Post 316 1st Florida team in series since 2014.
By winning the Southeast Regional in Cherryville, N.C., with victories along the way over the host team, Garner, N.C., and Florence, S.C., Jacksonville (Fla.) Post 316 may have earned the proverbial villain tag for this years American Legion World Series.
Jacksonville manager Cory Goff said his team has embraced that role before.
Weve been looked at as the villain in the Florida area, specifically the Jacksonville area, for the last couple of years. So I think the cool part about that is our guys have embraced that role, Goff said.
But with Jacksonvilles (28-1) inexperience in the ALWS theyre Floridas first team in the tournament since another Jacksonville team, Post 88, in 2014 Goff thinks his team can also embrace an underdog mentality for the next week.
Maybe now that were in the World Series and were here with teams that have been here before, we can say, Were playing with house money at this point, lets be the underdog and see if we can shock some teams, being the new kid on the block, Goff said.
After going winless in the 2024 Southeast Regional, Post 316 was one of the final four teams in the regional last season.
It was so cool to kind of break through this year, Goff said. I think its cool too, Floridas such a big travel ball area, and as somebody thats a massive believer in Legion Baseball and what it stands for, and getting the opportunity like this, I really hope its going to open up some eyes, not just locally in the Jacksonville area but hopefully throughout the state.
Goff said Post 316s strength is on the mound. I think thats what Ive learned the most over the last couple of years is who has the most arms to be able to go the length of these tournaments. The Southeast Regional is an absolute gauntlet and you have to have pitching on the last day in order to have a chance, he said.
Indeed, no Post 316 pitcher threw more than 4 2/3 innings in any of the teams six regional games. Jacksonville also won twice by the 10-run mercy rule during the regional.
ALWS Schedule
Aug. 13: Game 3, vs. Portland (Ore.) Post 158, 4 p.m.
Aug. 14: Game 6, vs. Midland (Mich.) Berryhill Post 165, 7 p.m.
Aug. 15: Game 9, vs. Bedford (N.H.) Post 54, 7 p.m.
Roster
No./Camo* Name Pos. Ht./Wt. B/T Graduates / School
9 Bachtell, Brennan P 6'0"/225 R/R 2026 I Trinity Christian Academy
12/12 Brougham, Lukas P 6'2"/160 L/L 2026 I University Christian School
3/11 Gerhardt, Gabe P 6'2"/195 R/R 2026 / Beachside HS
14/14 Glasspoole, Thomas 3B/P 6/4/195 R/R 2026 I Tocoi Creek HS
25/3 Gwaltney, Zack C 5'10/185 R/R 2026 I Beachside HS
1/1 Harnage, Bryson 2B/3B 5'9"/160 R/R 2025 I University Christian School
10/10 Johns, Kaeson CF 63/180 R/R 2026 I St. Johns Country D-ay
8/8 Jones, Mason RF/LF 6'1/200 R/R 2026 I St. Johns Country Day
7/7 Kiker, Cooper P/1B 6'3"/200 R/R 2025 I St Augustine HS
13 Mamea, llias 1B/3B 6'1"/205 R/R 2026 I Bishop John Snyder HS
16/16 McKee, Braden C/1B 6'2"/185 B/R 2025 I Trinity Christian Academy
22/22 Polce, Ethan P 6'0"/170 R/R 2025 I Fletcher HS
0 Reali, Christopher RF/LF 6'0"/185 R/R 2026 I Trinity Christian Academy
4/4 Severidt, Gehrig SS 5'11"/170 L/R 2026 I Episcopal School of Jacksonville
11/2 Sizemore, Jackson LF/CF 5'11"/160 L/R 2026 I Tocoi Creek HS
2/6 Stockwell, Kaleb P 6'6"/215 R/R 2027 I Tocoi Creek HS
17/5 Upton, Tanner 2B/SS 5'11"/160 L/R 2026 I Bishop John Snyder HS
34/9 Williams, Bryson P 5'11"/205 R/R 2026 I Tocoi Creek HS
Manager: Cory Goff
Assistants: Joshua Bensel, Kyle Fleming
*Players will wear camo jerseys for Military Appreciation Day. Some late-arriving players may not have received camo jerseys as of publication.
Regional results
Aug. 5: .
Aug. 6: .
Aug. 7: .
Aug. 8: .
Aug. 9: .
Aug. 9: .
- Baseball