The old adage “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” couldn’t be more fitting for the 2025 Collierville High School baseball team. The Dragons proved just how resilient they are Monday night, cruising to a 13-2 mercy-rule victory over Houston High School (Germantown, TN) to capture the District 15-AAAA Tournament championship.

Collierville stormed out of the gates to begin the season, racking up a 22-1 record and climbing as high as No. 6 in national rankings. However, adversity struck midseason when the Dragons dropped six consecutive games — including a mid-week series sweep at the hands of Houston.

Since that rough patch, Collierville has been on a mission. The team has rattled off a 10-1 stretch against a tough schedule, earning signature wins over Houston (twice), Arlington (three times), St. George’s (two games), Briarcrest Christian, and Memphis University School.

Momentum was again on full display in Monday night’s championship showdown. Collierville jumped out early with a four-run first inning. In the second, Brody Winemiller broke the game wide open with a towering two-run home run to left field. The offensive onslaught continued with two more runs in the third, one in the fourth, and three in the fifth — marking runs in every inning.

JD Whitworth, Winemiller, and Cael Allen led the offensive charge with two hits each. On the mound, Blake Stricklin delivered a complete-game performance, striking out six over five innings to seal the mercy-rule win.

With the victory, Collierville (32-8) earns home-field advantage for the upcoming Regionals, with Game 1 tentatively scheduled for Friday against the District 16 runner-up.

A rematch with Houston (24-12) in Saturday’s Regional Championship appears likely and another opportunity for the tough to keep going.