BK, Ponte Vedra, Providence win playoffs
Thanks to a playoff performance to remember from Clare Coyle, Bishop Kenny isn’t giving up its status as Jacksonville’s reigning postseason girls basketball power.
Bishop Kenny’s senior forward dominated the second half to finish with 21 points and 18 rebounds, sparking Bishop Kenny’s surge to defeat 12-time state champion Ribault 43-33 in Monday night’s Florida High School Athletic Association Region 1-4A girls basketball semifinal.
Pulling down rebounds, sinking layups and placing a roadblock in front of the Trojans’ offensive plans, Coyle brought the top seeds new life after Ribault (16-6) stifled them through the first 16 minutes.
The Trojans, who had lost to Bishop Kenny by 26 in December, grabbed a 1917 lead by halftime to leave the Crusaders perplexed.
“The first half we were a little bit out of sorts, maybe feeling a little pressure, I don’t know,” Bishop Kenny coach Will Mayer said. “But I said, if we just get back to who we are, then (the score) will take care of itself.”
Furman signee Coyle ignited a quick 8-0 run and the rest was smooth sailing for Bishop Kenny (24-4), which remains unbeaten against Northeast Florida opposition since Bartram Trail beat them on Jan. 8, 2021. Ribault never again drew closer than five points, and a Kathleen Crawley 3-pointer stretched the Crusader edge into double figures.
“We got some turnovers, got us some transition, and that really kind of changed the game for us,” Mayer said.
Senior guard Kayla Massey led Ribault with 11 points. Bishop Kenny, five-time defending regional champion, has now won its last six meetings with the Trojans dating to early 2021.
Reese Mayer also scored nine points for Bishop Kenny, which advances to a home Thursday night semifinal against Panama City Rutherford (26-1).
Rutherford booked their ticket to their third straight regional final after a 51-39 victory over No. 3 seed Bolles (19-9).
After the Bulldogs broke through the press for an early 15-11 lead, the Rams (26-1) recouped and had a dominant second quarter, going on an 18-2 run aided by two Ava Butler 3-pointers.
Abby Knauff led Bolles with a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds), and Evie Freeman added 10 points and eight rebounds.
REGION 1-6A
Maya Richards scored a game-high 17 points and Ponte Vedra pulled away in the second half to take down visiting Tallahassee Lincoln (22-5), winning 5142 in the Shark Tank.
The Sharks hit three of their six 3pointers during the third quarter, in which they outscored Lincoln 15-8. For the Trojans, Jamiya Brown scored a game-high 18 points and Jamia Brown finished with 13.
Kennedy Rosendahl added 15 for the Sharks (21-8), who make the long road trip Thursday to Niceville. The topseeded Eagles beat Gulf Breeze.
REGION 1-5A
A Pensacola Washington squad with just two seniors earned a 54-36 win against Ridgeview on Monday at Ron and Janis Bond Gym, pushing Booker T. to the Region 1-5A final on Thursday and ending the Panthers’ year at 14-7.
After a low-scoring first quarter, where the teams were tied 6-6, the Wildcats (23-1) started to pull away after some shots from beyond the arc finally began to drop. Chamiah Francis hit a free throw just 1 minute, 7 seconds into the second frame, and the Wildcats never relinquished the lead after that.
Six Washington players found the scoresheet, with Francis putting up 20 points in the game. Mi’kel Bonner added 10 points while Laila Snow had nine.
REGION 1-3A
Providence punched another ticket for the final eight, winning 77-64 against visiting P.K. Yonge (14-9). The reigning regional champions in Class 3A, winners of 11 in a row, improved to 25-2.
The Stallions play at home in an allJacksonville regional final on Thursday against San Jose Prep (16-9), after the Storm won 54-51 against Ocala Trinity Catholic (17-10).
REGION 1-2A
Junior Kamela Marshall and eighthgrader Londyn Tatum each scored 15 points as University Christian (18-6) started fast and raced away to a 55-16 victory against visiting St. Joseph.
The Flashes close at 20-7.
UC’s next test will be another allJacksonville contest at the No. 1 seed, North Florida Educational. The Eagles (15-5) romped to a 64-17 win against Gainesville Oak Hall (14-5).
-The Panama City News-Herald and Pensacola News Journal contributed to this roundup.