The top boys basketball team in Rural Class District 7 for most of the year was two-time defending state champion Williston, and rightfully so.
The Red Devils have played a tough schedule, and they have yet to lose to a team in their classification.
But when the losses began to add up and Hawthorne began surging, it allowed the Hornets to climb to the top of the final FHSAA rankings.
It’s an elite district. All four teams who played in Wednesday’s district semifinals are also the top four teams in Rural-Region 4.
Top-ranked Hawthorne took care of business with a 68-52 win against No. 4 seed Chiefland to advance.
But it wasn’t easy.
The Indians (15-10) only trailed by two entering the fourth quarter. However, the Hornets (16-2) outscored Chiefland, 20-6, in the final quarter to pull away.
Dacarion Debose led Hawthorne with 23 points (5 steals, 3 assists), followed by Leland Johnson (2 assists, 3 steals) and Kelvin Baker (6 steals, 5 rebounds) with 17 points each.
Hawthorne will host No. 2 seed Williston in Friday night’s district championship game. The Hornets, who have won eight in a row, seek revenge after losing at Williston, 66-54, on Jan. 17.
The Red Devils set up the rematch by cruising to a 72-44 win over No. 3 seed Wildwood.
They built a 10-point lead, 22-12, at the end of the first quarter and outscored the Wildcats (20-7) in every quarter.
Williston (14-11) snapped a 3-game losing streak, which included losses to bigger schools Newberry, Buchholz and The Villages.
FHSAA Boys Basketball district scores and matchups
(teams in the Mainstreet coverage area in bold)
Rural Class-District 5 at higher seed
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 Lafayette (Mayo) 68, 5 Hamilton County (Jasper) 36
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
1 Hilliard 76, 4 Lafayette (Mayo) 34
2 Madison County 48, 3 Branford 42
Rural Class-District 6 at Bell
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 Bell 44, 5 Dixie County (Cross City) 36
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
2 Trenton 46, 3 Union County (Lake Butler) 43
1 Fort White 65, 4 Bell 27
Championship – Friday, Feb. 7
2 Trenton at 1 Fort White
Rural Class-District 7 at higher seed
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 Chiefland 74, 5 Bronson 39
3 Wildwood 94, 6 Cedar Key 29
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
1 Hawthorne 68, 4 Chiefland 52
2 Williston 72, 3 Wildwood 44
Championship – Friday, Feb. 7
2 Williston at 1 Hawthorne, 7 p.m.
Class 1A-District 4 at Meadowbrook Academy (Ocala)
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 Redeemer Christian (Ocala) 55, 5 Countryside Christian 51
Class 2A-District 2 at higher seed
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 St. Francis Catholic Academy 59, 5 Oak Hall 56
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
1 P.K. Yonge 66, 4 St. Francis Catholic Academy 48
2 St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) 55, 3 Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 50
Championship – Friday, Feb. 7
2 St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) at 1 P.K. Yonge
Class 3A-District 2 at higher seed
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 Suwannee (Live Oak) 2, 5 Taylor County (Perry) 0 (forfeit)
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
1 Florida High (Tallahassee) 67, 4 Suwannee (Live Oak) 26
Class 3A-District 3 at higher seed
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 Interlachen 61, 5 Baldwin 47
3 Palatka 69, 6 Keystone Heights 60
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
1 Newberry 81, 4 Interlachen 31
2 Bradford (Starke) 52, 3 Palatka 30
Championship – Friday, Feb. 7
2 Bradford at 1 Newberry, 7 p.m.
Class 4A-District 5 at higher seed
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 Eastside 52, 5 Dunnellon 48
6 Crystal River 54, 3 Lake Weir (Ocala) 53
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
1 North Marion (Citra) 55, 4 Eastside 42
2 Santa Fe (Alachua) 57, 6 Crystal River 50
Championship – Friday, Feb. 7
2 Santa Fe (Alachua) at 1 North Marion (Citra)
Class 5A-District 2 at higher seed
Quarterfinals – Monday, Feb. 3
4 Lincoln (Tallahassee) 60, 5 Chiles (Tallahassee) 46
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
1 Gainesville 63, 4 Lincoln (Tallahassee) 55
2 Leon (Tallahassee) 61, 3 Columbia (Lake City) 48
Championship – Friday, Feb. 7
2 Leon (Tallahassee) at 1 Gainesville, 7 p.m.
Class 6A-District 3 at Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) – Semifinals & Championship
Semifinals – Wednesday, Feb. 5
2 Forest (Ocala) 55, 3 Buchholz 53