Sarasota and Manatee County high school baseball teams begin their pursuits of state titles this week as the 2025 FHSAA district tournament begins Monday.
Venice (18-3) enters the tournament as the area's highest-rated team in the state. Craig Faulkner's club is ranked 16th and sixth in Class 7A.
Class 7A-District 8Monday
Quarterfinals
1. Venice has a bye
5. Lehigh at 4. North Port, 7 pm
2. Sarasota has a bye
3. Riverview has a bye
Tuesday
Semifinals
North Port-Lehigh winner at Venice, 7 pm
Riverview at Sarasota, 7 pm
Thursday
Championship, 7 pm
Analysis: Barring a major upset, this is Venice's district for the taking. The No. 1-seed green and white defeated Sarasota twice during the regular season, and Lehigh, North Port, and Riverview have combined for more than 50 losses. The Rams did hand Venice a 4-1 loss earlier this month, one of only three for Craig Faulkner's 19-3 club, but consider it a hiccup.
District winner: Venice
Class 6A-District 12
Tuesday
Semifinals
4. Lakewood Ranch at 1. Parrish, 7 pm
3. Palmetto at 2. Lennard, 7 pm
Thursday
Championship, 7 pm
Analysis: Though perhaps not as favored to win its district as Venice, 18-4 Parrish, the top seed, has the inside track. Palmetto, Lakewood Ranch, and Lennard have a combined record of 21-45. And the Bulls twice defeated both the Mustangs and Tigers during the regular season, outscoring them 33-14.
District champion: Parrish
Class 5A-District 10
Monday
Quarterfinals
1. Braden River has a bye
5. St. Petersburg at 4. Hollins, 7 pm
2. Manatee has a bye
6. Pinellas Park at 3. Northeast, 7 pm
Tuesday
Semifinals
Hollins-St. Petersburg winner at Braden River, 7 pm
Northeast-Pinellas Park winner at Manatee, 7 pm
Thursday
Championship, 7 pm
Analysis: The district title game shapes up as a matchup between top-seeded Braden River and No. 2 Manatee. The Tigers (12-10) and Hurricanes (14-8) are the only two teams in the district with winning records. Assuming St. Petersburg (8-13-1), Hollins (8-13), Pinellas Park (10-14-1), and Northeast (10-11) all lose, Braden River and Manatee will meet in the title tilt. The Tigers defeated Manatee, 8-5, during the regular season.
District champion: Braden River
Class 4A-District 10
Tuesday
Quarterfinals
1. Seminole has a bye
5. Southeast at 4. Booker, TBD
2. Osceola has a bye
3. Bayshore has a bye
Wednesday
Semifinals
Booker-Southeast winner at Seminole, TBD
Bayshore at Osceola, ...
