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Heritage's Banister and Aquinas' Baucom are the Broward Softball Coaches of the Year
It wasn't that long ago that winning state softball championships was the norm at St. Thomas Aquinas and American Heritage.
Both prestigious programs made it back to the state final four this season, and could be close to restoring those traditions in the near future.
Under the direction of veteran coach Bryan Baucom, St. Thomas Aquinas advanced to the state semifinals for the first time since 2017.
And under coach Sam Banister, who finished her third season as Heritage's head coach, the Patriots advanced to the state final for the first time since winning the most recent of their eight state titles in 2018.
Baucom and Banister are this year's Miami Herald Softball Coaches of the Year for Broward County.
Baucom wins the Class 7A-5A honors after guiding the Raiders to state in Class 5A after going 16-13 and navigating through the second-toughest rated schedule in the state.
The Aquinas program found itself struggling after the 2020 COVID-shortened season. But since 2022, when the Raiders broke a three-year drought of not making it to regionals, they have advanced one round further in the playoffs.
Moving down to 5A this season meant Aquinas would not have to deal with nationally-ranked Doral Academy, which eliminated the Raiders in the regional finals last season.
Aquinas crushed Stuart South Fork 10-1 in this year's regional final after surviving an 8-7 thriller against Pembroke Pines Charter in the semifinal.
The Raiders' season ended with a 7-2 loss to Niceville in the state semifinals.
But Baucom, who has led Aquinas to all four of its state championships, graduates only three senior starters.
Banister's team has also continually moved a step closer to the mountaintop since she took over following legendary coach Marty Cooper's retirement before the 2023 season. Banister led Heritage to an impressive 23-3 record this season and to the Class 4A state final before the Patriots suffered a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to Fort Walton Beach.
But Heritage also returns a strong core since they graduated only one starter.
