Williston wins 9th straight, advances to district title game

Williston's Ashlyn Young (0) drives past Hawthorne's T'Myrah Carter (1).
Williston's Ashlyn Young (0) drives past Hawthorne's T'Myrah Carter (1).
Photo by C.J. Gish

The Williston girls basketball team entered Thursday night’s Class Rural District 7 semifinals without two of its starters against two-time defending state champion Hawthorne.

Sophomore Taylor Powers was out with the flu and freshman Kaelyn Brown sat out due to a coach’s decision.

However, the Red Devils got some key contributions from their reserves in a 57-44 home win in front of a raucous crowd to advance to Saturday night’s district championship game.

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“I thought my two eighth graders, I mean in this atmosphere against the two-time defending champions, played amazing,” said first-year Williston coach Willie Powers. “That showed me a lot about them, that when they get their chance, they’ll be ready.”

Jayla Coleman scored 10 points, including five in the opening quarter, as Williston built a 9-point lead, 15-6, at the end of the first quarter.

Williston's Trinity Solomon (2) and Hawthorne's Raylen Cue (4) collide. Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Trinity Solomon (2) and Hawthorne’s Raylen Cue (4) collide.

“Jayla came to us late. I mean she’s a heck of a softball player, but like I told her parents she’s a heck of a basketball player,” Powers said. “We are so happy to have her. I hope she stays with us for four more years. The future is very bright for her.”

Turnovers were costly for Hawthorne (12-4), which only had two field goals in the opening period.

“I think we settled down a little too late,” said Hawthorne coach Cornelius Ingram. “Man, we had some bad turnovers early on. I just told the girls we probably finished with 25 plus. You’re supposed to get beat by 25 or 30, so we were in the game the entire game with all those turnovers, but you can’t win that way.”

Meanwhile, junior point guard Ashlyn Young controlled the game for the Lady Red Devils (18-2). She finished with a game-high 20 points and was 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

Williston led by as many as 10 points in the second quarter, but Hawthorne went on an 8-0 run to start the third quarter.

Following a basket by senior T’Myrah Carter (10 points), and a right-wing 3-pointer by senior guard De’Mya Adams (team-high 13 points), Hawthorne took its first lead, 26-25, on a right-wing 3-pointer by Carter.

Williston's Tiona Wilkinson (4) blocks a shot attempt by Hawthorne's T'Myrah Carter (1). Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Tiona Wilkinson (4) blocks a shot attempt by Hawthorne’s T’Myrah Carter (1).

Young answered with a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key for a 28-26 lead and then got fouled on a 3-pointer and converted the free throw for a 4-point play and a 32-26 advantage with 5:46 remaining in the third.

“She was great,” Ingram said. “She got them into their offense. She’s just a heck of a player. Plays the game the right way, great energy, can score all three levels, and we knew we had to contain her in order to give ourselves a chance. She got in foul trouble, but she came back in, stayed out of foul trouble and finished the game for her team.”

Senior Rihanna Davis drilled a left-wing 3-pointer with 2:41 remaining in the third to go up 33-32, but that was Hawthorne’s last lead of the game.

A left-corner 3-pointer by Coleman gave the Red Devils a 35-33 lead with 2:30 to play in the quarter and the Red Devils never trailed again.

Young picked up her fourth foul and headed to the bench with 2:09 to play in the third quarter, but Williston had four different players score after she left, including a right-wing 3-pointer by freshman Trinity Solomon (5 points) at the buzzer for a 43-35 lead.

Hawthorne got within two points, 45-43, on two free throws by senior Jhalea Jackson (4 points), but Young returned to score eight points in the final quarter to help Williston advance.

“I just think we had more people than they did,” Powers said. “We were able to go to the bench more than they could, and I think some of those shots that they were hitting earlier came up short because their legs were tired.”

Hawthorne, which entered the game as the No. 3 seed in Rural-Region 4, will receive an at-large bid for next Thursday’s regional semifinals.

“We feel like we have a good chance to make a run,” Ingram said. “We have a chance to come back here, which I feel we’ll have to, and we can play a lot better. I really believe in my girls.”

Williston will face top-seed Wildwood on the road in Saturday’s district championship game.

“It’s just another game to get better and get ready for the regional playoffs,” said Powers, who won 19 district titles in 21 years at P.K. Yonge.

Hawthorne's De'Maya Adams drives to the basket in the heart of the Williston defense. Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Hawthorne’s De’Maya Adams drives to the basket in the heart of the Williston defense.

FHSAA Girls Basketball district scores and matchups

(teams in the Mainstreet coverage area in bold)

Dates & times are subject to change

Rural Class-District 5 at higher seed

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

5 Hamilton County (Jasper) 58, 4 Branford 49


Rural Class-District 6 at Trenton

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

4 Bell 59, 5 Union County (Lake Butler) 39

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Fort White 54, 4 Bell 18

2 Trenton 57, 3 Dixie County (Cross City) 20

Championship – Saturday, Feb. 8 – at Trenton

1 Fort White at 2 Trenton

Rural Class-District 7 at higher seed

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

4 Chiefland 56, 5 Bronson 21

3 Hawthorne 90, 6 Cedar Key 12 

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Wildwood 79, 4 Chiefland 22

2 Williston 57, 3 Hawthorne 44

Championship – Saturday, Feb. 8

2 Williston at 1 Wildwood

Class 1A-District 4 at St. John Lutheran (Ocala)

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) 2, 4 St. John Lutheran (Ocala) 0 (forfeit)

2 Countryside Christian 39, 3 Redeemer Christian (Ocala) 23

Championship – Saturday, Feb. 8

2 Countryside Christian vs.1 Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto)

Class 2A-District 2 at higher seed

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

4 St. Francis Catholic Academy 39, 5 St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine) 23

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 89, 4 St. Francis Catholic Academy 13

3 P.K. Yonge 21, 2 Oak Hall 20

Championship – Saturday, Feb. 8

3 P.K. Yonge at 1 Trinity Catholic (Ocala)

Class 3A-District 2 at Florida High (Tallahassee)

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

4 Suwannee (Live Oak) 40, 5 Taylor County (Perry) 33

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Florida High (Tallahassee) 54, 4 Suwannee (Live Oak) 7

3 Marianna 55, 2 Gadsden County (Havana) 46

Class 3A-District 3 at higher seed

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

4 Baldwin 46, 5 Keystone Heights 35

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Newberry 65, 4 Baldwin 26 

2 Bradford (Starke) 66, 3 Palatka 54 

Championship – Saturday, Feb. 8

2 Bradford (Starke) at1 Newberry

Class 4A-District 5 at higher seed

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

4 Crystal River 46, 5 Santa Fe (Alachua) 40

3 North Marion (Citra) 48, 6 Lake Weir (Ocala) 22

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Dunnellon 45, 4 Crystal River 32

2 Eastside 62, 3 North Marion (Citra) 40 

Championship – Saturday, Feb. 8

2 Eastside at 1 Dunnellon

Class 5A-District 2 at higher seed

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

4 Leon (Tallahassee) 48, 5 Chiles (Tallahassee) 42

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Gainesville 67, 4 Leon (Tallahassee) 23

2 Lincoln (Tallahassee) 56, 3 Columbia (Lake City) 39

Championship – Saturday, Feb. 8 at Lincoln (Tallahassee)

1 Gainesville at 2 Lincoln

Class 6A-District 3 at Bartram Trail (St. Johns) – Semifinals & Championship

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Feb. 4

4 Buchholz 67, 5 Matanzas (Palm Coast) 35

Semifinals – Thursday, Feb. 6

1 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) 56, 4 Buchholz 30

Williston's Ashlyn Young (0) drives drives to the basket against Hawthorne. Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Ashlyn Young (0) drives drives to the basket against Hawthorne.
Hawthorne's Jhalea Jackson (23) brings the ball down the court against Williston. Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Hawthorne’s Jhalea Jackson (23) brings the ball down the court against Williston.
Hawthorne coach Cornelius Ingram talks to his players during an injury timeout against Williston. Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Hawthorne coach Cornelius Ingram talks to his players during an injury timeout against Williston.
Hawthorne's Rihanna Davis (3) splits the defense of Williston's Delecia Dallas (3) and Kierce Solomon (1). Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Hawthorne’s Rihanna Davis (3) splits the defense of Williston’s Delecia Dallas (3) and Kierce Solomon (1).
Williston's Janiyah Span (14) puts up a shot against Hawthorne. Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Janiyah Span (14) puts up a shot against Hawthorne.
Hawthorne's T'Myrah Carter (1) gets fouled by Williston's Jayla Coleman (23). Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Hawthorne’s T’Myrah Carter (1) gets fouled by Williston’s Jayla Coleman (23).
Williston's Jayla Coleman (23) attempts to block a shot by Hawthorne's De'Mya Adams (0). Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Jayla Coleman (23) attempts to block a shot by Hawthorne’s De’Mya Adams (0).
Hawthorne's Jhalea Jackson (23) snags a rebound against Williston. Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Hawthorne’s Jhalea Jackson (23) snags a rebound against Williston.
Williston's Kyla McCray (15) and Hawthorne's Amarhae Hopkins (10) for a jump ball. Photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Williston’s Kyla McCray (15) and Hawthorne’s Amarhae Hopkins (10) for a jump ball.
Hawthorne's De'Mya Adams (0) dribbles past Williston's Jayla Coleman (23).
Photo by C.J. Gish Hawthorne’s De’Mya Adams (0) dribbles past Williston’s Jayla Coleman (23).

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I enjoyed reading this, you’ve covered everything so well.