FLAGLER

Lady Bulldogs keep rolling in regionals

Andy Mikula, Correspondent
Skye Green

Flagler Palm Coast advanced in the FHSAA state playoffs in a big way by overwhelming Sanford Seminole 52-28 Thursday night in the Region 1-9A quarterfinals at the E.W. Andy Anderson Athletic Center.

Skye Green led the effort, scoring close to half of the Lady Bulldog points with 24, hauling down seven rebounds and leading the scrappy FPC defense with five steals.

Green, who's headed to University of North Carolina-Asheville on a basketball scholarship, has been one of the keystones in FPC’s late season resurgence during which the team has won 13 straight games. Players returning from injury for the second half of the season, including Briana Ellis and Que’Trina Brown, have factored into the formula by allowing starters time to rest in game.

FPC never trailed the Seminoles, leading 25-12 at halftime and allowing Seminole only two points in the fourth quarter after their guests outscored them 14-13 in the third. The victory was especially sweet since it was Seminole that bounced the Lady Bulldogs from the 2016 FHSAA 9A tournament.

The win secured a semi-final berth against District 1-9A rival Spruce Creek. FPC knocked off Creek in the district finals 58-53 but the Hawks won the regular season contest between the two schools. Spruce Creek beat Lake Mary 72-52 Thursday night on the other side of the regional bracket.

The FPC-Creek rubber match is 7 p.m. Tuesday night at FPC. The winner advances to the Region 1-9A finals against the winner of the other Region 1 semi-final between West Orange and Orlando Colonial.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Sloppy defense in their quarterfinal win over Pedro Menendez last week may have been a precursor to an overtime loss Feb. 14 to Palatka and cost Matanzas a chance to advance to the FHSAA state playoffs.

Greg Layne had a big double-double with 19 points and 16 rebounds in the Pirates’ 53-49 victory over Menendez in the opening round game at Pirate Gym. No other Matanzas player scored in double figures and the Pirates had to claw back from a 16-12 first quarter deficit and a third quarter shooting funk to secure the win.

Layne played a solid inside game, getting rebounds and drawing fouls, and he connected on five of seven free throws. Greg Harrison, Devin Mathews and Brandon Gilyard all scored eight points apiece, Adam Brands had five and Logan Stover four. Stover, Brands and Mathews all connected for one three-point basket apiece.

Details from the Palatka game were unavailable but Matanzas took the highly regarded Panthers to overtime before losing 63-60. The Pirates lost to Palatka, Lockhart’s former team, four times this season, including another overtime affair in the St. Johns River Conference semi-finals two weeks ago. Matanzas finished 16-11 on the season. Palatka was slated to play Ponte Vedra for the district championship Friday night.

Flagler Palm Coast’s season also ended in district semi-final play at DeLand to Sandalwood 51-42, a team the Bulldogs had beaten soundly in the regular season. The loss ended FPC’s season with a 9-13 record.

Sandalwood lost to DeLand in the District 1-9A championship game was supposed to play DeLand Friday night in the District 1-9A championship game 67-51, with both teams clinching spots in the 32-team Class 9A state playoffs regardless of result.