Editor’s Note: This is the fourth of five stories unveiling the 2024 Bosshardt Realty All Area Softball and Baseball Teams. Click here to read about the Small School Softball Team, the Small School Baseball Team and the Big School Softball Team.
Buchholz made history this spring, advancing to its first state semifinal appearance in program history.
After coming up just short of their first final four in baseball in 2023 with a heartbreaking loss in the region final, the Buchholz Bobcats returned most of the team for the 2024 season and their historic run.
The Bobcats won three regional playoff games at home against New Smyrna Beach, Pace and Hagerty (Oviedo) to capture their first region title. The 1-0 win over Hagerty in the Region 1-6A final advanced Buchholz to their first state semifinal.
Buchholz pounded Bloomingdale (Valrico), 12-0, in the semifinal game at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers and played for the first baseball state title in school history. The Bobcats lost the state title game to Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens),10-3, but it was still a historic season for them.
And the state runner-up appearance helped Buchholz dominate the Bosshardt Realty Big School All Area Baseball Team.
Five of the 11 players chosen came from Ron Brooks’ Bobcats team, who finished 24-9 with a 10-game winning streak leading up to the state title game.
Leading the way for Buchholz is senior pitcher/first baseman Anthony Wilkie, who moves on to play baseball at Clemson next season. Wilkie batted .303 with a team-high eight home runs and drove in 21 RBI with 18 runs scored and 23 hits. On the mound, Wilkie was 4-3 with a 2.93 ERA and allowed only 18 earned runs with 57 strikeouts in 43 innings.
“Anthony helped lift us offensively with some big hits,” Buchholz head coach Brooks said. “He pitched for us at the varsity level for four years. He flashed some really good defensive skills at first base. Wilkie played some of his best baseball at the end of the year to help us go on our run.”
Joining Wilkie on the All-Area team is senior catcher Noah Hayse, who will play college baseball at UCF. Hayse finished off his Buchholz career with a .371 average, which led the squad, and a team-high 33 hits, along with five doubles and 16 RBI.
“Noah has been a great leader for us since his freshman year,” Brooks said. “He is as tough as they come and was a big part of our success offensively and defensively. Noah did a tremendous job catching the majority of our games against one of the toughest schedules in the state.”
Two junior outfielders join the two Bobcats seniors on the team in J.J. Gardner and Cedaris Smith.
Gardner hit .308 with four homers and 27 RBI, which was second on the squad, with a team-high 13 doubles, 28 hits and 22 runs scored. He was also a perfect 7-0 on the mound with a 3.14 ERA, allowing 16 earned runs with 34 strikeouts in 35.2 innings.
“J.J. has terrific baseball skills,” Brooks said. “He did it all for us this year. He was 7-0 on the mound and came up with some huge hits all throughout the season. He played a great right field for us and rarely came off the field. J.J. brought a lot of energy to our ball club.”
Smith missed the final month of the season and the playoff run due to injury. Before the injury, Smith led the Bobcats with a .404 average on 19 hits with 15 runs, 16 RBI and he went 12-for-12 in stolen bases.
“Before getting injured at the end of the season, Cedaris was leading our team offensively,” Brooks added. “He showed great leadership in the field and in the clubhouse. He helped steady us through the season and added a lot of versatility to our team.”
The fifth Buchholz representative on the All Area team is sophomore Aidan Kastensmidt. Not only was Kastensmidt the Bobcats’ best pitcher with a 5-2 record and 0.69 ERA, allowing only five earned runs in 51 innings and only 18 walks with 57 strikeouts, but he also batted .310 with a team-high 28 RBI with four homers, 26 hits, 17 runs and 11 doubles.
Among Kastensmidt’s highlights on the mound were six shutout innings with only four hits allowed in the 1-0 win over Hagerty in the region final.
“Aidan has some big wins for us on the mound in some of our biggest games,” Brooks said. “He hit well down the stretch. His ability to play multiple positions was a bonus for us throughout the season. His athleticism shows up wherever he plays.”
Another team that advanced to the postseason, the Santa Fe Raiders, is represented by senior utility Dylan Lovelace and junior infielder Jackson McDavid.
After a 4-9 start and a coaching change to Chris Malphurs a month into the season, the Raiders rebounded to win District 4-4A and advance to the regional playoffs, where they led No. 1 seed Arnold (Panama City Beach) going into the final inning before the Marlins hit a two-run homer to edge Santa Fe, 4-3.
McDavid led the Raiders with a .425 batting average and also topped Santa Fe with four homers and 31 hits, along with 17 runs and three doubles.
“Jackson was a first-year player for us at Santa Fe,” Malphurs said. “I thought he came in humble and earned his opportunity as the season went along. By the end of the year, he was our everyday shortstop and hit in the 2-hole. He works hard and enjoys being at the ballpark. I expect we’ll see him continue to improve as one of the area’s best as we move into his senior season.”
Lovelace hit .392 and led Santa Fe with 29 RBI and eight doubles, adding three home runs, 29 hits and 12 runs. He also had a 3.32 ERA and a 4-6 record on the mound for the Raiders, with 21 walks and 67 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched.
“Dylan led by example in his senior season,” said Malphurs of the Sante Fe College signee. “He worked tirelessly every day to be one of the best two-way players in the area. Down the stretch he was constantly in big situations and came through both on the mound and at the plate. Couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Despite a 17-7 record, P.K. Yonge missed the 3A state playoffs. But the Blue Wave have two standout players chosen to the All Area squad.
Junior infielder Micah Gratto led P.K. Yonge with a .418 batting average, 25 runs and 28 hits and was the co-leader with 22 RBI. Gratto also added seven doubles and led the Blue Wave with 23 stolen bases, along with going 2-0 in four appearances on the mound.
“Micah Gratto is probably the most liked player on our team,” P.K. Yonge coach Rob Brunson said. “He’s quite the character. He’s also one of the best leadoff hitters that I’ve ever coached. He’s always getting on base and has the green light to steal at any time. He plays great defense as well. He will be pitching for us next year as well as playing center field and shortstop.”
Gratto is joined by senior infielder Luke Sparkman. Sparkman hit .406 with 24 runs, 26 hits, seven doubles and tied Gratto with 22 RBI.
“Luke Sparkman has played for me since the sixth grade,” Brunson said. “He has a tremendous work ethic and is always either in the cage or the weight room. He was one of my captains and leads by example. He has a very strong arm, plays great defense, and hits with power. He also has an outstanding 4.0 GPA. He’s one of my favorite all-time players.”
Keystone Heights advanced to the 3A playoffs with a 20-9 record. The Indians were eliminated 5-2 by nationally ranked Pensacola Catholic.
Keystone Heights was led in almost every offensive category by senior outfielder Kenneth (Connor) Guy. Guy batted an eye-popping .526 and also led the Indians with 35 runs, 41 hits, 22 RBI, nine doubles, four triples, five home runs and 17 stolen bases.
“Connor is a player who defines work ethic and team player,” Keystone Heights coach Chris Roach said. “He is the first guy to the field and the last guy to leave. Hitters hit and he does just that. He spends a lot of time working in the cages on his craft. Connor is a great team player and has a great attitude all the time.”
The final member of the All Area team is Columbia pitcher Ayden Phillips. After back-to-back state semifinal appearances in 2022 and 2023, the Tigers struggled to a 15-13 record this season. But Columbia did advance back to the 5A playoffs before being upset in the opening round 2-0 at Beachside (St. Johns).
Phillips, one of the few returning players from 2023, had a 0.71 ERA in 14 appearances on the mound, allowing 27 runs in 49.1 innings with only 16 walks and 75 strikeouts. Phillips also led the Tigers in most offensive categories, hitting .450 with six homers, eight doubles, 31 RBI, 26 runs and 36 hits.
Big School Baseball
C – Noah Hayse, Buchholz (SR)
INF – Anthony Wilkie, Buchholz (SR)
INF – Luke Sparkman, P.K. Yonge (SR)
INF – Jackson McDavid, Santa Fe (Alachua) (JR)
INF – Micah Gratto, P.K. Yonge (JR)
OF – Kenneth Guy, Keystone Heights (SR)
OF – Cedaris Smith, Buchholz (JR)
OF – J.J. Gardner, Buchholz (JR)
Utility – Dylan Lovelace, Santa Fe (Alachua) (SR)
P – Aidan Kastensmidt, Buchholz (SO)
P – Ayden Phillips, Columbia (Lake City) (JR)
Bradford (Starke) – Denver Hudson (Sr.), Mattox Burgin (Sr.), Cason Pilcher (Sr.), Jeffrey Brugh (So.), Ryder Thompson (So.), Ryland Rike (So.)
Buchholz – Cooper Collins (Sr.), Austin Cardozo (Sr.), Conner Brown (Sr.), Kai So (Jr.), Wyatt Clarke (Jr.), Blake Brewer (So.)
Columbia (Lake City) – Phillip Maddox (Sr.), Grant Bowers (Sr.), Max Shuler (Jr.), Trayce McKenzie (Jr.), Bryton Edge (Jr.)
Eastside – Frank Mercado (Sr.)
Gainesville – Chris Eckhardt (So.), Connor Kemph (So.), Zachary Kazlauskas (So.), Broc Tucker (So.)
Keystone Heights – Alex Addington (Sr.), Austin Musgrove (Sr.), Ty Mitzel (Jr.), Austin Smith (Jr.), Aiden Screen (Jr.), Gage Barry (Jr.)
P.K. Yonge – Nico Gomez-Vera (Sr.), Nick Roach (Sr.), Mack Todd (Sr.), Josh Davis (Jr.), Charlie Tumminia (So.)
Santa Fe (Alachua) – Cooper Ruppert (Sr.), Logan Summers (Sr.), Tyler Whitworth (Jr.), Caleb Kietzman (Jr.), Nate Robertson (So.), Evan Christmas (So.), Angel Irizarry (So.)
Suwannee (Live Oak) – P.J. Davis (Sr.), Grayson Bonds (Jr.), Noah Lopez (So.), Jace Moran (Fr.), Grayson Greene (Fr.)