Plant City High School has seen a handful of their beloved Raiders teams win state championships over the school’s 106-year history, but now one has reached that mountaintop multiple times.
After a buzzer-beater finish to claim the state championship last year, the Raiders’ Special Olympics Unified basketball team won their second consecutive title in 2021.
“It’s quite the feat to win a state championship two years in a row,” principal Susan Sullivan said. “Of all of our teams at Plant City High School, this is the only one that’s won multiple state championships. I’ve seen a baseball state championship and a soccer state championship (as principal) but this is the only one that has two.”
The team is comprised of both Plant City High School’s Special Olympics athletes and general education Unified partners, led by coaches Lisa Goad, Jacob Goad and Maverick Lawrence.
And a second state title comes as just another notch of continued success after the team also finished third at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle. This year’s USA Games will take place in Orlando and Plant City is currently awaiting lottery results to see if they will have another chance to compete at the national level in 2021.
“We were in way better shape this year,” partner Austin Davis said about their latest championship run. “We stayed in the gym working together, practicing endless weekends. The bond we have together when we play, it’s unbeatable. No team had anything for us.”
The COVID-19 pandemic initially left the 2020 season in question and posed unique challenges throughout the year, but the team was ultimately able to navigate the obstacles and bring home another trophy. Next season will bring another wave of challenges as multiple players from both championship-winning teams will not be eligible to return.
Athlete Kyle Hall, a member of the team for four years, has aged out, while partners Davis and Taylor Teeden will also lose eligibility. Davis recently graduated from Plant City and will be moving to a new division and Teeden will be a member of Plant City’s varsity basketball team. But athlete Parker Hancock-Eitenior doesn’t fear the challenges that stand in the way of a potential three-peat next year.
“I’m coming back,” Hancock-Eitenior said. “I’m going to come back and I’m going to bring it back home.”
Davis initially got involved with the Special Olympics through his cousin who was involved before him. And after three years with Plant City’s team, he reflected on what it’s meant to play his part in the legacy that they’ve built together.
“It’s something that you need to be a part of,” Davis said. “I didn’t think that I’d ever be a part of it but I’m happy that I got involved with the great people I’ve met. Everyone’s super nice, everyone’s accepting, they always help you no matter what it is, on and off the court. It’s just a big family out here.”