- April 19, 2025
-
-
Loading
Loading
The Lakewood Ranch High softball team was the best in Florida just a few years ago, but that hasn't been the case since Coach T.J. Goelz left after the team's second consecutive state title in 2022.
No one could have reasonably expected the Mustangs to sustain that level of success when Goelz stepped down, but the drop-off after his departure was staggering.
Lakewood Ranch went 16-11 in 2023 and 6-21 in 2024, including 12 losses by seven or more runs.
After opening this season with one win through its first five games, it looked as if Lakewood Ranch softball would continue to struggle.
However, there is renewed hope for a return to glory.
When Andrew Jensen was hired to coach Lakewood Ranch’s softball program this past offseason, he knew who to call.
“The first thing that I did when I got the job is call T.J.,” said Jensen, who used to be the president of Miss Manatee Softball. “I wanted to know what made him so successful. I’m not quite sure something like that will ever be replicated, but at the same time, it’s something to shoot for.”
Jensen, who took notes during the conversation, said he heard that no one ran practices the way Goelz did, from the intensity to the militant-like efficiency to every minute available.
The biggest takeaway was that Goelz created a winning culture and a standard of success that attracted tons of top-tier talent.
Jensen is hoping to build a program that attracts elite players, too, but he faces his fair share of challenges.
One of those challenges has been the emergence of Parrish Community High, which opened in 2019 and plays in the same class as Lakewood Ranch — 6A.
The Bulls have won back-to-back state championships and are currently ranked as the No. 7 team in Florida. It doesn’t help the Mustangs that Parrish Community is just 11 miles away.
Another reason that Lakewood Ranch has struggled is its lack of continuity.
Losing Goelz was hard on its own, but having three coaches in the three season since he left has created adjustment periods that set the program back.
Despite the less-than-stellar records, the Mustangs have flashed their championship pedigree.
Last season Lakewood Ranch shocked its district. Despite entering the district tournament with a 3-20 record, it ran the table — beating North Port, Riverview and Venice to win a district championship.
After another slow start this season, Lakewood Ranch seems to have found its stride a few weeks earlier than it did last year.
The Mustangs won six straight games from March 14 through April 2, including an extra-innings win over previously unbeaten Riverview.
Despite the challenges, holdovers from Lakewood Ranch’s championship teams have set a winning example.
Seniors Olivia Shephard and Lexi Meneely experienced what it was like to win a state championship as freshmen, and the knowledge gained from that run is something they try to pass on to the next wave of Mustangs.
“We always look out for the next generation,” Meneely said. “We look at how we can help and the little things really matter, even at practice. Whatever we can contribute from our past experiences with coach TJ, we’ll give our best advice on what we think.”
Shephard and Meneely will finish their high school softball careers in the coming weeks, and they have a lot left to play for even if another state championship isn’t in the cards.
Representing the bridge between the different eras of Mustangs softball, they have the chance to leave the program in a position to succeed as it moves forward.
After beating Riverview (No. 15 overall in Florida) on April 2, the Mustangs are starting to believe they have championship potential again.
“We couldn’t sleep that night,” Shephard said of the Riverview win. “It felt good because they were 14-0 and we’re their only loss so far. It felt good because it’s like, ‘This is what we can do and we’re capable.’ In the beginning of the season we had a losing streak, but now that we’re on this winning streak, we see what we can truly do as a team.”
Lakewood Ranch has six games remaining in the regular season before it will have to turn its attention to the playoffs.
The district tournament won’t be easy to navigate.
The Mustangs play in a district with Parrish Community (16-2, No. 7 in Florida) and Palmetto (7-5, No. 86 in Florida). Parrish was moved to Lakewood Ranch's district this season.
However, winning the district might not be a necessity to reach the regionals after the Mustangs’ recent win streak. Lakewood Ranch is ranked as the eighth-best team in Region 6A-3.
That means that the Mustangs just have to tread water to give themselves a shot at making the regional playoffs via an at-large bid.
But don’t think Lakewood Ranch is counting themselves out from winning a district title.
“I would like to think that (Parrish coach Erin) Spivey going in did not anticipate us being a threat at all,” Jensen said. “And not that I feel like she thinks we’re a threat, but I’m hoping she knows that we’re coming.”
