Class 3A Championship: Walhalla vs. Dillon

Thursday's play at the Florence Center commenced with a pair of 1A schools being crowned champions. The 1A portion of the championship schedule then segued into the 3A realm.    The two teams remaining were two teams consistently ranked among the top 3A squads in the Palmetto State. Out of the Upper State, Walhalla earned wins over four Region 2-AAA schools - Christ Church, Southside Christian, Powdersville and St. Joseph's Catholic - to clinch a berth in the 3A championship game.   As for the Dillon, its path to 3A state would see the Wildcats prevail against Georgetown, Hanahan, Newberry and Oceanside Collegiate.    It was a guarantee at the beginning of the season that there would be a new 3A champion with Camden going to 4A. That new 3A champion would be Walhalla which defeated Dillon by a final score of 52-37.    “It's great to see (our fans) here. That support – we kind of made it feel like a home game,” Walhalla coach Byron Wimphrie says. “I think the girls just fought hard and stayed together. That's the big thing.”   Records   Walhalla's season concludes with a 27-3 overall record plus its 8-0 mark against regional opponents on top of state championship glory. A stellar runner-up showing concludes for Dillon which finished 23-4 overall and 10-0 in region.    “We've been talking about it all year,” Wimphrie says. “We've been in different situations on the road, neutral places and some of the games got physical. I think that prepared for the stage tonight. We had to play through that contact and just finish the game.”   Quarter-By-Quarter   Dillon jumped out to a promising start by placing the first four points on the board. Walhalla would respond to pull in front by a margin of 7-6 with over three minutes to play in the opening stanza. An evenly matched first quarter would go the way of the Wildcats, leading 9-7 over the Razorbacks.   The evenly matched first quarter was indicative of an evenly matched get-togther between Razorbacks and Wildcats. As both teams entered their respective locker rooms to strategize for the second half, Walhalla and Dillon would be all knotted up at 18 apiece.    Walhalla caught a bit of momentum in the third quarter that allowed it pull ahead of Dillon. Eight minutes were all that were remaining between state euphoria for both teams. The Razorbacks had the 33-27 edge over the Wildcats.    The theme of the second half being dictated by the Razorbacks continued into the fourth quarter and it left the Wildcats guessing. At the end of the game, Walhalla would celebrate its first team state championship – regardless of sport – since 1952.   Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_4252-crop-2612x1715-1741366305.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1211883" style="width:560px;height:auto" /></figure>   Miley White's play – especially late in the game – was crucial to putting a purple bow on the evening's girls play. White managed a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds along with connecting on seven of her 11 tries from the field.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_4369-crop-1998x1312-1741366553.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1211895" style="width:560px;height:auto" /></figure>   One of the team's seniors – Annie Campbell – saved some of her best for last. Campbell tallied 13 points in addition to grabbing four rebounds and sending out four assists. She also made three of her seven attempts from behind the arc.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_4307-crop-1956x1285-1741366743.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1211904" style="width:577px;height:auto" /></figure>   Also contributing three 3-pointers to the Razorbacks cause was junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='587302' first='Kami' last='Roach'] who scored 10 points overall. She also had an outstanding game rebounding wise with nine and a noteworthy defensive game as she collected seven steals.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_4404-crop-1984x1303-1741366937.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1211911" style="width:570px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='529247' first='Gianna' last='Ortiz'] did everything she could to ensure her final game would be as a state champion – and it was a successful try. She grabbed 11 rebounds and scored nine points while logging 31 minutes of playing time.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_4368-crop-2441x1603-1741367140.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1211917" style="width:578px;height:auto" /></figure>   The Wildcats' [player_tooltip player_id='429829' first='Treasure' last='Davis'] is a talented freshman who will certainly have more opportunities to get back to this point. Davis scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds to put her two shy of a double-double. Davis also sent out three assists, collected six steals and blocked two shots.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_4245-crop-2724x1789-1741367435.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1211923" style="width:582px;height:auto" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='833034' first='Khwnylahi' last='McKinnon'] added nine points to Dillon's efforts. She too also had herself a productive outing on defense with five steals and four rebounds. McKinnon is one of the team's three sophomores.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_4398-crop-2905x1908-1741367579.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1211930" style="width:584px;height:auto" /></figure>   One of the team's four seniors – Ayonna Lester – would score seven points in her final team representing Wildcats black and gold. Lester also came through with big defensive plays as she concluded her evening with four steals.   “Got to give credit to Dillon,” Wimphrie says. “They made it all the way here. You win 23 games, you're a good basketball team. So, we definitely took advantage of the opportunity to be one of the better teams in 3A and just to get involved in a good experience and all.”   So Long, Seniors   For Dillon, Ayonna Lester, [player_tooltip player_id='250481' first='Mariah' last='Campbell'], Zadaiya Moody and Kiasia McLeod will soon depart from its confines. Annie Campbell, Katie Woody and [player_tooltip player_id='529247' first='Gianna' last='Ortiz'] will soon bid adieu to Walhalla.    “Our four seniors, they did a great job in showing leadership either on the court or off the court. They did it the right way and I think they were rewarded tonight,” Wimphrie says.

Thursday's play at the Florence Center commenced with a pair of 1A schools being crowned champions. The 1A portion of the championship schedule then segued into the 3A realm.