Girls basketball second round: Bishop Kenny tops Ribault, Clay County trio advances
With a 20-point run to start Tuesday night, Bishop Kenny decided the battle of classic and current girls basketball dynasties before it really got started.
The Crusaders jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, winning 70-43 in the Florida High School Athletic Association Region 1-4A second-round game inside the John A. Baldwin Athletic Center.
Sophia Rueppell scored 22 points, Clare Coyle added 16 and Sydney Roundtree contributed 14 as Bishop Kenny (28-1) completed the season sweep against Ribault (15-8), Florida's all-time leader with 12 state titles.
The Crusaders advance to a Friday night home regional final against Panama City Rutherford (25-1), winner of 20 straight after rallying in the final minute for a 51-50 win against Bolles.
The Bulldogs (19-10) had fought back from a nine-point fourth-quarter hole with 13 points from Ella Stakem and 11 more from Presley Norman. For Rutherford, Shakirah Edwards led with 29 points.
Girls soccer regional finals: Bartram Trail, Bolles, Stanton and St. Johns make final four
Boys soccer playoffs: Bishop Kenny, Providence, St. Johns advance to regional finals
First Coast Varsity Weekly: Creekside's Avery Robinson earns U.S. Soccer national call
REGION 1-6A
Alabama A&M signee Kaylah Turner scored 34 points and Oakleaf had no trouble against visiting Crestview, powering to a 79-46 victory. Trista Brown scored 17 points and FIU-bound Fantasia James added 14 for the Knights (25-2), who move on to a Friday regional title game on their home court against No. 7 seed Land O'Lakes.
For Crestview (21-8), Elesi Simmons and Allison Fordyce scored 10 points apiece.
REGION 1-5A
Sophomore Nacoya Blocton scored 24 points to help Ridgeview emerge victorious from their Panhandle trip, winning 52-43 at No. 2 seed Fort Walton Beach (19-7) to reach their first-ever regional final. Nia Blocton and Paetyn Miller added 12 apiece in a team effort for the Panthers (22-7), who next travel Friday night to top seed Daytona Beach Mainland.
REGION 1-3A
Ella Ortman scored 23 points to help Providence gallop into the regional final for the second straight season, winning 45-42 against visiting Florida High (17-11). Janai Jordan got 14 points, 10 rebounds and five steals for the Stallions (21-5), who will host a regional final Friday against No. 2 P.K. Yonge.
REGION 1-2A
Led by 40 points and seven 3-pointers from McDonald's All-American Taliah Scott, St. Johns Country Day marched into its first regional final for 36 years with a 58-44 win over visiting Quincy Munroe (13-10). Mary Kate Kent added 12 points for the Spartans (18-5).
The Spartans next play Friday against North Florida Educational Institute, after the Eagles won 46-39 against University Christian (14-5). NFEI advances to 16-8 on the year.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school girls basketball 2023: Jacksonville second-round playoff winners
