Brackets, schedule for Pensacola area softball district tournaments

[ASFN Admin]

Welcome to postseason softball in Florida.

FHSAA district tournaments run April 27-30, with every team getting a shot to automatically qualify for the state playoffs. Pace (6A), Escambia (4A) and Northview (Rural) are the local teams who are top seeds in their respective districts. All area teams are in district 1.

District champions will also host in the regional quarterfinals (or semifinals for rural teams) unless they match up with a higher seeded district champion.

The state playoffs start May 6 with the regional quarterfinals for classes 1A-4A. The regional quarterfinals for classes 5A-7A and the Rural regional semifinals will be May 7.

Below are district brackets and schedules for each classification featuring area teams. All FHSAA rankings are as of April 23.

District 1-6A​

Semifinals (April 28)

• No. 4 Tate at No. 1 Pace, 6:30 p.m.
• No. 3 Crestview at No. 2 Navarre, 6:30 p.m.

Championship (April 30)

• Semifinal winners at higher seed, 6:30 p.m.

Analysis: There’s a lot on the line for Pace (20-4) and Navarre (12-9) despite being the current No. 1 and No. 3 seed, respectively, in Region 1-6A.

Pace has all but locked up in the top seed and is in line to play the District 2-6A champion in the regional quarterfinals. This means that if the Patriots don’t win their sixth straight district title, they’ll likely be on the road for the first round of the state playoffs, even though they’re currently ranked No. 3 in 6A and No. 5 in the state overall.

Navarre’s district semifinal matchup with Crestview will likely see the winner host a regional quarterfinal and the loser head on the road. Crestview is one spot behind Navarre in the regional and overall FHSAA rankings, which means the Bulldogs would likely jump the Raiders for the No. 3 seed with a win.

Horizon (16-6), the current No. 5 seed, is the top seed in the District 4-6A tournament and would host either Navarre or Crestview if they win the district championship.

Tate (10-13) is looking to send longtime head coach Melinda Wyatt out on a high note with a district title, which the Aggies need to qualify for the state playoffs.

District 1-5A​

Semifinals (April 28)

• No. 4 Mosley at No. 1 Niceville, 6 p.m.
• No. 3 Milton at No. 2 Gulf Breeze, 6 p.m.

Championship (April 30)

• Semifinal winners at higher seed, 6 p.m.

Analysis: Both Gulf Breeze (14-10) and Milton (16-9) look to be safely into the regional playoffs ahead of Tuesday’s district semifinal.

The Dolphins are currently the No. 4 seed in Region 1-5A and ranked No. 81 in the FHSAA rankings, while Milton (16-9) is the No. 7 seed and ranked No. 109 in the FHSAA rankings, 48 spots ahead of Fleming Island, who is the final at-large team.

However, Gulf Breeze could be looking at a regional quarterfinal home game if it doesn’t win the district championship. Middleburg and Ponte Vedra, the No. 5 and No.6 ranked teams in the region, are currently the top seeds in District 3-5A and District 4-5A, respectively, and could host the Dolphins if they win the district championship.

Niceville (18-7), who is the top seed in the district, is also currently ranked No. 1 in Region 1-6A. The Eagles lost to Gulf Breeze 1-0 on Feb. 17 and beat Milton 5-0 on Feb. 19.

District 1-4A​

Semifinals (April 28 at Pine Forest)

• No. 3 Booker T. Washington at No. 2 Pine Forest, 6:30 p.m.

Championship (April 30 at Pine Forest)

• Booker T. Washington/Pine Forest winner vs. No. 1 Escambia, 6:30 p.m.

Analysis: It’s district title or bust for all three teams if they want to continue their season.

All three teams are at least 146 spots behind Menendez, the last at-large team in the Region 1-4A playoffs.

Escambia (9-13) is the heavy favorite to repeat as district champions, going 4-0 against district opponents while outscoring them by a combined score of 73-24. Pine Forest (8-15) is hosting the tournament and is 5-5 at home this season.

If the district champion matches up with an at-large team it would host in the Region 1-4A quarterfinals on May 6.

District 1-3A​

Semifinals

• No. 4 Bay at No. 1 South Walton, 7 p.m. (April 27)
• No. 3 Pensacola at No. 2 West Florida, 7 p.m. (April 28)

Championship (April 30)

• Semifinal winners at higher seed, 7 p.m.

Analysis: West Florida (7-15) is solidly in the state playoffs despite a lackluster record after playing the second toughest schedule in all of 3A, according to the FHSAA.

The Jaguars currently are ranked No. 6 in Region 1-3A and No. 166 in the overall FHSAA rankings, 58 spots ahead of Suwanee, who is the last at-large team in the Region 1-3A field.

Neither West Florida nor South Walton (14-6) played a district opponent this spring.

District 1-2A​

(Quarterfinals at higher seed, semifinals and final at Bozeman)

Quarterfinals (April 27)

• No. 5 Freeport at No. 4 Destin, 6 p.m.
• No. 7 Rutherford at No. 2 Bozeman, 6 p.m.
• No. 6 Pensacola Catholic at No. 3 Walton, 6 p.m.

Semifinals (April 28)

• Freeport/Destin winner vs. No. 1 North Bay Haven Academy, 5 p.m.
• Rutherford/Bozeman winner vs. Pensacola Catholic/Walton winner, 7 p.m.

Championship (April 29)

• Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.

Analysis: Pensacola Catholic (7-10) would need to pull off a Cinderella run to a district championship to qualify for the state playoffs, as they’re currently ranked 15th out of 16 teams in Region 1-2A.

The Crusaders didn’t play a district foe this spring. Walton (10-11), their first round opponent, may need to win the district championship to ensure a state playoff berth as well. The Braves are currently the first team out for an at-large bid, and are 31 spots behind the last team in, Trinity Christian (14-6), in the overall FHSAA rankings.

Rural District 1​

(All games at Jay)

Quarterfinals (April 27)​

• No. 5 Baker vs. No. 4 Central, 5 p.m.
• No. 6 Laurel Hill vs No. 3 Paxton, 7 p.m.

Semifinals (April 28)

• Baker/Central winner vs. No. 1 Northview, 5 p.m.
• Laurel Hill/Paxton winner at No. 2 Jay, 7 p.m.

Championship (April 30)

• Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

Analysis: After getting over the district and regional title hump last year, Northview enters this year’s district tournament as the heavy favorites.

The Chiefs (16-5) are ranked No. 29 overall in the state and No. 2 in the rural classification, trailing only Pace in the Pensacola area.

Northview even won at Jay 7-2 on April 16, meaning they won’t be fazed by potentially playing a road game for the district championship. The Chiefs currently rank No. 1 in Region 1 and would wrap up homefield advantage in the regional semifinals and finals with a district championship.

Jay (10-11) will likely qualify for the state playoffs despite finishing the regular season under .500. The Lady Royals are currently ranked No. 3 in Rural Region 1 and No. 175 overall in the state, 47 spots ahead of Paxton, who is the first team out.

Jay and Paxton could meet in the district semifinals, and the Lady Royals beat the Bobcats twice in the regular season by a combined score of 19-4.

Central (14-6) is enjoying its winningest season since 2019 but will need to win the district tournament to advance to the state playoffs.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola area high school softball district tournaments begin Monday

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