Four programs. Two games. One title. And at least one major storyline carrying over from last May.
The 2026 FHSAA Class 1A softball Final Four opens Tuesday at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood with a pair of semifinals that each carry real weight. No. 1 University Christian out of Jacksonville faces No. 4 Schoolhouse Prep out of Miami at 4:30 p.m. Then, in the game that will draw the most attention, No. 2 Geneva out of Casselberry takes on No. 3 Evangelical Christian out of Fort Myers at 6 p.m.
Those last two programs met in last year’s state championship game. Evangelical Christian won it 17-14. Geneva has spent the past year waiting for a rematch. They get it Tuesday.
Top Contenders
University Christian Fighting Christians (No. 1 seed)
University Christian has been the model of methodical playoff execution in this bracket. The Fighting Christians beat Rocky Bayou Christian 16-0 in the regional quarterfinal, then handled Christ’s Church Academy 6-0 in the regional semifinal, and won the regional final over St. John Paul II by a score of 1-0. That 1-0 win is the result that defines them. Winning a regional final 1-0 requires dominant pitching, clean defense, and enough offensive production to score exactly when it matters.
Senior pitcher Dixie Tessier is the reason this team is the top seed. Her 0.68 ERA, listed on the MaxPreps team stat leaders page, is one of the best marks in the 1A classification. She has held opponents to one run or fewer in multiple playoff games this season. University Christian’s path to the title runs through Tessier staying sharp in a one-game setting.
Geneva Knights (No. 2 seed)
Geneva is not a stranger to Longwood. The Knights reached the 1A championship game last season before falling to Evangelical Christian in a high-scoring title game. They come back with a chip on their shoulder and a regional run that showed balance: a 10-0 win over Foundation Academy in the regional semifinal, followed by a 6-4 win over Mount Dora Christian Academy in the regional final.
Public individual stats for Geneva’s 2026 roster were not fully updated on MaxPreps as of this writing, but the 24-25 roster included players like Adalyn Emerick, Blakely Futch, and Ella Ingram who contributed to last year’s championship run. The team’s production in the bracket this season, including shutting out Foundation Academy and outlasting a competitive Mount Dora Christian team, points to a program that is built to win close games as well as run-rule games.
Evangelical Christian Sentinels (No. 3 seed)
Evangelical Christian out of Fort Myers is the defending state champion. They went 28-3 last season and beat Geneva 17-14 in the title game last May. They enter 2026 as the 3 seed rather than the 1, but their regional numbers are convincing: 16-1 in the regional quarterfinal over Sarasota Christian, 11-1 over Shorecrest Prep in the regional semifinal, and 14-4 over Northside Christian in the regional final. That is a combined 41-6 run-differential across three playoff games.
The ECS roster carries returning players from last year’s championship team. The program’s history at Longwood, back-to-back Final Four appearances, and the motivation of having to earn back the top seed gives this group something to prove. If their pitching is close to last year’s form against Geneva, ECS has as much of a claim as anyone to win the title.
Schoolhouse Prep Wolfpack (No. 4 seed)
Schoolhouse Prep out of Miami is the lowest seed but showed genuine offensive capability. After a 2-0 semifinal win over Master’s Academy (Vero Beach), the Wolfpack put up 10 runs on Miami Christian in the regional final, winning 10-2. That margin is not a fluke; it points to a team that can string together hits and create pressure in innings when they get rolling.
As the 4 seed, they draw University Christian and Tessier’s 0.68 ERA in the semifinal. For Schoolhouse Prep to advance, they will need to manufacture runs against one of the stingiest pitchers in the classification and play clean defense behind their own pitcher.
Best Matchup
Geneva vs. Evangelical Christian at 6 p.m. is the game that defines this Final Four. Last year’s championship, a 17-14 ECS win, was high-scoring and dramatic. Both programs know each other well. Geneva will want to show the margin was closer than the result suggested. ECS will want to prove it was earned. The history between these programs makes this the marquee game of the day regardless of seeding.
Predictions
University Christian over Schoolhouse Prep. Tessier’s 0.68 ERA is an overwhelming advantage in the circle. The Fighting Christians should advance without significant trouble, though Schoolhouse Prep’s offense has the ability to score in bunches if Tessier has an off inning.
Evangelical Christian over Geneva. ECS has more recent experience winning in this exact setting, and their regional run was dominant. Geneva will keep it close, but the defending champions have the edge in execution when the moment tightens.
Championship: University Christian over Evangelical Christian. If Tessier pitches to her season ERA in the title game, University Christian’s pitching advantage gives them the clearest path to the championship. They have been the most consistent program in this bracket from first game to last, and the top seed closing out the tournament at Longwood is the most defensible pick. The edge goes to University Christian.
