The new season started in full swing from winter to spring sports. The basketball teams, soccer teams and the wrestling teams all brought top performance, bringing new victories to Naples High. 

Basketball

The varsity boys basketball made it as far as third place in the 5A District 12. The varsity girls basketball team, also tying with the boys basketball team, made it third in the 5A District 12. 

Soccer

The boys varsity soccer team placed first in the 5A District 12, ranking them number 53 in the state and number 165 across the nation. The girls varsity soccer team was also first in the 5A District 12, placing them number 82 in the state and number 354 nationwide.

Baseball

After an influential opening, the boys varsity baseball team is already ranked in the Power 25 sitting at rank 15 as of Jan. 24. 

“We’re excited for this spring season from a coach standpoint,” varsity baseball Assistant Coach John Cipolla said. “All of these guys have what it takes to get back to state finals again this year.” 

As far as last season, the team made it as far as the semi-finals after an upsetting loss. The team is projected to make it back to the state finals again this year.

“The varsity team has really great talent, but let’s not exclude the JV team I’m coaching along with Coach Yockey,” Head JV Coach Kasey Nelson said. “We have some skill and raw talent as well.” 

The already D1 Committed players Michael Graziano (Georgia Tech), Johnny King (Miami Hurricanes), Riley Whitmer (Florida State) and Zach Pearl (Washington University) have brought immense talent to the fields. Also, senior Oliver Lee has the best batting average on the team of .404.

“We have a lot of good talent from these sets of guys on the team,” varsity baseball Head Coach Jimmy Nocera said. “We’ve always had a young varsity team. The same boys who are playing on the team now have been since freshman and sophomore year of high school. Currently we have nine juniors and nine seniors on the team, five of which are transfers.” 

Another player, Brendan Murphy, also had an outstanding 1.97 ERA as a sophomore last year on the varsity team. With such talent on the field, the baseball team is advancing through rankings. Yet, it is not even Naples High’s top sport. 

“I have high hopes for us this year as a junior varsity player, let alone our varsity team,” player Robert Amell said.

The baseball season has just begun, and the future is looking bright for the next couple of years for both the JV and varsity teams.