ORANGE PARK - A thunderous 50 yard scoring strike by senior CeCe Nowicki ignited the finishing touches of a short hiatus at the top of the podium for the St. Johns Country Day School's girls soccer team and coach Mike Pickett while boys sports was led by a second straight championship game finish by a Brayden Harris led baseball squad that played valiantly all season to defend their state title from two years ago.
For Pickett, who has been in the mix of the last three state tournament finals race, the near misses fueled an element of fire for the Spartan team that had a handful of seniors that were part of the last state title team and refused to graduated without restarting a possible second 11-title state title streak for Pickett. Pickett has 15 state titles total.

Pickett's normally notoriously rugged schedule, pinning his highly energetic sports against nationally and state-wide ranked upper tier teams, put the Spartans won loss record as okay by St. Johns standard, but also revealed a championship pedigree readiness along the way. That pedigree included a shutout run through the district, region and Final Four playoffs led by goalie Alyvia Bishop and a defensive bubble in front of her that was inpenetrable.
The finish, with a 4-0 dominant win over The Pine School out of south Florida, featured Nowicki's rocket, but, more intensely, a suffocating defensive strategy to pin the nation's top goal scorer from Pine. That daunting task went primarily to a freshman, AnnaBelle Ernst, who masterful stayed within a foot of less of Pine's Giovanna Waksman and her 80 goals that led the nation.
The result was the magnificent 4-0 win with Mia Johnson, Nowicki and just about anyone near Waksman whenever she got the ball and St. Johns taking advantage of a multiple player attack; goals from Reygan Ropero, Calli Berrang and Victoria Sarka, in the Pine goal box that landed the goals at energy-sapping times in the game.
Pickett surely returns with enough firepower to get to number two, three, four and however more titles he can fit on his resume before retiring from his near three decade reign.


For baseball coach Tom Lucas, the state title defense season wound up being a bit more intriguing than a chase for the state title from 2024.
Lucas had a few key injuries; notably pitcher Austin Stratmann, but had fireballer Brayden Harris, a player of year candidate, the monster on the mound for most of the year.
Lucas' record of Final Four finishers is unprecedented and without his seniors; Nick Bowden, T.J. Sunderhaus, George Gilliand, Camden Brown, the chase will only reload with another set of underclassmen that excelled under immense pressure including a pitching staff of Harris returning with sophomores Ethan Bissell, Mason Williams and juniors Chandler Dantzler and Mason Schnell bringing a strong corps to back up Harris.


For Camden Cooper, who still has a lot of time to add to his basketball point total, who started fireballing nets in his seventh grade stanza, continued to be a marvel to watch, but, this year, had wingmen that were covering his six; Grayson Moody, Dylan Reach and Elliot Graham with coach Ian Gibson able to spread the attack across the lineup.
St. Johns finished with a district title and region spot, but fell early to NFEI.


Golf veteran Addy Vogt (left) got another state tournament shot and delivered in her final season with a 49th place finish.
The golf boys had a team of youngsters led by Beckham Cummings that all return after a region team finish.


In volleyball, with alum Jenna Williams in the top spot after Traci Livingston retired, the Lady Spartans toughed out a district title, a region win, and region semi final finish behind senior Hadley Dantzler at the net in all stat categories and sophomore Olivia Clark patrolling the back line with digs and assists.
Former Orange Park and Fleming Island coach Amy Walker will be replacing Williams in the fall 2025 to add some big school firepower to the Spartan squad.


In cross country, led by senior Rebecca Stratton (right) with dad coach Greg Stratton with assistant coach Luchy Stratton (lots of Strattons), a state meet berth came via a handful of girls still not able to drive, but tough enough to go shoulder to shoulder with the state's best runners. Staten, Hanna, Price, Morris, Troxell are names to remember next year and the next four years if Stratton sticks to his November peak plan and builds his little dynasty.
Boys cross country had a near miss (9th place at regions) and will be stronger for 2025 with their own handful of returners.


St. Johns swimmers, in the hot region of Bolles, got a few region tickets with Eleanor Myers, Jackson Gaige, Alexandra and Addison Kuczkowski, Isa Johnson and Josh Lewis all battling the Bolles machine.


Girls basketball also had a freshman star emerge with lead scorer Kendall Proffitt punching in for near 30 points a game under new coach Tyler Miller. Miller masterfully orchestrated a seven game final win streak, a district title and a region playoff berth with a short bench and with all underclassmen minus just two seniors. That bodes well for next year.
Girls weightlifting loses inaugural coach Justin Frisbee who nurtured some young muscle for 2025, but also sees long time Clay High strength guru Rodney Keller; two state team titles, handful of state individual titles, stepping up to take over.


With another ex-Clay High guy in the wrestling room, coach Hunter Hill had his seventh grade son Colt as his prime time player (sixth at 113 in Class 1A in 2024, 0-2 at regions 2025), but has grown the program and will be seeing more boys; maybe a girls team, on the mat in 2025. Hill had a second guy at regions; Israel Dejesus who finished 1-2.
Boys soccer eeked out an upset district title and region berth behind just five wins for the season with Corban Berrang, a senior, snaring seven goals.