Historic Minarets Season Ends with Two Championships

And Minarets Junior, Jamie Spurgeon, Sets Central Section Hits Record

O’NEALS — Minarets High School Baseball capped off the most successful season in program history in 2026, winning both the CIF Central Section Division 5 Championship and the CIF Division 5 Nor-Cal Regional Championship.

Leading the way was junior Jamie Spurgeon, who set the all-time Central Section record for hits in a single season with 65.

Spurgeon finished the year batting .512 over 34 games while driving in 51 runs. His season also included 20 doubles, seven triples, six home runs and 19 stolen bases, making him one of the most productive offensive players in Central Section history.

His contributions extended beyond the batter’s box. As Minarets’ ace pitcher, Spurgeon struck out 104 batters in 61.2 innings while consistently throwing his fastball in the low 90 mph range.

A standout in both baseball and football, Spurgeon has committed to play both sports at the University of California, Berkeley, beginning in the 2027-28 academic year.

Minarets Head Baseball Coach Jesse Darrah, who was recently named California’s Small-School Coach of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports, praised Spurgeon’s unique abilities.

“Jamie Spurgeon is the most explosive offensive player I have ever seen at the high school level,” Darrah said. “His combination of speed, power, bat-to-ball skills and instinct is certainly next level. Not only is he an exceptional hitter, he is also our ace pitcher who throws his fastball in the low 90s consistently.”

The Minarets Baseball program congratulated Spurgeon on his record-setting season while also recognizing the accomplishments of the entire team during its championship campaign.

The 2026 season marked a historic milestone for the O’Neals program, with the Mustangs capturing both the Division 5 Central Section title and the Division 5 Nor-Cal Regional Championship while producing the Central Section’s all-time single-season hits leader.