'Same recipe': Northside rivals Ribault, Jackson roll toward Gateway Conference rematch
In a battle of stars wearing No. 3, three 3-pointers from Ribault's No. 3 made a statement for Caleb Williams, who doesn't sound like somebody ready to relinquish his grip on the Gateway Conference boys basketball trophy.
"We know what it takes to win," the Ribault senior guard said, "so we're just doing the same recipe."
That recipe was a winner for Williams and the Trojans in Tuesday night's quarterfinal at First Coast, when Ribault pulled away after halftime to beat Riverside 67-58 and retain hopes for a repeat in the championship for Duval County public schools.
Next up: A mouth-watering pair of semifinals Thursday at Paxon. Ribault (15-5) takes on No. 1 seed Jackson at 5:30 p.m. in a rematch of last year's Gateway final, followed by host Paxon against Raines at 7 p.m. The title game is 6 p.m. Friday.
Ribault faced an obstacle early in two-sport junior Tae'shaun Gelsey, who kept Riverside (12-8) in the contest with his athleticism and energy. But emerging from halftime, Williams sank three 3-pointers in four minutes, two of them from NBA range, to ignite the gym and put the Generals away.
"I just kept the intensity rolling and kept shooting my shots," said Williams, who led all scorers with 33 points in his fourth game above 30 points this season. Junior Jamian Jackson added 14 for the Trojans.
In Tuesday's other quarterfinals, Jackson's defense swamped Mandarin 68-32, while Raines downed First Coast 57-42 and Paxon held off Wolfson 49-42.
FHSAA confirms 2024, 2025 football districts
After further review…
The Florida High School Athletic Association released its final football districts Tuesday for 2024 and 2025 following the appeals process, and at least for Northeast Florida, the results are almost identical to the list that the association revealed on Dec. 22.
Almost all Jacksonville schools landed in the districts previously released last month, including multiple three-team districts following the demise of the FHSAA's Metro-Suburban system. Some other sections of the state experienced more drastic changes, often stemming from the continuing exit of schools from FHSAA districts to the Sunshine State Athletic Association.
The area's only changes from the December districts are as follows:
Suwannee, originally placed in District 3-2A alongside Florida High, Gadsden County and Taylor County, now moves into District 2-3A to join Baker County, Tallahassee Godby and Wakulla.
Alachua Santa Fe takes the place of Crescent City in District 5-2A, which also includes Bradford, Keystone Heights, Newberry and Palatka. Crescent City moved to District 5-1A.
District 4-1A, which was already set to include Fort White, P.K. Yonge, Union County and Williston, now adds Class 1S runner-up Ocala Trinity Catholic.
Eight straight for UC basketball
Add one more rising private school power in Jacksonville boys hoops.
After a 3-8 start, University Christian is a team on fire, going 8-0 since Jan. 10 against a slate of opponents that includes IMG Academy White (twice) and Oakleaf.
UC's most recent victims: state-ranked Episcopal, defeated 56-49 on Monday with 14 points from B.J. Boykin and 11 from sophomore King Sanders, and perennial Class 2A contender North Florida Educational Institute, beaten 52-44 on Tuesday. Guard Justin Gist scored a team-high 13.
Under former University of New Orleans assistant Jody Bailey, UC (11-8) is spreading the scoring around. Nine players who have received regular minutes are averaging five or more points.
The challenge doesn't let up for UC, which faces Potter's House Blue on Friday before finishing the regular season next week against Bishop Kenny, Providence and Orange Park.
Walk-Off Charities Classic adds softball
Jacksonville's preseason diamond tradition is doubling the excitement.
The annual Walk-Off Charities High School Classic for baseball is adding a 12-team softball tournament for the first time, set for the week of Feb. 12-17.
The event is also moving to the new Bragan Baseball Complex at Fort Family Regional Park on the Southside.
All 12 schools in the softball tournament are set to play two games, with each playing two opponents within its group. Pool A is Clay, Episcopal, First Coast and Paxon; Pool B, Bishop Kenny, Bishop Snyder, Nease and Mandarin; and Pool C, Fletcher, Hilliard, Providence and Sandalwood.
The baseball tournament, as in prior years, remains organized in the same format, a six-day event with three groups of four teams apiece and each team getting two games.
For baseball, Pool A includes Providence, Wolfson, Bishop Snyder and Ponte Vedra; Pool B includes Sandalwood, Trinity Christian, First Coast and West Nassau; and Pool C includes White, Jackson, Baldwin and Englewood.
Scheduled for action are several of Northeast Florida's prized baseball prospects, including First Coast catcher Hunter Carns (Florida State), Trinity Christian pitcher Brayden Harris (Florida State), Ponte Vedra pitcher Matt Hoag (Florida State), Bishop Snyder pitcher Aidan King (Florida), and Providence pitcher Kyle Powers (Jacksonville University).
Puerto Rico soccer calls Stingrays' Arocho
Evangelina Arocho is getting ready to wear the red, white and blue of Puerto Rico.
The Atlantic Coast junior midfielder was selected Friday to represent Puerto Rico's under-17 women's national soccer team at the CONCACAF U17 Championships from Feb. 1-11 in Toluca, Mexico.
The tournament not only crowns the champions for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, but also serves as a qualifier for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in October in the Dominican Republic.
Puerto Rico's national team will play against the United States, Canada and Panama in the CONCACAF event.
Cooley wins 300th at Mandarin soccer
Mandarin's Jason Cooley is Jacksonville's newest member of the 300-win club.
The longtime Mandarin boys soccer coach celebrated his 300th win Friday night during the Mustangs' 4-1 victory over St. Augustine to conclude the regular season at 15-0-2.
Cooley has led the Mandarin boys team since the 2006-07 season, including 11 Gateway Conference championships and a trip to the 2012 FHSAA Class 5A final. He previously directed the Mandarin girls for five seasons, winning 88 games.
His Mandarin tenure is the third-longest among active boys soccer coaches in Jacksonville, behind only Steve Stone at Stanton (since 1993) and Jim Lieb at Bolles (since 1999).
The Mustangs, who completed their second consecutive undefeated regular season, stand 11th overall and third in Class 7A in the new FHSAA boys soccer rankings released Sunday. Creekside, at No. 24, is the only other local team in the top 40.
DeLand, Auburndale to split state soccer
Speaking of soccer… the Case of the Unknown Host is solved.
And, no, it's not Bonifay, Callaway, Cutler Bay or Sopchoppy.
The FHSAA is dividing the 2024 state soccer finals between Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand and the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale. The Fort Myers News-Press first reported the news, which the FHSAA later confirmed Tuesday.
The Class 2A, 3A and 4A semifinals and finals for both boys and girls soccer stretch from Feb. 20-24 in Auburndale. The following week, the Class 5A, 6A and 7A semifinals and finals kick off in DeLand, the host for the last seven years.
The FHSAA still has yet to publicly announce the precise game schedules, but the association is planning a return to the pre-2017 format in which the final four in each class, not just the two finalists, compete at the finals site.
Auburndale is a first-time championship venue for soccer, but the Polk County city did serve as host for FHSAA softball finals from 1998 to 2001. The soccer complex, which previously served as a temporary home for the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, also holds the Florida Youth Soccer Association championships.
Yancey takes over at Hilliard football
For the third time in as many seasons, Hilliard welcomes a new head football coach.
The Nassau County school announced the hiring of former Branford defensive coordinator Matt Yancey to lead the Red Flashes into 2024. He replaces Daniel Thomas, the former Hilliard star in the 2000s who played four NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
Thomas recorded a 3-8 record in his one season as Hilliard head coach, qualifying for the Class 1R playoffs but losing in the first round to Union County.
Yancey previously went 3-6 at Pine Ridge in Volusia County during the 2016 season and finished 10-17 in three seasons with Interlachen between 2018 and 2020. Interlachen removed him from the post abruptly in October 2020 in a controversy stemming from a social media post, as reported by the Palatka Daily News.
The Red Flashes have qualified for five consecutive FHSAA regionals despite rapid coaching turnover. The school dismissed John Pate as head coach in February 2022, then Waylon Cox and Thomas led the program for one season apiece.
BK's McMillan earns national honor
Brianna McMillan is making a splash both inside and outside the pool.
In a surprise presentation Thursday morning at Bishop Kenny, the senior diverreceived the national Making a Difference On And Off The Field Award, presented by Buddy's Helpers.
The national campaign, which has also recognized athletes during this school year in Miami, Dallas and Chicago, recognized McMillan for more than 360 community service hours as well as her volunteer work with Camp I Am Special, for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
A repeat qualifier for the FHSAA diving championships, she placed second in the Class 2A event in 2021.
Around the area
Riverside linebacker Jamal Harvey-Jackson committed to Edward Waters football. ... Bartram Trail offensive lineman Jeremy Gimmel committed to Presbyterian football and edge rusher Mike Matos committed to Shorter. … Mandarin lineman Clayton Clark committed to Southern Illinois football. … Middleburg kicker Kaleb Robison committed to N.C. Central football and linebacker Austin Cruce committed to Avila. ... Stanton's three-time state champion Rylie Darkatsh committed to Florida Gulf Coast women's diving. ... Wolfson shortstop Cooper Rowell committed to Webber International baseball. … Baker County pitcher Colson Altman committed to College of Central Florida baseball. … Bolles forward Hilary Englert committed to Furman women's basketball. … Fleming Island senior Bailey Montgomery committed to St. Johns River State College volleyball. … Oakleaf middle blocker Tamia Fripp committed to Columbia College volleyball. … Ridgeview defensive specialist Angel Morales committed to Penn State-Abington volleyball. … Bolles junior midfielder Nate Towers committed to Iona men's lacrosse. … Yulee girls soccer coach Lee Burchett earned his 100th win with the Hornets. … St. Johns Country Day guard Mary Kate Kent scored 46 points, the area's highest single-game tally on record for 2023-24, on Thursday against Duval Charter. … Former Brunswick high jumper Riyon Rankin, now at Georgia, won SEC freshman of the week honors in men's track and field. ... The Region 1 competitive cheerleading championships are scheduled for Friday at Port St. Joe in the Panhandle. … FHSAA flag football and track both open practice Monday.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Gateway Conference basketball semis: Ribault, Jackson, Paxon, Raines
