Recapping the 3A Finals
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Recapping the 3A Finals By Michael Wholey 3/4/22 12:00 PM EST Cardinal Mooney and Westminster Academy advanced to the state championship game in 3A after defeating King’s Academy and Florida State University High. In a tight championship game, Westminster Academy…
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Continue ReadingRecapping the 3A Finals
By Michael Wholey 3/4/22 12:00 PM EST
Cardinal Mooney and Westminster Academy advanced to the state championship game in 3A after defeating King’s Academy and Florida State University High. In a tight championship game, Westminster Academy pulled out the victory 44-41 to win the 3A State Championship!
Westminster Academy got Lakeland by defeating Miami Country Day in the regional championship and finished the season on a 17-game winning streak and going undefeated in 2022 claiming the 3A State Championship over Cardinal Mooney. In the semi-finals, Westminster Academy defeated Florida State University High 69-52. Jumping out to a double-digit early lead in the first half, Lena Girardi Lena Girardi 5'10" | SF IMG Academy | 2025 State FL and Claire Erickson Claire Erickson 5'6" | PG Westminster Academy | 2022 State FL were a tough backcourt to stop doing the majority of the scoring for WA. Girardi notched a double-double with 27 points and 14 rebounds, while Erickson went 4/5 from 3 and scored 22. The backcourt duo were tough to stop, as they scored a combined 49 of the teams 69 points and shot 60% from the field.
In the finals, Cardinal Mooney really focused on locking down Girardi and Erickson as the two shot only 33% from the field and combined for 16 points as opposed to the 49 in the semi-finals. Westminster got major contributions from Taelyn Carey (10 points, 9 rebounds, 6 blocks) and Maddie Wallhoff Maddie Wallhoff 5'10" | SG Westminster Academy | 2025 State FL who dropped 15 points on 5/7 from 3. It was a competitive game from jump ball to final buzzer, but WA controlled the game, holding the lead from 6 minutes left in the 1st quarter, to the remainder of the game. The 44-41 victory gave Westminster Academy the 3A state championship and avenged their last loss having fallen to Cardinal Mooney on December 31 57-55.
To get to the finals, Cardinal Mooney defeated King’s Academy in the semi-finals 50-42. The Cougars were led by Olivia Davis Olivia Davis 5'7" | CG Cardinal Mooney | 2023 State FL , who shot 4/7 from 3 and dropped 16 points to go along with 6 rebounds. While Davis got it done from 3, Freshman Kali Barrett Kali Barrett 6'2" | SF Cardinal Mooney | 2025 State FL was aggressive attacking off the dribble and getting to the rim, scoring a game high 10 points on 8/16 from the field.
The victory sent Cardinal Mooney to the state championship game for a second year in a row but unfortunately, they fell short once again. Jordyn Byrd Jordyn Byrd 6'3" | PF Cardinal Mooney | 2023 State #25 Nation FL had a big game dropping 12 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. While Byrd went 5/9 from the field, it was a struggle offensively for the rest of the starting five of Kali Barrett Kali Barrett 6'2" | SF Cardinal Mooney | 2025 State FL , Kennedy McClain Kennedy McClain 5'11" | SF Sarasota | 2024 State FL , Olivia Davis Olivia Davis 5'7" | CG Cardinal Mooney | 2023 State FL , and Ella Schaefer who shot a combined 6/31 for an excruciating 15%.
For King’s Academy in the semi-finals, they were led by Freshman Jade Jones Jade Jones 5'11" | SF King's Academy | 2025 State FL who was the lone Lion to score in double digits (12 points and 5 rebounds). King’s Academy had relied on a balanced scoring attack of Jones, Jordan Race Jordan Race 5'11" | SF King's Academy | 2023 State FL , Mo’Nique Joseph, Janessa Williams Janessa Williams 5'10" | SF King’s Academy | 2023 State FL , Margot McFadden, and Sophia Kateris Sophia Kateris 5'11" | SF The King's Academy - West Palm Beach | 2025 State FL through a mixture of scores at the rim and knocking down open 3s. The shots did not fall for King’s as they shot 32% from the field (16/50), 27% from 3 (3/11), and 50% from the free throw line (7/14) and turned the ball over 20 times. It was a great season for King’s Academy, finishing 24-6, and return a majority of their roster for next season.
In the other semi-final game, Florida State University High was led by Georgia Tech signee Tonie Morgan Tonie Morgan 5'9" | PG FSUHS | 2022 State #18 Nation FL . The 5’8 Senior guard dropped 26 points on 8/21 from field and getting to the free throw 12 times, knocking down 8/12. Morgan senior teammate, Auburn signee Audia Young Audia Young 5'8" | CG Florida State | 2022 State FL struggled from the field, going 3/16 and only mustering up 9 points. Westminster really clamped down defensively on the Lady Seminoles as they shot just 18/60 from field and 4/22 from 3. They finish the season with a 20-4 record.
Michael Wholey 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 WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.