The top high school softball teams in the state make their annual trek to Kissimmee this weekend for the 30th Annual Roger Jones Kissimmee Klassic.
The event begins Thursday afternoon and runs through Saturday at the Fortune Road Sports Complex (2500 Fortune Road) after many years at the former county complex.
A total of 32 teams will compete in two 16-team brackets, with action beginning at 2 p.m. Both championship games for the Blue and Gold brackets are slated for 5 p.m. Saturday.
As part of one of the top high school softball showcases in the Southeast, the Blue Bracket will feature four of the top 10 ranked teams in the entire state of Florida, including #1 Bartow (10-0), #3 Cooper City (6-0), #5 Lake Brantley (8-0), and #7 Doral Academy (6-1). Other top teams in the prestigious Blue Bracket include Melbourne (28th, 5-0), Oakleaf (59th, 4-2), and Pembroke Pines (5-1, 25th).
Bartow’s lineup features one of the top young prospects in the country in sophomore Kaetlynn Oxley. In 10 games, Oxley is 8-0 with a 0.00 ERA and allowed just six hits with 130 strikeouts in 51.2 innings. Oxley has fired six no-hitters. For good measure she leads Bartow in hitting (.600 average and 18 RBI).
Other outstanding pitchers slated to compete are Hannah Marrien (Lake Brantley), Jordyn Hustley (Cooper City) and Grace Taylor (University). Marrien is 6-0 this season with a 0.15 ERA and 70 strikeouts in just 46 innings. Hustley (5-0, 0.70 ERA) and Taylor (3-3, 1.11) have also been dominant in the circle.
Host Osceola, the only county team participating, is in the Gold Bracket. The Kowboys will open play at 9 a.m. Friday against Clayton, N.J. Orlando Christian Prep (6-0) will play Mantanza (4-1) in the same bracket. So with a win, Osceola will play the winner of the OCP game in quarterfinal winners’ bracket game, with a loss they will play the loser in a first round consolation contest. Both games would be played at 1 p.m. on Friday.
The Gold Bracket also features some outstanding teams. Lake Wales (9-2) is the highest ranked team in that bracket at 13th overall and the number one team in Class 4A. Orlando Christian Prep, a last minute replacement for Liberty, will come into the tournament ranked 48th in the state. Deltona (4-0) is ranked 68th, Robinson (7-3) is 67th, and Mantanza is 68th are also ranked in the top 75 in Florida.
Also featured in the Gold Bracket is Canterbury (St. Petersburg), which is coached by former Osceola star Jody Moore. Osceola is scheduled to host Canterbury in a regular season game on April 8, but could also meet them at some point in the tournament.
With more than 500 schools playing softball in Florida, it should be noted that the Roger Jones Klassic features 20 teams ranked in the Florida Top 100. Each team is guaranteed three games with the third, fifth and seventh place games beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Formerly the Kissimmee Klassic, the tournament was renamed in 2019 in honor of Jones, a former coach, administrator, youth sports mentor and co-founder of the event who passed away in 2018. Longtime Osceola coach and Klassic co-founder George Coffey, who passed away late last year, will be honored with his name going on the MVP trophies.
“We are very grateful for Roger Jones and Coach George Coffey’s dream of building such a high profile high school softball tournament,” Osceola Coach Miranda Watford said. “They turned the Klassic into the place everyone wants to be. We are also thankful for our faithful teams that continue to help keep this tradition alive. These talented young ladies put on a great show and we love giving them the stage to shine.”
Single day tickets for the tournament are $15 a day or $33 for an all-tournament pass. Fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets at www.kissimmeeklassic. hometownticketing.com/ embed/all.
