Miami Springs Wins First State Title In School History

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Miami Springs Championship Press Conference

Miami Springs players and coaches knew the narrative coming into their state final game against South Walton. They knew the Seahawks was 31-3 on the year. They knew South Walton was the only team to defeat IMG Academy this season. And they knew the Seahawks won their state semifinal game 17-2.

They just didn’t care.

Despite the odds being against them from a public perception, the Hawks knew that they also had a 27-3 record coming into the championship game, and had won their semifinal game 12-2.

The one thing nobody recognized in their analysis of the title game, was that the Hawks also had something else going for them. They had the heart of a champion.

Combine that heart, with a brilliant pitching performance from senior Magdiel Estevez, stellar defense from third baseman Jordany Gonzalez, a rare home run off the bat of sophomore Taylor Ancheta, and what you get is the first state championship in school history.

The Hawks defeated South Walton 3-2 in one of the best games played at the state tournament this past week.

“I am at a loss for words,” said Hawks Manager David Fanshawe, who has built the Miami Springs program into a perennial powerhouse during his time with the Hawks, having won five district titles, and been to the state final four twice, in the past seven years.

“It has been a process for us to get to this point,” said Fanshawe. “The 2019 came up here, and we fell short, but we have continued to work, and this year’s team just had something special about them. They played their hearts out today.”

Fanshawe understands what a championship team should look like, having previously won state titles as a player, and then as a coach, at Miami Brito.

Those teams did it in similar fashion as his Hawks team, with timely hitting, coupled with strong defense and dominant pitching performances.

Springs received two pitching performances for the history books at the state tournament. Ace Kevin Roque threw a complete game in the semifinals, and Estevez was lights out in the title game, also throwing a complete game.

“For me, I sometimes get too amped up, and have to dial it back a little bit. So today, I was just focused on keeping my emotions in control, and concentrating on each pitch, and each situation.”

Estevez was facing a South Walton lineup that had put up 17 runs the day before, and early on, they squared some balls up, but each time, the Hawks defense was right there to make a play behind their starter.

“The defense today was incredible,” said Fanshawe. “Mags threw a great game, and every time they put the ball in play, we had someone making a big play.”

Offensively, the Hawks found a spark in the most unlikely of places. Ancheta came up in the second inning, and launched a first-pitch fastball into the right-field stands to give Springs a 1-0 lead.

“I was even a little surprised,” said Ancheta. “I haven’t hit a home run all season.” Ancheta mentioned that his last home run was back in the summer for his travel team.

“That gave us a lead, which was big at that point in the game,” said Fanshawe.

The Hawks struck again in the sixth inning with an insurance run that proved to be big, as the Seahawks threatened in their half of the sixth, but could only muster up one run.

Leading 3-2, Estevez then went out in the seventh and secured his place in Hawks, and state history, by throwing an immaculate inning, striking out all three batters he faced, on nine pitches, sending the Hawks to the state title.

The win was one that was long in the making for a community that rallied around these Hawks.

“We were at practice the other day, and we had some guy drive by and wish us luck,” said Roque. “We didn’t even know who he was, and when we asked, he just said he was from the community. So that makes this special.”

Additionally, the state title was extra special for Ancheta and catcher Kelven Perera, who both have parents that are Miami Springs alumni.

The Hawks finished the season at 28-3.

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