North Broward Prep back on top after beating Westminster Christian for third title in four years
FORT MYERS
North Broward Prep wanted a full circle moment for its core of seniors responsible for one of the best runs in recent memory by any South Florida baseball program.
They got it thanks largely to one of the newer faces on their team.
Kiernan O’Neill drove in two runs including the eventual game winner and then closed out the game on the mound to help the Eagles beat Miami Westminster Christian 5-4 in the Class 3A state championship game on Wednesday afternoon at Hammond Stadium.
North Broward Prep (28-3) secured its third state title in the past four seasons a year after being denied a championship in the final.
Meanwhile, the Eagles denied Westminster Christian (25-5) its longawaited shot at making history.
The Warriors, who have not won a state title since 2015, were vying to win their 12th state championship, which would have given them the most among any state school all-time.
It was only the fifth time a Miami-Dade County school faced a Broward team in a state final.
Just after Westminster had leveled the game at 3 with two runs in the top of the sixth, North Broward Prep put two runners on Westminster reliever Austin Weigandt when Nik Koorse singled and Max Burkholz reached on a sacrifice bunt fielder’s choice.
Weigandt retired the next two hitters, but O’Neill reached on an infield single when he hit a ball deep in the hole and Westminster shortstop Manny Marin’s throw to first skipped and sailed wide of first baseman Jose Lopez.
The Warriors nearly rallied in the top of the seventh after Willie Alvarez drew a walk from Eagles reliever Riley
Luft.
O’Neill then took the mound. He hit catcher Brian Borges with a pitch.
Marin then roped another RBI single to left, which nearly cut the deficit to a run. But Alvarez was thrown out at the plate by Luft.
Ethan Puig grounded out to short, scoring courtesy runner Ashton Jacomino to cut the lead to 5-4.
But O’Neill induced a game-ending groundout by Talan Beckford to seal the outcome.
Trailing 3-1 heading into the sixth, Puig singled to open the frame and Lopez followed two batters later with a double.
This prompted North Broward Prep coach
Brian Campbell to bring Luft to the mound.
Suarez, however, roped a two-run single to tie the game.
After Luft walked Gabriel Mejia, he picked off Suarez at third for the second out and then struck out pinch hitter Eric Eikenberg to end the threat.