For the first time ever, three local teams made it to the state baseball finals at Hammond Stadium. Fort Myers High School, Canterbury School, and Bishop Verot High School will compete for championship titles this week.
The Green Wave comes in with 21 wins and 11 losses, with an amazing 12-2 record at home. They've broken a 57-year streak since they last made it to the final four. "It just goes to show where baseball's at in this area... Great schools. Great coaches... developing athletes and baseball players," said head coach Brad Crone to WINK News.
Canterbury's team turned things around after a rough start. They bounced back from a .500 record to grab their first final four spot since 2018. "Our kids showed a lot of resilience and a lot of heart... We put it together at the right time," said a team representative to WINK News.
After coming up short last year, the Vikings are back and ready to win. "Just being able to control the emotion of the game and get into that game flow as quick as possible... We've earned our right to be here and I think we're certainly prepared for this moment," said coach Casey Scott.
The games start when Canterbury takes on Orangewood Christian Wednesday at 7 p.m. WINK Sports will show each game.
This Green Wave success shows how far they've come. Just last year, things were so bad that school officials had to step in as coaches. Crone, a former Estero High player, took over in 2023 and turned things around.
For senior shortstop Madrid Tucker, this run is special. "It definitely means a lot especially coming in as a senior... just to be in this position after losing districts," he said.
Vikings outfielder Grayson Carpenter feels good about their chances. "We worked for this all year and made it back with an even better record. I feel like an even better chance to win it all," he said.
