Editor’s Note: This is the fifth of five stories unveiling the 2025 Bosshardt Realty All Area Softball and Baseball Teams. Click here to read about the Small School Softball Team, the Small School Baseball Team, the Big School Softball Team and the Big School Baseball Team.
It was Déjà vu for the Trenton softball and baseball teams in 2025.
The Trenton baseball team advanced to its second straight final four and the Trenton softball team won back-to-back state championships.
For their accomplishments, Trenton baseball coach Chris Marlo and Trenton softball coach Kevin Benson were named the 2025 Bosshardt Realty All Area Coaches of the Year for small schools (Rural & Class 1A).
Marlo and the Tigers rallied past rival Chiefland, 4-3, to win the Rural-District 7 title. They swept the Indians in a Best-of-3 in the regional semifinals, followed by a sweep of Fort Meade in the region final to make it back to Fort Myers in back-to-back seasons.
Trenton (24-5) lost to Lafayette (Mayo), 5-1, in the FHSAA Rural State Semifinals.
“These players are diving after balls whether their 10 runs up or 10 runs down,” Marlo said following the game. “We have a catcher blocking balls up by 10 runs. These kids will remember this season for a lifetime.”
Ryan Brown of Saint Francis Catholic Academy gets special recognition after leading the Wolves to their first district title in program history.
The Wolves (21-9) scored two runs in their final at-bat for a walk-off 3-2 victory against rival Oak Hall School in the FHSAA Rural District 7 championship game. They also defeated the Eagles in the rubber match of a best-of-3 regional quarterfinal to finish with a school-record 21 wins.
Saint Francis Catholic Academy defeated Oak Hall five times this season.
Once again, the only state title for teams in the Mainstreet Daily News coverage area was in softball.
Defending Class 1A state champion Trenton got hot at the right time, outscoring their two opponents in the new FHSAA Rural state tournament in Longwood by a combined 20-3.
The Tigers (19-6) defeated Liberty County (Bristol), 9-2, in the Rural State Semifinals, followed by an 11-1 win in five innings against Northview (Bratt) in the state title game.
“It feels amazing,” Benson, an assistant on last year’s title team, said following the win. “God’s so good. To give me the opportunity to lead this program and these young ladies. It’s a great group that I’ve been able to work with for years now…a big win for the program.”
Special recognition goes to Oscar Saavedra of Branford and Kristopher McDaniel of Williston.
Branford reached the state semifinals for the third consecutive year under Saavedra and finished 21-7 following a 14-6 loss to Northview, while McDaniel took the Lady Red Devils (14-11) to within a game of a final four appearance before a 2-1 loss at eventual state champion Trenton in the regional final.
For the second consecutive year, the 2025 Bosshardt Realty Big School (2A-7A) Coaches of the Year are Chris Chronister of Gainesville High softball and Ron Brooks of Buchholz baseball.
In 2024, the Gainesville softball team advanced to the final four for the first time since 2016 before losing a heartbreaker in extra innings to Parrish Community in the Class 5A state championship game.
But an injury to pitcher Leanna Bourdage and a 0-4 start certainly put some pressure on the Hurricanes early in the season.
The ‘Canes were down but not out, losing two starters within a 24-hour period during the district tournament, but GHS (17-8) was able to win the district title to secure a first-round home game.
They defeated Belleview in the regional quarterfinals, edged Springstead (Spring Hill), 1-0, in the regional semifinals before a 9-3 loss at eventual state champion Winter Springs in the regional final, falling just one game shy of a return trip to the final four.
“It’s sad to see this group of nine seniors go, especially four-year starters and major contributors to the program’s success like Braylin Cook,” Chronister said after the game. “So many great memories over the past four years. Just really proud of this team, winning another district championship and getting back to the regional final is something they should take great pride in.”
Michele Roundtree of Newberry, Greg Gabey of Suwannee, Joe Saucier of Columbia, and Gene Findley of Santa Fe (Alachua) were honorable mention selections.
Roundtree led the Panthers (20-6) to their first district title in a quarter century and a Class 2A home playoff game, while Gabey and Saucier led the Class 3A Bulldogs (12-12) and 4A Tigers (15-12) to the second round of the state playoffs.
Findley and the Raiders won the Class 3A-District 5 title before losing to The Villages in the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs to finish 19-4.
The Buchholz baseball team had a repeat of its own.
The Bobcats won a state-best 33 games and advanced to the Class 6A state championship game again.
However, they had to rally from a 1-0 deficit in the best-of-3 region final against Pace to make it back, which included a 5-4 win on the road in extra innings in Game 3 to defeat the nationally ranked Patriots.
In Fort Myers, they defeated Wharton (Tampa), 3-0, in the state semifinals, followed by an 8-3 loss to nationally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) in the title game.
“Buchholz is going to keep chopping wood and we’re going to keep battling and one day that tree will fall,” Brooks said following the game. “I’m really proud of our guys and the year we had. I’m just disappointed for our players that we couldn’t get it done today.”
Brooks announced at the end of the season that he was stepping down as head coach and athletics director.
Billy Moran of Suwannee (Live Oak) and Chris Howard of Columbia (Lake City) were honorable mention selections.
Suwannee (23-10), which won the 3A-District 3 title, advanced to the regional final before losing at eventual state runner-up South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach), while Columbia (17-12), which won the 5A-District 3 title, advanced to the regional semifinals.
SOFTBALL
Small School Coach of the Year (Rural/1A)
Kevin Benson (Trenton)
Honorable mention: Oscar Saavedra (Branford), Kristopher McDaniel (Williston)
Big School Coach of the Year (2A-7A)
Chris Chronister (GHS)
Honorable mention: Gene Findley (Santa Fe), Michele Roundtree (Newberry), Joe Saucier (Columbia), Greg Gabey (Suwannee)
BASEBALL
Small School Coach of the Year (Rural/1A)
Chris Marlo (Trenton)
Honorable mention: Ryan Brown (Saint Francis Catholic Academy)
Big School Coach of the Year (2A-7A)
Ron Brooks (Buchholz)
Honorable mention: Chris Howard (Columbia), Billy Moran (Suwannee)