SW Florida Sharks Move to 2-0 With 23-13 Win Over South Beach Palms

The SW Florida Sharks improved to 2-0 on the season with a 23-13 win over the South Beach Palms, taking control early and maintaining the lead throughout the match.

After a tighter season opener, Match 2 gave the Sharks an opportunity to respond. They did exactly that.

The Sharks opened the match by building a 6-2 lead through the first three races, putting the Palms under pressure early and creating separation before the match had time to settle in. From there, the SW Florida Sharks continued to control the pace, winning every race except two Ringers.

For the Sharks, the performance looked much closer to the identity the team built during its 2025 championship season: fast starts, clean execution, balanced contributions, and pressure maintained from the opening race through the Sprint Relay.

The Palms are a team capable of staying close and capitalizing on mistakes, but the Sharks limited those opportunities by creating separation and continuing to win races by strong margins.

“It took the first match for us to settle into the season and understand where this roster needed to adjust. The players went back to work, held each other accountable, and the result today showed the standard we expect as a team. This is what we’ve built, and this is who we are.”

Coach Francisco “Fico” Gomez

A Complete Team Response

One of the biggest takeaways from the win was the way SW Florida Sharks responded across the full lineup.

The Sharks entered the season with a different roster picture than the year before, including changes on both the men’s and women’s sides. But Saturday’s result showed the same competitive traits that have defined the team in recent seasons.

The pace was sharper.

The execution was cleaner.

The control was consistent.

Most importantly, the Sharks looked comfortable controlling the match from the front.

Match 1 left room for questions. Match 2 answered them.

Ringers Remain the Focus

While the Sharks controlled most of the match, the two races they dropped both came in the Ringer format.

South Beach Palms won the 200-pound sandbag carry and back handspring Ringer, giving the Palms their only race wins of the match.

For the Sharks, that remains an area to watch moving forward. They were able to win the match convincingly without taking control of every Ringer, but those races can become major momentum swings in closer matchups.

Moving Forward

With the win, the SW FL Sharks move to 2-0 and continue their strong start to the 2026 season.

The result also keeps them on track in its pursuit of another undefeated regular season while continuing the larger goal of becoming the first back-to-back United Grid League champions.

There is still plenty of season ahead, but Match 2 gave the Sharks exactly what they needed: a cleaner performance, a stronger response, and another win in the standings.

Final Score: SW Florida Sharks 23, South Beach Palms 13

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