3 Things I Know, 3 Things I Think I Know, 3 Things I Don’t Know

With the condensed season that the FHSAA has these days to complete the regular season, games pile up quickly early in the year, and analysis has to come swiftly.

As we enter week four, and some teams already past a third of their season complete, I took a stab at trying to put some ideas in order here in Miami.

Here is this season’s first edition of, Five Things I Know, Five Things I think I Know, and Five Things I Don’t Know.

Enjoy!

3 Things I Know

1. Mater Academy Has All The Tools It Needs To Repeat

When the Lions lost their second game of the season back in February to Gulliver Prep, red flags went up as to whether this years team could follow in the footsteps of last year’s state title team.

Now, nearly a month later, Mater has answered all those questions, and more. They have rolled off eight straight wins, and now the question becomes, can this years squad be even better than their title team.

The Lions appear to have everything in place for a repeat trip to Fort Myers in May. Their pitching staff has an ERA in the low twos, while offensively, the Lion are hitting .332 with eight home runs. Four of those home runs have come off the bat of Yodelkis Quevedo.

I know Mater Academy is for real.

2. I Know In 7A In Miami, It Appears To Be Columbus And Everyone Else

There have been some flashes of strong games from various teams in 7A in Miami so far this season, but the Explorers appear to be a few steps ahead of all those teams.

Columbus has looked downright dominant at times this season. The offense is hitting .344 on the year, and has gotten on base at an unheard of clip of .467.

The pitching has been good, but at times has shown some vulnerability.

The biggest flex the Explorers have in 2026, is beating the two teams responsible for knocking them out of the playoffs the past five years. They defeated Douglas, who knocked Columbus out in 2021, 22, and 23, 4-3.

They also took down the team that ousted them in 2024 and 2025, West Broward, by a score of 9-5.

Having already beaten the two biggest thorns in their side the past few years, tells me Columbus is focused, and set on returning to Fort Myers for the first time since 2018.

3. I Know That 1A-16 Is Going To Be A Fun District Come Playoff Time

Miami Christian, Schoolhouse Prep, Dade Christian, and Brito. These four teams have played some of the most legendary playoff games in Miami over the past few years, and it looks like that will be the case again in 2026.

The four teams all currently have five wins on the season, and are all sitting around the .500 mark. Every time it looks like one team is going to fall behind, they go on a winning streak.

Conversely, every time a team appears to be taking charge in the district, they have a setback.

Playoff baseball at the high school district level has been frustrating for fans the past few years, since the FHSAA did away with regular season district standings dictating playoff seeding.

This district, however, has all the makings of a classic playoff week come district time. Add on top of the parity, the fact that these rivals don’t like each other much, and we have the making for some fantastic baseball come late April.

3 Things I Think I Know

1. I think that Doral and Key West’s Undefeated Records Are No Fluke

While I spoke about Columbus and Mater Academy in the what I know section, it is actually Doral and Key West that hold the only two undefeated records in Miami. The Firebirds are 11-0, and the Conchs 7-0.

Key West is led by ace Donovan Thiery, who is 3-0. The senior has not given up an earned run in 15.2 innings, and has struck out 29 batters while walking only three over that span.

The Conchs have been itching to bring their traveling Key West party to Fort Myers since their last trip in 2005, and I think this could be the year they break through.

Manager Ralph Henriquez will always have his team prepared, and with the talent matching the coaching this season, it may be Key West’s year.

Doral is a team that has had a lot of success the past few years, having been to states twice since 2019, winning it all in 2022.

The Firebirds are led by an offense that has scored 104 runs, and has eight hitters with at least one home run.

On the mound, the Firebirds have been just as dominant, with an ERA under one.

I think Doral is for real.

2. I Think Florida Christian, True North, Southridge, And Belen Jesuit Have Shown Flashes

It is a fine line that separates a good team from being a great one, and this group of four teams has shown flashes of being elite.

True North has been building towards greatness under Manager Adrian Nieto, and this may be the year the Titans break through. They are one of the clear favorites to come out of the 2A region, and their only loss was to Florida Christian.

The Patriots have some big wins on their schedule already, but their 6-4 record shows that they have been a little inconsistent. I believe they may find that consistency as the season plays out.

Southridge has been dominant in their wins, and their only two losses have come to Doral and True North. A huge match up looms next week with #2 Mater Academy.

The Spartans are off to their best start since Manny (Mo) Ojeda has taken over, and I think I know Southridge has the ability to make some waves come playoff time.

The last team in this group, Belen, is 9-2, and has largely looked dominant. They have wins over Florida Christian, American Heritage-Plantation, Miami Springs, and Monsignor Pace.

Rematches with the Golden Hawks and Patriots await today and Friday.

3. I Think That Both Ransom Everglades And Palmer Trinity Have Arrived

One of the most difficult choices this week was whether to rank Ransom Everglades at 7-0, or Palmer Trinity, at 6-2. The nod went to Ransom, but the Falcons were more than worthy, having defeated Belen just this past week.

The two teams are almost mirror images of each other, and they play in the same district, along with True North, Westminster Christian, and Riviera Prep.

The Warriors have not had the start to the season they had hoped for, but they will again be one of the favorites to win the district.

This year, however, Ransom and Palmer Trinity, along with True North, may have a say in that.

I think the Raiders and Falcons have their best shot in years to win a district title.

3 Things I Don’t Know

1. I Don’t Know What To Make Of Braddock

The Bulldogs came into the season with some of the highest expectations of any team in Miami. They loaded up in the offseason, and have talent all over the field.

The problem is, they began the season in a little bit of a tailspin, losing three of their first six games. They have since, however, rolled off four wins in a row, and are starting to look more like the team we all thought they would be.

They have an uphill battle, as they play in a region with defending state champion St. Thomas, and perennial powerhouse Doral.

A trip to Tennessee is also on the horizon in a couple weeks, before the Bulldogs turn their attention to a late-season playoff push.

2. I Don’t Know If the Rural Region Can Handle Marathon

Manager Joey Gonzalez has his Dolphins swimming freely down their in The Keys, having won five in a row.

Marathon has been very competitive under Gonzalez over the past seven years, but this feels like they year they may finally break through and go on a playoff run.

Their recent five game winning streak includes a road trip through the middle of the state, where they took down three of the eight possible teams they may see come playoff time. They then came back from that trip, and handed Ransom Everglades their first loss of the season.

When comparing Rural teams, it is always important to judge them by other schools their size, and the Dolphins look like the cream of the crop in their weight division in 2026.

3. I Don’t Know If Miami Is As Dominant Top To Bottom As They Have Been In Recent Years

For the past 16 years, I have covered the state tournament in all classifications, and the one thing I have preached is that once the state tournament begins, teams from Miami have a very noticeable advantage.

The level of competition in the county, coupled with the passion with which the game of baseball is played down here, just creates an intimidation factor when facing teams from other areas of the state.

With all of the open transferring taking place these days, and a big disparity between the top teams and everyone else, I don’t know if that advantage still exists.

One of the beauties of Miami high school baseball through the years, were the .500 teams being able to pull off playoff upsets. And with the sheer size of the county, there were many of those teams.

I am not sure it is that way anymore, at least in 2026.

Would I still hang my hat on Miami teams doing well come playoff time. Yes. I just don’t know if I am as sure of that as I have been in the past.

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