St. John’s Country Day Reclaims State Championship Crown

The 2026 Class 1A state champion St. John’s Country Day Spartans. *Photo from @St.John’sCountryDaySchool.

Two years ago, the St. John’s Country Day Spartans became the first team in Clay County to win a state championship. Well, make some room in that trophy case now!

The Spartans claimed their second state title in team history with a 6-2 win over the Orangewood Christian Rams, in Saturday’s Class 1A state championship at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. Clay County now officially has a dynasty, after the Spartans (25-8) won their second crown while competing in their fourth straight title game.

Following a successful use of the pitching staff in Thursday’s semifinal win over the Schoolhouse Prep Wolfpack, St. John’s went into the finale with its full arsenal of weapons available on the mound. But that first option is so lethal that it was enough right there.

*Photo from Tom Marsh.

Ace Braden Harris returned to the hill two days after earning the victory in a shortened start against the Wolfpack, and he went the distance to earn the biggest win of his career. Harris struck out ten in his seven full innings of work, needing exactly 105 pitches to complete the outing. Had he needed even one more out from there, the Spartans would have needed to make a pitching change due to his limit being reached.

“I’ll do anything to make sure we win,” Harris said heading into the championship. “I’m just trying to be a team player and do anything. I’ll get a hit for the team to win, I’ll have a diving catch in the outfield, I’ll throw a complete game; I’ll do whatever it takes.”

The offense did its part with two big scoring innings. The Spartans put up three in the third for the winning difference, and later tacked on three more in the sixth. Harris got that part started as well, leading off the third with a double to right. A bunt single from Hunter Rodgers put runners on the corners, and the Spartans continued what worked so well in the semifinal win by scoring the first run on a squeeze bunt from Preston Cole. Madden Williams and Jonas Wells followed with back-to-back RBI singles.

“When it comes to trying to win the last game, it’s all we wanted to do. We’ve talked about our story finishing on the right note,” senior Hunter Rodgers said.

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