FHSAA Playoffs: Predicting 1A

<strong>FHSAA Playoffs: Predicting 1A</strong> By Michael Wholey 2/8/22 11:00 AM EST <em>The district tournament starts this week in Florida and over the next 3 weeks, the top teams in Florida will compete for a coveted state championship concluding February 23-26 in Lakeland at the RP Funding Center.  Let’s look at the top teams in 1A and who we predict to win it all! </em> &nbsp; <em><strong>FLORIDA PLAYOFF INFO </strong></em> District Tournament: February 1-4, 2022 (at host school) Regional Tournament: February 10, 12, 15, and 18^th (at host school) State Championships: February 23-26 (at RP Funding Center) &nbsp; <strong>PREDICTING 1A</strong> Maxpreps lists the following as the top 7 schools in 1A. <ol> <li>Wildwood</li> <li>Ponce De Leon</li> <li>Hawthorne</li> <li>Paxton</li> <li>Poplar Springs</li> <li>Madison County</li> <li>Trenton</li> </ol> &nbsp; Make your own prediction for who you think will be the 2022 FHSAA 1A State Champion in Girls Basketball. *Voting closes 2/15 https://poll.fm/11033385 &nbsp; History tells us that in the past few years, to win the 1A state championship you got to knock off one of the following: Wildwood, Ponce De Leon, Hawthorne, Port St. Joe, or Trenton.  Ponce De Leon won it all in 2021, Hawthorne was crowned champs in 2020 (and was runner up in 2021), Trenton won the ‘ship in 2019 (and was runner up in 2016), Wildwood took home the 1A state championship back-to-back in 2017 and 2018 (and was runner up in 2015), and Port St Joe was runner up in 2018 and 2020. <img class=" wp-image-208715 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/95-Kailani-Lindsey-2-e1623250217483-300x277.jpg" alt="" width="189" height="176" />Wildwood enters the playoffs at 14-4 and are led by 2023 6’0 Forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91645" first="Kailani" last="Lindsey"]</strong>, 2025 5’4 Point Guard <strong>Trinidy Harris</strong>, and 2022 5’11 Forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="331720" first=""]</strong>.  Lindsey leads the team in both points and rebounds averaging 12.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, Harris is averaging 10.5 points and 3.9 steals per game, while Senior McGee is just shy of averaging a double-double as she averages 9.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.  There are essentially no teams in 1A that has two players on the inside with McGee and Lindsey size.  Wildwood has challenged themselves playing opponents such as Brooks DeBartolo, Central Florida Christian Academy, Buchholz, and Faith Christian in addition to already defeating Port St. Joe and Trenton.  With that being said, Wildwood is our prediction to win the FHSAA 1A State Championship. Ponce De Leon finished the regular season at 17-3 splitting with Poplar Springs and losing close matchups to 6A Fort Walton Beach and Enterprise out of Alabama.  They are always in the mix in mid and late <span style="font-size: 1rem;">February and are not to be counted out as they are the defending state champions.</span> Hawthorne is 14-4 and have impressive wins vs Tampa Bay Tech, PK Yonge, Eustis, Gainesville with tough battles to The Rock School and Bishop Kenny.  The challenging schedule could play dividends in the playoffs.  They have a balanced offensive attack with five players averaging between 7 and 11 points per game, spacing the floor, and sharing the basketball.  5’6 Freshman <strong>De’Mya Adams</strong> and 5’9 Junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="223867" first="Jaz’lyn" last="Jackson"]</strong> both average 10.6 points per game Jackson also second on the team in rebounding at 7.4 RPG) while 6’1 Senior <strong>Saideriel Oliver</strong> averages 9.1 PPG and 5’5 Junior<strong> Kentavia Hagins </strong>averages 7.6 points per game and Freshman 6’0 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="349374" first="Jhalea" last="Jackson"]</strong> leads the team in rebounding at 8.7 rebounds while also averaging 7.3 points per game. Paxton wrapped up the regular season at 20-4.  They have taken down Holmes County and Choctawhatchee twice each this season while falling to South Walton twice and to Ponce De Leon by 20 in late January.  They have a solid squad and their two wins vs Choctawhatchee are very impressive but I think in the end it will be tough to overtake Wildwood, Hawthorne and Ponce De Leon. Poplar Springs (11-7), Madison County (13-6), Trenton (14-9) round out the top 7 in 1A.  While  Lafayette (17-3), Port St. Joe (13-7) and Fort White (14-2) all should make deep runs. <strong>Jacovya Major</strong> is averaging 17.2 points per game for Fort White and is capable of going off for 30 on any given game.   Port St. Joe has a four headed monster with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="353524" first="Mimi" last="Larry"]</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="352554" first="Mari" last="Johnson"]</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="353534" first="Amani" last="Jones"]</strong>, and <strong>Jae Lenox</strong> leading a balanced attack.  Lenox is a Junior combo guard who is definitely capable of helping Port St Joe play the role of spoiler and knock off one of top ranked schools.  Lafayette is lead by the Senior duo of <strong>Haley Rosenbaum</strong> and <strong>Brooklyn Fleming</strong>, leading their squad to an 18-3 record.  They played Trenton twice, failing by 30 points 55-25 on January 11, only to two weeks later defeat them by 20 points 53-33.  Depending on which squad shows up, Lafayette is capable of defeating anyone in the field. Trenton has been up and down all season.  They had a shot at Madison County and Wildwood earlier in the year and it did not go well.  If they make a run, it will be up to Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="353526" first="Jordan" last="Douglas"]</strong> and <strong>Bri Becker</strong> who both average double digits for Trenton.  Madison County wrapped up the regular season at 14-6 and are led by Sophomore sensation 5’8 Guard <strong>Janiyah McKnight</strong>.  She led the team with 14.5 points per game helping them split with Lafayette and knock Trenton off twice.  Poplar Springs has played Ponce De Leon three times this season, they lost twice in November and December but defeated them 50-47 on January 11.  They have their own four headed monster that also lead a balanced attack with <strong>Harley </strong>Owens, <strong>Aubrey Smith</strong>, <strong>Keelan Pelham</strong>, and <strong>Bailey Smith</strong> all averaging between 9 and 12 points per game.  Their January 11 win over Ponce De Leon is an insight into the team they are capable of, and that Poplar Springs has just as good of a chance to win the whole thing as anyone and are a potential dark horse candidate to win the 1A FHSAA State Championship. &nbsp; <strong>Michael Wholey</strong> is the lead scout for Florida Prep Girls Hoop Florida and a former division one Assistant Coach at American University, University of Memphis, and Georgia Tech.  Wholey and the rest of the Prep Girls Hoop staff, seek to cover the entire state of player, keeping subscribers up to date with player evaluations, recruiting info, and statewide news.  Our audience often supplies us with some of our best information.  If you have any information on players, teams, or statewide news in the state of Florida, emailing Michael Wholey at <a href="mailto:WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com">WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com</a> or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.