- May 17, 2025
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The spring high school sports postseason is now fully underway as the girls on the softball diamond are the last set of athletes to have begun their battles for state championship glory.
As always, the West Orange and Southwest Orange areas are well-represented in the FHSAA softball regional tournaments, with five teams across four of the state’s seven classifications.
Led by 2025’s top teams — Horizon High and Foundation Academy — defending regional champions Windermere High, The First Academy Royals and Windermere Prep Lakers all reached the regional playoff tournament.
With the regional quarterfinals games happening May 7-8 and the usual heavy presence from the area’s top dogs, here’s everything you need to know about the teams fighting for high school softball immortality in 2025.
Teams are listed in alphabetical order.
Class 2A, Region 2, No. 8 seed
Regional Quarterfinal: Played Wednesday, May 7 at No. 1 Montverde Academy (25-2) — after press time
MaxPreps class ranking: No. 26
Best results: 11-1 win vs. De La Salle (19-7, IL), 6-1 win vs. St. Cloud High (21-5) and 9-3 vs. Mount Dora Christian (20-7)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
P Isabella Brown, senior
The Royals’ leader both at the plate and in the circle, Brown is hitting for an average of .475 (29-for-61), has scored 23 runs, and has driven in nine runs. As a pitcher, Brown has thrown 56 strikeouts in her 78.2 innings pitched.
IF Sulexy Falcon, junior
Falcon, a FIU commit, has been hitting for an average of .394 (28-for-71). She also scored 22 runs and drove in another 12 runs.
Postseason outlook
This über-young and talented TFA team draws the unfortunate straw that pairs it with perennial powerhouse Montverde Academy in the first round, which means the Royals could see their season come to an end early in the Class 2A regional quarterfinals.
Class 1A, Region 2, No. 1 seed
Regional quarterfinal: Played Wednesday, May 7 vs. No. 8 Cambridge Christian (15-8) — after press time
MaxPreps class ranking: No. 4
Best results: 7-5 win vs. Berkeley Prep (14-9), 3-2 win vs. Horizon High (20-6), 10-5 win vs. Cornerstone Charter (18-9), and 8-1 win vs. Mount Dora Christian (20-7)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
OF Elizabeth Ozim, senior.
With a batting average of .493 (35-for-71) and an on-base percentage of .561, the Belmont softball signee is one of the hardest batters to get out in the area. Add in that she can hit any pitch out of the park — having done so four times this season — along with her 28 runs, 14 runs batted in and 10 stolen bases, and Ozim is flat-out scary for any pitcher that has to step into the circle against her.
P Riley Winters, junior.
Alongside her future Belmont softball teammate, Ozim, Winters is another dynamite hitter that can cause nightmares for the opposition pitcher. The junior is batting .508 (31-for-61) with an OBP of .598 to along with her 23 runs, 30 RBIs and six home runs. Winters can also get it done from the circle, as she’s pitched 63.2 innings and struck out 37 batters.
Postseason outlook
With one of the toughest regular season schedules of any Class 1A club, the Lady Lions not only have put together an impressive collection of wins but also have sharpened themselves for a deep postseason run. As the No. 1 seed in the region, Foundation are the favorites to reach the Final Four. The Lady Lions have managed to carve a manageable path to the regional finals by earning home field advantage throughout the regional rounds and would avoid district rival Mount Dora Christian — that won the season series 2-1 — and Geneva School until the regional championship round.
Class 6A, Region 1, No. 2 seed
Regional quarterfinal: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8 vs. No. 7 Tate (8-14)
MaxPreps class ranking: No. 12
Best results: 7-0 win vs. Foundation (15-7), 2-0 win vs. Archbishop Chapelle (18-13, LA), 17-2 win at Windermere High (14-11) and 7-5 win at Apopka High (21-5)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
IF Paisley Hernandez, freshman.
In her first season of varsity softball, the Hawks’ younger Hernandez sister has been incredible in the batter’s box and on defense. She’s hit for an average of .487 (38-for-78), scored 29 runs and driven in 23 runs.
P Mackenzie Duncan, senior.
As Horizon softball’s most accomplished player ever, Duncan has once again been a star for the Lady Hawks in her final high school season. In the circle, the Penn State signee has thrown 113 innings, struck out 204 batters and maintained an ERA of 1.30. The scary thing about Duncan is she’s just as dangerous with her bat: Hitting for a .455 batting average (35-for-77), knocking in 25 runs and hitting two homers.
Postseason outlook
After a historic 2024 season that saw the Lady Hawks reach the Final Four, Horizon — despite significant roster turnover, thanks to graduations — have picked up right where it left off and enter the regional playoffs as the area’s top team and its best shot at bringing home a state championship trophy. However, the Hawks will face a tough test making their way back to the state semifinals and beyond, as defending Class 6A state champions and the region’s top seed, Pace High, should be waiting in the regional final.
Class 2A, Region 2, No. 6 seed
Regional quarterfinal: Played Wednesday, May 7 at No. 3 Melbourne Central Catholic (19-3) — after press time.
MaxPreps class ranking: No. 19
Best results: 9-0 win vs. Harvest Community (21-6), 12-3 win vs. Geneva (18-3) and 8-3 win at Leesburg High (13-10).
PLAYERS TO WATCH
IF Cierra Walker, freshman.
The phenomenal freshman has been dynamic from the batter’s box for the Lakers this season, hitting for an average of .564 (31-for-55) with an OBP of .627, three home runs, 36 RBIs and 23 runs scored.
P Vanessa Nawracaj, junior.
Over her 60 innings pitched, Nawracaj has an ERA of just 1.98 and has struck out 121 opposition batters. From the plate she’s also been a key bat in the Lakers’ lineup, with a .390 batting average, .561 OBP, 11 runs batted in and 10 runs scored.
Postseason outlook
A wonderful regular season for the Lakers earned them the No. 6 seed in the regional playoffs which allows for the lesser of two evils in their pursuit of a state title. As one of the four teams representing the loaded Class 2A, District 7 — which includes the nationally ranked defending 3A state champions, Montverde Academy, and district runner-up Cornerstone Charter, that beat WPS 15-0 in the semifinals — in Class 2A’s Region 2, Windermere Prep could avoid seeing its top-level district counterparts until the regional final, considering the Lakers can pull off the upsets in the first two rounds.
Class 7A, Region 3, No. 8 seed
Regional quarterfinal: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8 at No. 1 East Ridge (21-5)
MaxPreps class ranking: No. 26
Best results: 3-2 win vs. Lake Howell High (21-4), 10-4 at Foundation (15-7) and 15-0 win vs. Dr. Phillips High (14-6)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
OF Tessa Olofson, senior.
As Windermere’s leading hitter, with an average of .529 (37-for-70), an OBP of .632 and 35 runs scored, Olofson has grown tremendously from the plate as a senior — nearly doubling her batting average from last season of .276. She’s also matched her career high in RBIs with 20 and set a career best in home runs with two.
IF Sabrina Boyer, sophomore.
Similarly to her running mate Olofson, Boyer has seen an incredible jump in production this season from the batter’s box. Her batting average jumped from .276 (16-for-58) last season to .524 (33-for-63) this season, she’s doubled her runs scored with 24, more than doubled her RBIs with 25 and hit four home runs this season — hitting just one in 2024 — and she also has a .581 on-base percentage.
Postseason outlook
Led by a senior-heavy squad in 2024, Windermere won the program’s first regional championship and reached the state Final Four. In 2025, after losing its entire pitching staff and four of its top five hitters, the Wolverines have leaned on the growth of key returners to earn their way back to the regional playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Led by its dynamic offense, that’s averaging 8.6 runs per game, Windermere could make a run, if things break its way. Considering its first round matchup is against a familiar foe in district rivals East Ridge High, that is not only the lowest ranked No. 1 seed in Class 7A but also a team the Wolverines almost beat in the district title game. What’s more, Region 3 seems to be the easiest path to the Final Four, especially compared to Region 1 with Central Florida powerhouses: Lake Brantley High, Hagerty High, Spruce Creek High and Apopka High.
