The (20-6) Seminole Warhawks and (16-10) Countryside Cougars faced off in the Class 7A District 10 Championship on Friday at Patriot Stadium in Pinellas Park.

Both teams faced tough opponents throughout the week. Seminole pulled a comeback 5-2 win over the St. Petersburg Green Devils in the bottom of the 6th inning on Wednesday. The same day, the Cougars shutout Pinellas Park 2-0. 

On Friday, Countryside wasted no time by scoring two runs in the 2nd and then relied on the arm of Christian Townsend to take home the district championship 3-0.

Both teams will move onto regionals on Thursday.

“They've been working all summer for this time of the year,” said Cougars head coach Kevin “Kemo” O’Sullivan. “We knew that we could beat this team. We came here on a mission and kept telling ourselves that we could do this.”

The Cougars got on the board in the 2nd when center fielder Kevin Rosinski and third baseman Mike Adams would score after a single to center by shortstop Charlie Skantze.           

The Warhawks would have a tough time facing off against Townsend, who is known more as an outfielder and first baseman. He stepped on to the mound on Friday remembering the advice that his coach taught him all season with his pitches, keep them low and steady.

“During the beginning of the year I didn’t have much pitching,” said Townsend. “So with tonight, I went a little slower with more sidearm and two seam towards the very end. When I got on that mound, I was just told to give everything I got and to get ahead.”

His coach couldn't have been more pleased with the execution of the game plan.

“Tonight, Townsend found it," said O'Sullivan. "He gave Seminole some problems with those pitches of his.”

Up 2-0 in the 4th, the Cougars would squeak another run to make it 3-0, but after two tight games earlier this season with Seminole, O'Sullivan knew the game was not over yet.

“I’ve been here for six years with this team and even when they took that early lead I said 'that’s good', but I was not secure at all until the guys finished this game and got the final out. We knew Seminole could come back and explode at any time and become a challenge.”

Seminole starter Tylor Craft would leave the mound in the top of the 5th inning, yielding to Stephen Nobles to finish out the game for the Warhawks

Going into this game, Seminole had a six-game winning streak, but it all came to an end for Seminole in the bottom of the 7th inning with one out and a pitching change with Skantze coming in to close the game. Skantze would end the game with a double play and seal the championship for the Cougars.

“We wanted this win so much,” said Townsend. “I think this our first district win in our school's history. Now we get home field advantage.”