19-02-2025
No. 1 Winter Haven girls basketball remains dominant, advances to regional finals
WINTER HAVEN — Winter Haven has one more step to advance to state.
The Blue Devils took care of business Tuesday evening at Winter Haven High School at the Class 7A regional semifinals, winning 89-35 over Riverview Sarasota. And if the Blue Devils win Friday at home against Venice, head girls basketball coach Johnnie Lawson will have advanced to his 15th state tournament in 17 years.
'Man, it never gets old. This is what we do all the training … for … and all the stuff they have to go through. … It's just big to know all the hard work pays off. But we sill got another game,' Lawson said.
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In order to get to the regional championship, The Ledger's Player of the Year, junior point guard Serenity Hardy produced 17 points and three steals, junior point guard Quin Sanders racked up 14 points, four assists, eight steals, four rebounds and one block. Senior power forward Amary Shaw put up 13 points, seven rebounds, two steals and three blocks and senior shooting guard Azzariah Styles tallied 10 points, four assists and four steals.
But it was the defense of Winter Haven schemed up by assistant coach Billy D. Washington that really set the tone in the first half, as the Blue Devils ended the half with a 56-20 lead.
A standard on the defensive end, the Blue Devils stuck to their full-court press that stalled Sarasota.
Not only was Winter Haven inspired from their spirited defense, but they were also inspired by the return of sophomore center Victoria Hall — she's been back the last four games ― who suffered a torn ACL over the summer from a camp in Gainesville, which was a noncontact injury as she was going up and down.
She ended up rehabbing three to four days a week, including using ladders, which allowed her to make a comeback at the start of districts. Her 6-foot-5 frame was able to clog the middle, grab some rebounds and just reinvigorate the entire team.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Winter Haven girls basketball remains dominant, advances to regional finals again
