Montimurro, Nunez are the Broward Softball Coaches of the Year
Coral Springs Charter often has one of the best softball teams in the state.
But playing in arguably the toughest region in the state, the Panthers always know they can’t achieve their goals on talent alone.
This season, the road got twice as tough, but under the leadership of coach Mark Montimurro, Coral Springs Charter found its way back to the mountaintop.
And over at Pembroke Pines Charter, coach Gaddy Nunez is taking steps toward restoring their program to championship status again. With a roster that had only one senior and numerous freshmen, the Jaguars made it to the state final four in Class 5A.
Montimurro and Nunez are the Miami Herald’s Broward County Softball Coaches of the Year.
Montimurro earned the honors for Classes 4A-1A after leading Coral Springs Charter to its first state title since 2019 and sixth overall. The Panthers have won all of them under Montimurro’s leadership.
Unlike other years, Coral Springs Charter was not the prohibitive favorite to win it all in Class 3A. That distinction belonged to Cardinal Gibbons, which entered the season nationally-ranked and led by Stanford commit Lydia Berent in the pitching circle.
And the Panthers also figured they’d have to overcome reigning state champion Somerset Silver Palms, which had eliminated them from the playoffs each of the prior three seasons.
Coral Springs Charter dethroned its longtime nemesis in the regional semifinals and then faced Gibbons in a third and decisive encounter after losing the first two in the BCAA and district finals. Third time was the charm for the Panthers as they handed Gibbons only its second loss of the season. Charter then cruised to the title at state with wins over Lakeland McKeel and Eustis.
Pines Charter was unable to replicate that same level of success this season. But the Jaguars took a big step despite fielding one of the youngest rosters in the county. Led by junior Destiney Ortega, the 7A-5A Player of the Year, Pines Charter advanced to state in Class 5A for the first time since 2018. The Jaguars lost in the semifinals to eventual state champion Winter Springs, but are expected to return 11 players on their roster, which could set them up for another strong push for a state championship.
