South Dade Brings Home The Class 8A State Crown

Championship Game Photo Gallery

South Dade brought home the state championship.

For a loyal and passionate community that supports the program through thick and thin, there was no greater reward than knowing that the Bucs had given all their fans the ultimate reason to cheer. South Dade had a memorable run through the playoffs this season, which followed an exciting season that made believers out of everyone in its Homestead community and beyond.

The remarkable journey culminated in the Bucs 3-1 victory over Bloomingdale in the Class 8A state championship game Saturday afternoon at jetBlue Park in Fort Myers. For the first time in school history, South Dade is a state champion.

When legendary Manager Fred Burnside first chose to come to South Dade six years ago, it was because he fell in love with the community and fell in love with the program. Burnside has accomplished a lot in his esteemed coaching career, but Saturday afternoon he admitted this victory was the pinnacle moment of it all. This win was huge for him not because of the personal accolades, but because the Bucs were able to bring the title home for all of their fans.

“It’s got to be the greatest thrill of my coaching career to be able to do that,” Burnside said. “I was at Southridge in their heydays when they were winning state football championships, and I saw that. This school is right there with them, and that was back from the eighties. I don’t believe you find that support anymore, and it takes the support of the administration, a caring faculty and a great community, and we have it all at South Dade. I was part of a national championship at the junior college, but this is better yet. It means an awful lot.”

With so many of those passionate Bucs fans in attendance to enjoy the big moment, it was impossible not to notice the energy that they all provided for the team on the field. The fans had been with them all the way, watching them defeat some of the best teams in all of Florida’s Class 8A in Columbus, Killian and Flanagan. It seemed a moment of destiny, and the South Dade faithful proved more than willing to do their part. The school won state titles in both football and wrestling this season, and some of that magic was passed on to the Bucs (23-6) in the form of two special flags that have been flown for each of those teams this year.

“They just want to do something to show their support,” said Burnside. “Flags are one way they want to do that, and the flags have been passed down, and they wanted to find something and be a part of it. You feel the energy, we feel it and it transfers out onto the field.”

Another constant source of energy for this ball club has been the passionate encouragement from junior Jose Gorordo. The right-hander has been the spark plug in the dugout all season long, stirring his teammates and keeping everyone inspired and passionate from first pitch to last. While some guys may sulk in the dugout because they want to be out on the field playing, Gorordo refuses to let any of the Bucs act any other way than the example he provides.

On Saturday, Gorordo was able to do his thing from out on the mound instead. The junior got the honor of starting the biggest game in South Dade history, and he made the most of his golden moment by pitching his way to the victory. Gorordo allowed one unearned run in five and two-third innings of work, scattering three hits and two walks while striking out four on 78 total pitches.

The victory meant so much to Gorordo, especially after the long process he’d worked through to get himself to that point.

“I came to South Dade last year and I struggled throwing, throwing balls in the dirt and everywhere, and I was wild,” Gorordo said. “Then at the beginning of the season against Keys Gate and Columbus I was bad. I would never have imagined being at this stage and pitching in a state championship game and getting the ‘W’. I would never have imagined that in my life.”

The game did not start well for the Bucs, as the Bulls (21-10) capitalized on three errors in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. But Gorordo settled down from there to retire the next nine batters in order, as well as delivering four straight 1-2-3 frames. He was not able to get his slider working the way he normally has this season, but his fastball came on strong when he needed it most.

Just as the team has done all year long, their teammates were there to lift one another up and back one another when they also needed it most. South Dade answered back in the bottom of the second inning to tie things up, before grabbing the lead for good in the fifth.

“I was sitting down with Coach Phil and I saw one run come in, and then the second one and the third one, and it was the best moment of my life. It felt great,” said Gorordo, who improved to 7-0 on the season.

After the team went down in order on just seven total pitches in the bottom of the first, catcher Gabe Cruz led off the bottom of the second with a crucial at-bat that set an entirely new tone through the offense. Cruz battled against Bulls starter Daylan Owens, working the count full before smacking the eighth pitch he saw up the middle for a big single.

“I was the leadoff hitter and I had to find a way on base,” said Cruz. “They had just scored a run and we didn’t do anything. When I felt we had that chance that this could be the inning we could get it, I felt that if I got on base we would score that run. I battled and he was throwing a good curveball and mixing it well with the fastball. With those two strikes I am not getting beat and I put the bat on the ball and I got the hit and my team picked me up after.”

Christian Ibanez came in as a courtesy runner for Cruz, while bringing Sergio Lopez to the plate. Lopez also came up clutch by lining a single past third to put two runners on and no outs.

“My teammates needed me to get that hit so they could stay positive as well,” Lopez said. “I got the hit on the two-strike adjustment, and I was thinking not to let him beat me away. He gave it right to me with a curveball inside.”

Danny Vaughan was next to do his part, dropping down a great sacrifice bunt that moved both runners into scoring position. That brought first baseman Alek Manoah to the dish looking to capitalize on the big scoring opportunity. Alek smacked the first pitch into left field, bringing Ibanez home to even the score and swing all of the momentum in their favor.

“When we got the sac bunt down, it showed that Coach has a lot of trust in me that I can do the job,” Alek said. “We got the runners on second and third, and I heard Coach telling me ‘Kid, you can do it’. Being in the eight-hole I knew he was going to come right at me, and I just stepped up to the plate thinking fastball and let me get it deep and get at least one run in. He gave me a fastball inside and I was able to drive it into left field and get it back to a tie. Once we tied it, it was done for them.”

Angel Zabala lit the last big spark with a leadoff single in the fifth. The center fielder bounced the first pitch he saw deep to the left side of the infield and then beat the throw to the base to get aboard. Zabala was erased at second on a fielder’s choice that put Austin Allende at first, and Yori Rodriguez singled up the middle before he was forced out on a fielder’s choice from Artie Paula that left runners on the corners. Allende then came home on a wild pitch for the decisive run.

An intentional walk to Erik Manoah brought Cruz back to the plate, and again he delivered. The catcher smacked an RBI single to left field to send home Paula and make it a two-run advantage. Lopez worked a walk to load the bases and give the Bucs the chance to blow things wide open. But Bulls catcher Jaimie Calloway made the play of the day by tracking down a pop foul along the third baseline and securing it into his glove before falling into the Bucs dugout.

When Gorordo issued his only two walks of the contest in the top of the sixth, Burnside went to Erik Manoah to come on in relief and close things out. The Bucs Manager has coached for over 40 years and has been around many very talented ball players, but he admits that Erik is one of the most ferocious competitors he has had the privilege of guiding. Even after throwing a complete-game shutout a day earlier just to get his team to within four outs of a state title, Erik was ready to come back one more time to give it all for his team.

With two outs, Bulls shortstop Austin James singled deep to the left side on a 3-2 pitch. Bucs shortstop Yori Rodriguez cleanly fielded the ball and when he saw the lead runner overrun third base, he quickly fired to Vaughan at third base in time for the tag to be applied and the threat to be erased.

Erik then worked his way around a walk in the seventh to pick up the final three outs that sealed the victory and set off the Bucs celebration. It is a team that carries themselves like a family, who thrive off one another and who support one another. Now they are all champions together.

Within the dynamic of the roster is the real bloodline between the Manoah brothers. While Erik is the elder brother, Alek is a towering presence over all of his teammates, even his older brother. The two played their final high school game together as teammates, and it was a moment that could not have ended any better for them.

“I’m not going to lie to you, we argue all the time at practice,” Erik admitted. “Just to play on the same field as him and win a state championship, and him being the little-big brother, it means the world to me. As much as we argue at home, as much as we fight and break holes in the wall everyday, I would not pick anybody else in the world to spend this moment with except for my brother right here.”

Alek admitted this big accomplishment was something they had always dreamed about growing up together and playing on baseball teams together.

“We’ve always had our arguments on the field, but nobody has his back more than I do, and I know nobody has my back more than he does,” said Alek. “Out there we just prove it. All the time at home we just click, he gets on me for doing stuff wrong and gets on me for not working hard and I get on him for keeping humble and doing his thing. No matter what we do, we have each other’s back; because no matter what he’s not going anywhere. He’s my family for life.”

The unique nature of their relationship used to confuse even Burnside.

“They fight like cats and dogs,” Burnside joked. “I’ll be honest with you; I’ve thought there’s something screwed up here, because it was ridiculous. And then one day, Alek was at the plate and Erik was in the dugout and I heard Erik pulling for his brother and I realized that he does. They fight like cats and dogs, but don’t let anybody mess with them.”

Now Erik has played his final high school game, and the Manoah family legacy at South Dade continues on only through his younger brother. Even as the Bucs star player laments one last time at the great legacy he has been blessed to leave behind on this great career of his, he could not help but be grateful by the way it all ended for him.

“Graduating with a state ring is obviously a lot better than graduating after losing early in the playoff rounds,” Erik said. “I’m not scared of what is going to happen after this. I have a mindset of my future and hopefully it goes the way I have it planned out. This is a memory for me to tell my kids, it’s a memory that goes into school history. To win a state championship and it’s the first one, and I get to be a part of it; I would never end my senior year any other way.”

This ending is one that means so much to all the South Dade fans, as well as so many others who have also come to love the legendary Burnside. The Bucs skipper was thrilled at the chance to earn the victory in his fourth career appearance in the high school state tournament, and was honored by all the old friends and colleagues who came out to support him. Burnside knows he could have walked away even if he never won a state ring; that many great coaches have never had the opportunity to enjoy what he has earned this year.

“It is big, but it is not why I coach,” said Burnside. “I lot of great coaches never win one and they may not get the recognition they deserve because of that. I love practicing, I love teaching the game and I love being around young people. I just enjoy these guys and working with them and trying to get them better; and it’s a real challenge. I love it.”

Burnside is a big advocate of a saying coined by famous NBA Coach Pat Riley, who said that hard work guarantees you nothing, but without it you don’t have a chance. The hard work was given by them all, and the Bucs made the absolute most out of the chance that God has given them and that they earned for themselves.

There could be no prouder day for all of South Dade.

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