TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The North Florida Christian baseball program is no stranger to state championships, as they have four to their name. They've got a shot to add another to their resume next week when they head to Fort Myers for the Class 2A state final four.
Up first for the Eagles? Out of Door Academy, who are the defending state champion. Head coach Mike Posey knows they'll be a tough opponent, but his guys have fought all year long. They've proven time and time again, you can't count them out.
"We really have to concentrate on us. We can't really worry about what they have," said Posey. "We have to do what we do and take it one game at a time. We are young. We do some young things, the talent level is there."
"We know we have to go down there and play our same game," added junior Jedd Jones. "We are ready to go play these teams and ready to go win."
Game time for the Eagles is set for Monday at 1:00, and they're not the only Big Bend team two wins away from a state title. The Suwannee Bulldogs play in the Class 4A state semifinals Monday. They face Island Coast Monday at 4:00.
In south Georgia, the Thomasville Bulldogs are the lone team standing, and with two more wins, a state championship is coming home to the Rose City. It's a moment this team has waited for since 19, their last appearance in the title game and the last time they won.
The Bulldogs have used a simple approach all season. Take things game by ga, and a best of three series with Vidalia for the AA state title isn't changing that at all.
"They're out here and it's another day of baseball practice," said head coach Erik McDougald. "It's a little warmer than when we started, but they're out here and they know where to go and what to do and they just kind of get it done. We don't want to get caught up in a tense moment. We want to make it tense. We want to enjoy this."
"We don't want to have any regrets and we're not going to let emotions or any obstacles get in the way of that," said senior Witt Wetherington. "We're going to be level headed. We're going to be disciplined, we're going to be focused, we're going to be all of those things."
Game one of their best of three series is set for Monday at 5:00 in Statesboro, Georgia.
