Five of Poly’s spring sports teams traveled to Florida for spring break to play, practice, and enjoy the warm weather. Although each team had different levels of success during this time, , all five teams will look to carry this momentum into their spring seasons.
The Poly Baseball team spent 10 days in Name of City, Florida, elapsing almost the entire spring break. Although it was a tough slate of games, in which there were some big losses at a tournament hosted by the prestigious IMG academy, some highlights included a 5-1 win in the first game against Sunlake (FL) and an 11-0 W vs. Landon School (MD), the latter led by a dominant pitching performance by Justice de Jong ‘25 and timely hitting from the Blue Devils. A win against T.C. Roberson (N.C) would have helped push them into bracket play, but it ended up a 4-3 final, with Poly taking the loss, despite the best efforts of Miguel Sime Jr. ‘25 and David Hinojosa ‘26 on the mound. Although most of the trip was spent on the field practicing or playing, the boys also spent time on the beachand the pool, playing pickleball, and exploring the food scene of St. Pete’s Beach.
The Poly Softball team had a busy schedule in Orlando, playing 6 games in just 3 days and ultimately breaking even with a 3-3 record. A highlight of the trip was the first game, in which they overcame a five-run deficit to win 13-10, scoring eight runs in the last inning to win in walk-off fashion. “I had a great time playing good softball and enjoying this last year with the team,” said Co-captain Gianna Denis.
The team collected an impressive 58 hits throughout their 6 games. “It was bittersweet as my last Florida trip with these girls and this team – but I am so grateful for the memories made along the way,” added Polygon Editor-in-Chief and Co-captain of the softball team Lucia Zaremba.
After a Florida trip that saw them fall to an unfortunate 0-2 on the field to start the season, the Boys’ Lacrosse team looks to improve on that start, with plenty of games ahead to do so. Despite the losses, they made the most of the Florida sun by taking trips to a water park, Universal Studios, and spending time in the Cabana Bay Hotel..
The Girls’ Lacrosse team lost one and tied one game during their trip to Naples, but put in lots of work preparing for their season, practicing once on game days and doubling up on their off” days. In their free time, they took a trip on a catamaran boat, which you might recognize as a roomy sailboat, as well as soaking up the sun on the beach.
Poly’s Golf Teamolf played two separate courses, both designed by and named for golfing legends. Slammer & Squire, designed by renowned golfing architect Bobby Weed, is named for Sam Snead (“The Slammer”) and Gene Sarazen (“The Squire” ). Although not currently hosting an event on the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) tour, the prestigious course has a history of hosting reputable PGA events such as the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. The 18-hole, player-friendly course favors the short game, but the multitudes of water hazards keep the course challenging. Logan Chaudoir ‘28 found the highlight of his trip there, “shooting a 79 on a PGA course.”
The Blue Devils also played on Slammer and Squire’s sister course, King & Bear, designed by golfing legends Jack Nicklaus “The King” and Arnold Palmer “The Golden Bear”. The course does act as a current stop on the PGA tour, annually hosting the Legends of Golf, a PGA tour Champions event.
Overall, Poly’s spring sports trips were an amazing experience for all who attended, with on-field success, camaraderie building, or a mix of both giving each of the teams momentum to fuel their spring seasons ahead.
