First Coast Varsity Weekly: Gold Saturday is near. For Jacksonville teams, it may be huge
Saturday, March 2. Circle it in gold.
It's Gold Saturday, when in the space of 12 hours, a half-dozen Northeast Florida teams might play for Florida High School Athletic Association team sports championships in basketball and soccer, on top of state wrestling finals scheduled for the same day in Kissimmee.
Far-fetched? Not based on the numbers.
At the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Class 1A and Class 4A teams tip off finals in both boys and girls basketball. Class 4A included numerous high-ranked Northeast Florida girls teams entering Wednesday's first-round playoffs, while boys contenders from the area include Jackson, Paxon, Raines and Ribault (4A) as well as Hilliard (1A).
Over at DeLand's Spec Martin Stadium, meanwhile, will be the Class 6A and Class 7A finals in girls soccer. Jacksonville-area girls teams have brought home six trophies in those classes since 2020, including Bartram Trail (2020, 2021 and 2023), Creekside (2022), Fletcher (2022) and Ponte Vedra (2021).
In boys soccer, Mandarin and Creekside rank No. 1 and No. 2 in Region 1-7A, while Nease is also still alive after its first-round victory in Class 6A. The championship date for Class 6A and 7A boys? You guessed it: Saturday, March 2, also in DeLand.
Gold Saturday will be hectic all around for Jacksonville sports. Also on the menu: the 47th edition of the Gate River Run.
Height no obstacle for Oakleaf guards
Small size. Big production.
That's been the winning formula this year for Oakleaf boys basketball, which tips off the Region 1-6A playoffs Thursday night against Gainesville.
Height is no obstacle for starting guards Aaron Rivers, standing 5-7, and Tyler Owens, at 5-8, both of whom often face backcourt opponents who stand half a foot or more taller.
Their energy has helped Oakleaf's defense compete on the defensive end even with far less size than in recent years, when the Knights often deployed shot-blockers like Chantz Williams and Cameron Coachman.
"For our guards being able to guard still the same way [as in past years] without the protection behind them, we've just done an amazing job," longtime Oakleaf head coach Jason Price said. "All credit to those guys, listening, working and just making little tweaks."
They're shining on offense as well. Owens last week surpassed the single-season Oakleaf record of 126 assists set by Sean Jones in 2013, while Rivers leads the Knights' scoring at 15.8 points per game.
Super six: Mandarin boys headline Gateway list
Stiffened by a defense that allowed only 10 regular-season goals, Mandarin earned a county-high six selections to the Gateway Conference boys soccer team.
Defenders Sasha Maric, Sergey Rakhamimov and Luke Renne, midfielders David Garcia and Omar Trto and winger Daniel Moreno represented the Mustangs, who beat Atlantic Coast 5-1 in last month's final for their fourth consecutive Duval County public school title.
Atlantic Coast goalkeeper Chris Maxey, defender Smyth Gover and midfielders Mateus Nogueira and Eduardo Silveira represented the Gateway runners-up.
Also on the list: Englewood forward Zion Wise; Fletcher forward Noah Romyanond; Sandalwood goalkeeper Isaac Murie and midfielders Amare Jackson and Adrian Medina; Stanton defenders Abdul Mujib Musa and Avi Rawal and forward Zack Joiner; and Wolfson defender Gordon Whitcomb.
Girls weightlifters ready for finals
The FHSAA girls weightlifting championships open at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, with Class 3A lifters competing Friday followed by Class 2A and 1A on Saturday.
Entering as No. 1 overall seeds in their divisions are Clay's Emma Heck (Class 2A, 129-pound traditional and Olympic) and Suwannee's Caroline Allen (Class 1A, 101-pound traditional and Olympic), Kaly Cuffy (Class 1A, 169-pound Olympic), Brianna McCullers (Class 1A, 169-pound traditional) and Jordyn Rodriguez (Class 1A, 119-pound traditional and Olympic).
Both Clay and Suwannee won state championships in the sport last year.
Around the area
Palatka athletes Arterrian Godfrey and Cartaveon Valentine signed Monday with Concord football. … Fernandina Beach offensive lineman Nolan Blackard committed to Southeastern football. ... Stanton defender Peyton Burris committed to Catawba women's soccer. … Bartram Trail midfielder Laci Viola committed to Western Carolina women's soccer. … Former Bartram Trail defender Ella Dudley signed with North Florida women's soccer in a transfer from New Hampshire. … Episcopal center Grady Schwartz hit 1,000 points for his high school career. ... Ponte Vedra boys basketball guard David Sanchez Barrera set a program record with 14 assists in Tuesday's victory against Beachside. … Eagle's View named Leah Ferry track and field coach. … West Nassau cheerleading earned its latest championship at the UCA High School Nationals in Orlando, winning the Varsity Co-ed Non-Tumbling Division II competition with 90.2 points. Bishop Snyder finished second in Small Varsity Non-Tumbling Division II. ... Bishop Kenny is among the six finalists for the FHSAA's Sunshine State Spirit Showdown, along with Choctawhatchee, Dwyer, Lake Howell, Palmetto and Walton. Voting remains open through Feb. 27. … The Jaguars Prep Girls Flag Preseason Classic, QB Skills Challenge and 7v7 Battle at the Bank are scheduled for Friday-Sunday at EverBank Stadium. … High School 9:12 Spring Sports Media Day takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20 at Winston Family YMCA. The FHSAA flag football regular season opens Monday.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: FHSAA championships: Multiple finals scheduled for Saturday, March 2
