This past December it was difficult limiting my top stories to just 10 for the year 2024.

I have eight that stand out from the 2025 spring season, which I will list in chronological order. This list does not diminish the accomplishments of the other outstanding area athletes and teams who had a great spring.

Gator basketball

We began the spring with a national championship by the University of Florida men’s basketball team on April 7. The Gators rallied from a 12-point second half deficit to defeat Houston, 65-63, to win their third national title in program history (2006 & 2007).

Florida became the 10th program to win at least three titles, and the Gators (36-4) became the first SEC team since Kentucky in 2012 to win the title.

Gator fans stormed the O’Connell Center court after the win and then Gator Nation welcomed home the national champions with a celebration at Flavet Field on the UF campus, followed by a celebration at halftime of the Orange & Blue football game when Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented the team with a key to the city.

GHS Water Polo

The Gainesville High School Water Polo teams had a new coach (Mason Badics) this season and he led the girls and boys teams to the FHSAA Class 1A-District 1 title.

It marked the second straight year that the Hurricanes swept both titles.

On April 10, the Lady Hurricanes defeated Apopka, 10-4, to avenge a 4-3 loss to the Blue Darters just 12 days prior. The boys cruised to a 16-4 win against Apopka.

Track & field

This year’s FHSAA Track & Field state championships at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville was highlighted by an individual state title.

Last year as a junior, Gainesville High’s Tayeshawn Rochelle was one of the best 400-meter hurdlers in the 3A division. However, a hamstring strain suffered at the regional meet kept him from competing in the state meet.

On May 10, the senior made the finals and made up a 5-meter deficit over the final 100 meters to defeat Miami Northwestern senior Makhi Fleming and win an individual state title with a personal best of 52.44 seconds, which was the seventh fastest run in the nation this year.

According to correspondent Ricky Quintana, Rochelle became the first athlete from an Alachua County school to win the 400-hurdle event since 1973.

Meanwhile, Oak Hall’s Estella Collante took second in the 1A 800 and was part of the seventh-place 4×800 relay team, and Oak Hall senior Dakota Brower fell 0.002 seconds short of a state title with a personal best of 48.38.

Trenton baseball

For the second straight year the Tigers advanced to the final four in Fort Myers.

In the new best-of-three format in regional play, Trenton, which rallied from a three-run deficit to beat Chiefland in the Rural-District 7 championship game, swept the Indians in the regional semifinals. The Tigers rallied late to eliminate Fort Meade in the Rural-Region 4 Final to make it back to Hammond Stadium.

In the state semifinals on May 14, the No. 3 seed Tigers took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but No. 2 seed Lafayette (Mayo) scored five unanswered runs in a 5-1 win, ending the Tigers’ season at 24-5.

GHS Softball

Last year the Gainesville High softball team advanced to the state championship game for the first time since 2016. Although the Hurricanes ended up losing a heartbreaker to defending state champion Parrish Community, 3-2, in eight innings in the title game, expectations were high for this year.

However, star pitcher Leanna Bourdage missed most of this season with an injury as the ’Canes started 0-4. GHS was energized by the return of Bourdage heading into district play and won the district title, followed by a win in the first round of the Class 5A state playoff against Belleview thanks to a combined two-hitter by Bourdage and Santa Fe College signee McKenna O’Sullivan.

Following a 1-0 win against Springstead (Spring Hill) in the regional semifinals, Gainesville’s season came to an end with a 9-3 loss at Winter Springs on May 15 in the region final. GHS finished just one game shy of a second straight final four appearance and finished their season at 17-8.

Buchholz baseball

It was another big year for the Buchholz baseball team, which finished as state runners-up for the second year in a row.

Buchholz rolled to its 21st straight win in early April, set a school record with 122 stolen bases, won 26 straight games at home, and finished with a program-best and state-best 33 victories.

The Bobcats had a walk-off win against Tate (Cantonment) in the 6A-Region 1 Semifinals, but they were facing elimination in the regional final against Pace.

Down 1-0 in the best-of-three series, Buchholz routed the Patriots, 11-2, to even the series, and then beat nationally ranked No. 20 Pace on the road, 5-4, in eight innings to advance back to Fort Myers.

Following a 3-0 win against Wharton (Tampa) in the state semifinals, the Bobcats (33-3) fell short of their first state title in program history with an 8-3 loss to nationally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) on May 17, in the FHSAA Class 6A state championship game.

Branford softball

Last year the Branford softball team lost to Trenton in the Class 1A state championship game, but the Bucs had almost everyone returning.

They advanced to their third straight final four appearance and got off to a great start against Northview (Bratt) in the FHSAA Rural State Semifinals by scoring five runs in the top of the first inning.

However, the Bucs (21-7) allowed five runs in the bottom of the second inning and were denied their third straight state championship game appearance with a 14-6 loss.

Trenton softball

The defending Class 1A state champion Trenton softball team was able to get back to the final four in 2025 thanks to a 2-1 win against Williston in the FHSAA Rural Region 4 Final.

From there, the No. 4 seed Tigers (19-6) dominated, outscoring their two final four opponents, 20-3, to win their second straight state title.

Trenton defeated top seed Liberty County (Bristol), 9-2, in the state semifinals, followed by an 11-1 mercy run win in five innings against Northview in the title game.

It was quite the spring, celebrating a national championship by the Gators and ending the spring with another area state title.