1A State Championship: Military Magnet vs. Denmark-Olar HS

The USC-Aiken Convocation Center has proven to be very kind to Military Magnet these past two seasons. In 2020-21, a season that was stymied by COVID, coach Nathaniel Taylor’s Eagles left Aiken as 1A state champions following a 54-49 victory over Southside Christian. This time, Military Magnet’s adversary was Denmark-Olar, and the Eagles proved to be once again on the winning end of the championship spectrum, dispatching the Vikings by a final tally of 35-20. “To be a state champion and have the target on your back is very, very, very difficult,” Military Magnet coach Nathaniel Taylor said. “They think it’s always supposed to happen for them and teams are going to lay down just because they won a state championship. So it’s just difficult to keep them locked in.” <strong><em>Defense Wins Championships</em></strong> It may be one of the most commonly used phrases in the sporting lexicon, but it proves to be true time and time again – just ask Military Magnet in the second and third quarters. At one point in the second quarter, the Eagles held the slimmest of advantages over the Vikings – 12-11. That one-point margin would eventually balloon to an eight-point cushion as Military Magnet assumed a 21-13 lead heading into halftime. “(The Vikings) are a hungry bunch of young ladies,” Taylor said. “So they’re weren’t going to lay down or not compete. We knew that coming in with the large following that they have. They were going to be ready for the task. We had to just match their energy, initially and just do what we do.” The Eagles followed it up by holding the Vikings scoreless in the third quarter for a 15-2 Military Magnet run that spanned two frames. <strong><em>Primetime Performers</em></strong> <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/IMG_3740-scaled-crop-1428x938-1646431501.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-396456" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/IMG_3740-scaled-crop-1428x938-1646431501-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Two Eagles were co-leaders in the scoring department with eight points - and both were freshmen. One was <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="196266" first="Dream" last="Watson"]</strong>, who dropped six of her eight in the first half. She made both of her free throw attempts and also collected three steals. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/IMG_3815-scaled-crop-1561x1025-1646431596.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-396458" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/IMG_3815-scaled-crop-1561x1025-1646431596-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> The other Military Magnet representative who added eight to its cause was <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="252502" first="Sabri" last="Mitchell"]</strong>. And as Watson did, she also scored six of her eight in the first half. Mitchell also hauled in seven rebounds and got four steals. She also was only called for one personal foul. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/IMG_3760-scaled-crop-1541x1012-1646431713.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-396460" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/IMG_3760-scaled-crop-1541x1012-1646431713-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="335677" first="TaKenya" last="James"]</strong> proved to be the leading point-getter for the Vikings. She scored six points and included in that was her sinking two of her three free throw attempts. James also grabbed four rebounds, compiled three steals and had no personal fouls called against her in the 27 minutes she played. <strong><em>Closing the Book</em></strong> <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/IMG_3893-scaled-crop-2091x1373-1646431838.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-396462" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/IMG_3893-scaled-crop-2091x1373-1646431838-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Military Magnet puts a bow on its 2021-22 with not only a second consecutive 1A crown, but a 27-4 record, a perfect 13-0 mark in Region 7-A and a 13-game winning streak. As for coach Terence Jones’ Vikings team, its season has come to a close after going 25-4, going an undefeated 14-0 in its Region 3-A and an Upper State championship. <strong><em>So Long, Seniors</em></strong> Among the seniors graduating from Denmark-Olar includes the five of them on the Vikings roster. Those are <strong>Mikiya Stukes</strong>, <strong>Ta’Naiya Holman</strong>, <strong>Teonna Rice</strong>, <strong>Da’tashia Holman</strong> and <strong>LaKiyah Coleman</strong>. Military Magnet is not graduating any seniors – a clear indication that the Eagles will once again be a force to be reckoned with in 2022-23.