Top 10 Florida prep sports moments of 2023

The best 10 moments of 2023

With 2023 down on the verge of expiring, the SBLive Florida staff compiled the top moments of the calendar prep sports year.

We selected 10 from multiple sports, some of which either lived up to, or surpassed, expectations while others accomplished feats that few saw coming.

Here are SBLive Florida’s Top 10 moments of 2023: 

1. Berkeley Prep upsetting Miami Norland for the Class 2M state title (Football) 

There was a lot of great moments that took place in 2023, but none more surprising and feel good than this one. Berkeley Prep defeating Miami Norland 28-20 for the Class 2M state championship outweighed them all because of the seemingly insurmountable odds the Buccaneers were facing. Up against a Norland program that was undefeated, nationally ranked and had over 15 Power 5 level players on the roster, very few had Berkeley Prep even giving much resistance. 

Instead, Berkeley Prep went ahead and proved all the naysayers (including myself) wrong. The Buccaneers behind the offensive tandem of Dallas Golden and Joseph Troupe, with an opportunistic defense at their backs, defeated the mighty Vikings. A stunning win also handed longtime Tampa Bay area head coach Dominick Ciao his first ever state championship victory. It was a year to remember for Berkeley Prep. 

2. Bill Castle retires after 52 years coaching; eight state championships at Lakeland (Football)

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention a moment that was a longtime coming.

It was memorable in a sense of how long the Bill Castle has coached within the Sunshine State and how many states championships he led the Dreadnaughts to.

Castle on Jan. 3rd announced he would be retiring from coaching high school football, capping a legendary career.

Along the way, Castle led Lakeland to eight state championships, a national title and won 473 games, leaving him as the all-time winningest head coach in state history.

It wasn’t a moment that actually happened on the field or anything, but for it to happen in 2023 will still always be remembered because of Castle’s meaning to the Florida high school football world. 

3. Columbus edging Winter Haven for 7A state championship (Boys Basketball)

It's not the overall surprise factor of hearing the Columbus Explorers win the state championship, featuring a couple of the country's best players in Cayden and Cameron Boozer. 

It's how they did it. 

Up against a Winter Haven program, playing in its backyard of Polk County, Columbus had to match the Blue Devils toe-to-toe intensity wise and to really earn themselves the Class 7A state championship. 

Not being challenged many times when it came to in-state competition, the Explorers got everything they wanted and more facing the Polk County bunch. 

The unsung hero for Columbus ended up being Malik Abdullahi, who knocked down two clutch free throws and a steal to help setup the game-winning basket by Garyn Bess, to give the Explorers the lead and state title. 

The victory for Columbus proved to be the most exciting state championship game of the seven that went on back in March. It truly was March Madness. 

4. Gulliver Prep winning the Class 3A state championship (Girls Volleyball)

Three years ago when Emilio Rodriguez took over the Gulliver Prep volleyball program, they were coming off a rock bottom season.

The Raiders had finished a dismal 1-14 campaign and didn’t look like they were going anywhere fast.

Then fast forward to this past season, and it was a total turnaround from where Gulliver Prep was. It was truly a worst to first moment.

Gulliver Prep soundly defeated Bishop Moore 3-1 and capped winning the program’s first ever state championship. What a win and turnaround it has been. 

5. Williston defeating Chipley for its first-ever state championship (Boys Basketball)

Whenever you can hoist your first ever state championship, it’s a special moment.

It was especially special for Williston High School’s boys basketball program when they were able to edge out Chipley 58-49 for the Class 1A state title.

Just four seasons removed from going 6-19, the Red Devils under the guidance of head coach Jim Ervin made a run that everyone in the town of Williston will never forget. Williston closed out the season after starting off 17-7 by winning its final eight games and the clincher was obviously the most memorable.

When the moment came to lift the trophy at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, it was one definitely well deserved and worth waiting for. 

6. Chipley wins its first-ever state championship in program history (Baseball)

Another first when it came to winning a state championship occurred from a school far north Panhandle region of the state.

The Chipley Tigers celebrated winning the program’s first-ever state championship in school history back in late May, completing one of the best feel good stories on the diamond.

After finishing 17-11 a season ago, Chipley made a huge turnaround in the spring. The Tigers faced some tough opponents throughout the season and had to overcome en route to the Class 1A crown.

Chipley finished the drill by soundly defeating Lafayette 10-1 for the state crown, bringing back to the Florida Panhandle the program’s first title. 

7. Leon's Patrick Koon becomes sixth boys runner ever to win three straight state titles (Boys Cross Country)

Not much love always goes out to the cross country runners in the summer and fall months, but it definitely doesn't go unnoticed. 

Leon senior Patrick Koon finished his high school running days off with a proverbial bang. 

The future Stanford Cardinal completed a feat only five others have ever done in boys cross country, winning three straight state championships. Koon finished the 5k in a blistering 15:02.1, easily outpacing the field of runners. 

Koon will be remembered as one of the best to ever do it when it comes to high school boys cross country runners of all time.

8. Miami Norland upsets Miami Central in OT on a Noah Sidan game-winning field goal (Football)

Beating Miami Central in the last few seasons has been no easy feat for anyone, especially Miami Norland.

With all the hype heading into the 2023 season between Central and Norland, many expected the former to continue its winning ways.

On a Friday night in October, Vikings’ kicker Noah Sudan etched his name into Norland lore. The place kicker knocked down the game-winning 35-yard field goal to lift Norland to a thrilling 29-26 victory in overtime.

In the Class 2M playoffs, Sidan would be called upon again to push the Vikings past the Rockets, hitting on another go-ahead field goal in a region final. 

9. Bartow without manager pulls off Class 6A state semifinal comeback win over Doral Academy (Softball)

Now it's needless to say that the Bartow Yellow Jackets were somewhat used to seeing manager Glenn Rutenbar getting in disagreements with umpires during the regular season. 

Rutenbar has been tossed out of games in the past, but happening on one of the biggest stages and his Bartow team overcoming it was an impressive moment nonetheless. 

Bartow’s two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning proved to be the difference maker. Destiny Driskell drove home the go-ahead run as the Yellow Jackets defeated Firebirds 3-2 at Legends Way Softball Complex in a Class 6A state semifinal. 

The state semifinal victory lifted the team into the 6A state championship game, in which they would end up facing Pace and winning 5-1, giving Bartow its ninth state championship in program history. 

10. Lakeland Christian upends state power St. Johns Country Day for Class 2A title (Girls Soccer)

Up against one of the state's top girls soccer programs, Lakeland Christian knew they had a challenge ahead of them. 

The Vikings were more than able to step up to the task and were able to edge out St. Johns Country Day 2-1, handing the Spartans their first postseason loss since 2011. 

St. Johns Country Day entered as 11-time state champions and Lakeland Christian had them on the ropes tied up at 1-1 with 10 minutes remaining. That's when Lily Harrington would finish the storybook ending, scoring the go-ahead goal and lifting the Vikings to their third consecutive state title at Spec Martin Stadium.