 IP) but has a slightly more elevated ERA (4.30).

Western Wildcats (11-13)

Western’s losing record is a bit misleading, given the talent on the roster. The Wildcats played a schedule as tough as Douglas and are battle-tested heading into the playoffs. They split the two-game regular season series against Taravella, which should make the opening round of districts fun.

Seniors Miguel Tapia and Taisuky Rodriguez both have 30-plus hits this year and an OPS over 1.000. Tapia has walked a bit more, and Rodriguez hits for extra bases more consistently; however, Tapia leads the team with two home runs. Juniors Jorge Falagan and Everett Suazo both have 20-plus hits with batting averages above .300, but that’s where the offense ends. Everyone else on the roster has 10 or fewer hits on the year.

Pitching is the Wildcats’ strength. A three-headed monster of Zach Beyra, Jimmy Huard and Mason McGeehan provide the kind of depth that teams need in the playoffs. Huard (3.25 ERA) has a fastball that can run into the mid-90s and has struck out 52 batters over 32.1 innings (36.9% K rate), and Beyra has a 2.45 ERA with a sub-.200 batting average against and 31.1% strikeout rate. If the defense plays solidly behind either arm, both can go the distance on any given night. McGeehan has the highest ERA of the trio at 5.19, but his strikeout numbers are good (44 K, 33.8% rate). Ryan Schaefer could be considered a fourth head of the pitching staff as the go-to reliever for Western. His ERA sits at 2.15 through 26 innings and 11 appearances, and he could be a difference-maker in a close playoff game. Suazo also has had some success on the mound this year with a 1.50 ERA over 14 innings and eight appearances.

Western could be the third team from this district to make regionals. A first-round win over Taravella would all but guarantee it, but the scenarios in which they miss the regional tournament appear unlikely. The Wildcats are an entire rating point above the No. 8 and 9 teams in the region. Coral Glades would need to upset Douglas, and Cypress Bay would likely need to win the District 14 championship to knock Western out.

Coral Glades Jaguars (14-5)

The Jaguars’ 14 wins are a high mark for the program dating back to 2018, but drawing Douglas in the first round isn’t much of a reward. Coral Glades has a 4-3 record against teams with a winning percentage above .500 and can hang with some decent teams in the area, but asking for an upset against the No. 2 team in the state is a lot. Still, some exciting young players on this roster will make some noise in the years to come.

Senior Asa Lindo leads the team with 15 hits, and senior Brayden Hoskins is close behind with 14 and a .298 batting average. Sophomores Cloevens Challeneger and Jason Lincoln are also among the team’s best hitters with 13 and 10 hits, respectively. Challenger leads the team with 12 RBI. Freshman Zack Crey has put together a nice rookie campaign with 10 hits, rounding out the list of Jaguars with double-digit base knocks this season.

Lincoln and Lindo have pitched 83.2 of the team’s 119.2 innings (69.9%), and both have seen plenty of success. Lincoln’s 1.58 ERA and 58 strikeouts through 44.1 innings are impressive for an underclassman, and Lindo’s 2.14 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 39.1 innings aren’t too shabby either. Freshman Charlie Beaty has the next most innings (15) on the roster and holds a 2.33 ERA. In fact, none of the Glades arms have an ERA above 4.20, but half of the runs scored against them have been unearned. Tightening up the defense is a must for those ERAs to translate to wins.

Glades is the ninth-ranked team in the region right now, which would leave them out of the next phase of the playoffs. Upsetting Douglas should be more than enough to secure the No. 8 spot, but it’s hard to gauge with Cypress Bay holding just under a 0.8-point lead in the FHSAA ratings.

#7A-13 Predictions

As stated above, Douglas is the favorite to win this district, and there aren’t many who are going to pick against the Eagles at this stage in the playoffs. The Taravella-Western game is a fun one, though, and could go either way. The key matchups to watch for are Huard or Beyra vs. Martinez and Mayfield, and Ghann vs. Rodriguez and Tapia, assuming those are the starters. One at-bat could decide this game, but if we have to make a pick, it’s Western by the slimmest of margins. Huard has already faced Douglas this year, so giving Beyra the ball for the district championship would make for a fun game.

Semifinals: Douglas def. Coral Glades; Western def. Taravella Finals: Douglas def. Western Regional teams: Douglas, Taravella and Western

Class 7A, District 14

West Broward Bobcats (15-10)

The Bobcats are one of the most interesting teams in Broward County, and a 15-10 record doesn’t accurately portray how good the team is. West Broward is looking for a third-straight district title and a fourth in five years, but the larger goal is to make a deep run in regionals. To prepare for the playoffs, the Bobcats play one of the toughest regular-season schedules in the state. Only Tampa Jesuit (19.00) and Creekside near Jacksonville (17.51) have a stronger schedule than West Broward (17.13). With a 10-point rating lead over second-seeded Cypress Bay, districts should be a breeze. Keep in mind that the bulk of this roster is returning next year.

While West Broward doesn’t have anyone with 30-plus hits this year, Adiran Bermudez (20), Sergio Garcia (21) and Ethan Lindor (25) all have 20 or more. Against the kind of schedule West Broward plays, those are good numbers. Manuel Sarcos provides some extra-base power (6 doubles, 1 home run), as do Lenny Sufran (5 doubles, 3 home runs) and Reggie Rodriguez (4 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs). Rodriguez and Sarcos lead the team in the RBI department with 18 and 17, respectively. Isaiah DelValle (.298 AVG, 14 hits) and Ivan Sabater (.302 AVG, 13 hits) are two other quality hitters who have dealt with injuries this year.

There’s plenty of pitching depth on this team, too. Braden Aguila is the No. 1 in the rotation with a 2.08 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 43.2 innings. Behind Aguila is the trio of Adrian Bermudez (5 starts, 1.73 ERA, 23 K, 24.1 IP), Rodriguez (4 starts, 3.26 ERA, 22 K, 19.1 IP) and Sabater (4 starts, 3.60 ERA, 16 K, 11.2 IP). While Sabater has the least innings thrown of the three, he’s perhaps the best option after facing four quality opponents since returning from injury. Derek Sclafani has pitched 30.1 innings, mostly out of the bullpen, and holds a 3.00 ERA with 25 strikeouts. Angel Figueroa is the other main arm out of the bullpen. He’s up to 90 mph after returning from injury and holds a 2.33 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 15 innings.

Health has been the biggest issue for West Broward this year. Whenever the Bobcats get someone back, it seems like someone else goes down. Still, they’ve put together another solid year and are perhaps the biggest threat to Stoneman Douglas come regionals.

Cypress Bay Lightning (15-7)

The Lightning have put together a 15-win season for the first time since 2017, and it’s the best record so far under head coach Bo Diaz. A 10-1 finish to the regular season is a major reason Cypress Bay holds the No. 2 seed in the district, but that one loss came against West Broward. Cypress will have a home-field advantage in the district tournament, which is nice after going 7-2 at home this season.

Seniors Diego Baron (1.099 OPS) and John Escobar (0.971 OPS) are the two main catalysts of the Lightning’s offense. Baron leads the team with 26 hits, 21 RBI, seven doubles and three triples. Escobar is the other 20-plus hitter with 23 and a team-high two home runs. Michael Ramos (.309 AVG, 0.897 OPS) and Santiago Sanchez (.457 AVG, 1.167 OPS) are two more reliable bats who likely would have crossed the 20-hit threshold had they played in all 22 games.

Gabriel Gener is the No. 1 on the mound for Cypress Bay. His 1.52 ERA and 62 strikeouts (31.7% K-rate) over 46 innings all team-bests. Colin Hatfield is the No. 2 arm in the rotation with 27 innings over 8 appearances (5 starts). Hatfield’s 3.89 is respectable, but he has 20 walks to 29 strikeouts, which could lead to trouble. Carson Cook is the third option on the staff with a 2.30 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 24.1 innings. He’s made three starts in eight appearances this season. Max Cabera (0.75 ERA, 9.1 IP), Max Dierking (2.63 ERA, 13.1 IP) and Gabriel Tovar (2.15 ERA, 13.0 IP) are the other main options out of the pen.

Beating Hialeah Gardens feels very doable for Cypress Bay, especially with Gener on the mound. The championship game will lie on the shoulders of the pitching staff, assuming the Lightning make it there. The good news is that Cypress should sneak into the regional tournament as the No. 8 seed, regardless of what happens. Coral Glades could pass them by with an upset against Stoneman Douglas, however.

Hialeah Gardens Gladiators (14-8)

We won’t pretend to know the Dade County teams as well as we do the Broward teams, but Hialeah Gardens looks like a very beatable opponent on paper. A 14-8 record is the best so far in three years under head coach Carlos Ochoa, but the Gladiators only won one game against a team without a losing record.

Jerry Sosa leads the team with 30 hits and Carlos Victerero has a team-high .491 batting average with 28 hits and seven doubles. Andrew Gonzalez (27) and Nicholas Ceballos (22) both have more than 20 hits, too. On the mound, things are a bit shakier. The entire staff has 97 walks to 111 strikeouts, which is a red flag against a weak schedule. Ryan Valdes got the most innings (37), followed by Anthony Padilla and Victorero with 21.1 apiece.

Goleman Gators (3-16)

The Gators played a slightly stronger schedule than the Gladiators, but a three-win season isn’t inspiring much confidence heading into a matchup with battle-tested West Broward. Not to mention, two of Goleman’s three wins came against winless teams this season. Only three batters recorded double-digit hits this year, Ethan Cabrera (.366 AVG, 15 hits), Ryan Godinez (.342 AVG, 13 hits) and Daikel Nodal (.263 AVG, 10 hits). Every regular arm, except for Sebastian Fernandez, has a 5.00-plus ERA and the pitching staff has walked as many as they’ve struck out — 100 each.

Predictions

This feels like a Broward sweep on paper, but perhaps one of the Miami teams can pull off an upset. We haven’t seen three of the four teams in action this year, so paper stats are all we are going off. West Broward expects to in this district without much trouble, and it’s hard to pick against them.

Semifinals: West Broward def. Goleman; Cypress Bay def. Hialeah Gardens Finals: West Broward def. Cypress Bay Regional teams: West Broward and Cypress Bay