Jay’s girls basketball team didn’t just win its Region 1-1A semifinal against Paxton last Wednesday night. Instead, the Royals dominated in a 57-35 win that earned them a trip to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year.
Even when the odds were stacked against Pace, the Patriots trailing Chiles by four goals in a Region 1-6A quarterfinal in Tallahassee, there were no signs of quit.
Sixth-seeded Pace fought right up until the end in a 5-1 loss to No. 3 seed Chiles as its season ended last Tuesday night.
Aisley Shields launched a deep 3-pointer as the final seconds of a Region 1-6A quarterfinal last Wednesday night against Gulf Breeze ticked away.
If anyone could hit that shot, it was Shields. She knew a miracle was needed. But the ball didn’t go through, finding only the rim.
Matt Wood is ready for his first season as the head coach of Milton’s softball team. The Panthers won only six of their 23 games played last season but there is reason for optimism.
A handful of key players are back, including Gracie Bonds, Hallie Ueberroth, Autumn Anderson and Alexis Hawthorne, and Wood feels good about this team’s chances of turning things around.
Carter Lees hasn’t cried tears of joy too often in his life. But on a December afternoon in Texas, it seemed fitting that he did.
After all, the Milton alum and offensive lineman was part of a Harding football team that won the NCAA Division II national championship in 2023.
While a new season has arrived, what hasn’t changed for Pace’s softball team are the usual high expectations.
The Patriots went 28-2 a year ago, losing 5-1 to Bartow in the final, and look to make another run with a senior class that has appeared in three consecutive trips to state.
It’s no secret that Paxton has a homecourt advantage any time the Bobcats step on the basketball court. That was again the case on Saturday as Paxton hosted Jay in the boys District 1-1A tournament championship game.
With a handful of seconds to play, sophomore guard Sergio Robinson smiled and raised his arms in the air, motioning for the already hyped fans to get an even louder.
Oh, what a roar it triggered inside the Panther Den, the cheers filling this gym Saturday night as Milton’s boys basketball team stood on the cusp of wrapping up another chapter of this storybook season.
Madalyn Grimes held the District 1-1A trophy up so everyone could see as she and her Jay teammates continued with their celebration late Friday night.
Grimes was a proud senior, wearing a smile that said 1,000 words, hugging teammates and posing for pictures with the trophy in her hands.
