Keenan vs. Walhalla: 3A Championship

After championship Thursday was in the books, it was time to look ahead to championship Friday which would begin by determining champions from the 3A classification.    Keenan was looking to recapture the magic it enjoyed throughout its dynasty era of the late 2010s into the early 2020s. Coach Reggie McLain has guided another Raiders assembling to the state championship game and went through Marlboro County, Georgetown, Dillon and Oceanside Collegiate to clinch the Lower State championship.    In order for that to happen, the Raiders had to defeat Walhalla – defending 3A champions. Coach Byron Wimphrie's Razorbacks claimed its first state championship since the early 1950s, regardless of sport, last season. Walhalla is looking to repeat and earned victories over Carolina, Southside Christian, Chapman and St. Joseph's Catholic to earn a trip to South Carolina's capital city.    This season's 3A girls basketball season would finish with Walhalla earning the victory over Keenan with the final score being 70-58.    “I think the word I want to use is grateful,” Coach Wimphrie says. “Because it's not normal to get here back-to-back and to do it how we did it. So, I was just grateful for it. The girls are grateful. They're really happy because all the hard work they put in has paid off.”    Records   Walhalla's second consecutive state championship win put a bow on a season that featured a 26-2 overall record plus a region showing of 8-0. As for Keenan, it may be departing from Colonial Life Arena with a loss, but its 2025-26 still included a Lower State championship on top of its 20-7 overall record and a 8-0 showing against region adversaries.    Remember What Happened Last Time?   Friday's state get-together between Keenan and Walhalla represented the first meeting for these two teams since they met in the second round of the 2A tournament back in 2007. That contest resulted in a 56-53 victory for the Raiders.    Quarter-By-Quarter   Despite Colonial Life Arena and Keenan HS being separated only by a few miles, there appeared to be more Walhalla fans in the CLA stands. Those fans had plenty to be excited about as an effective 3-point shooting attack allowed the Razorbacks to gain the early 21-15 edge over the Raiders.    Those wearing purple had even more to cheer and clap for as Walhalla commenced the second quarter with an 15-4 run, ballooning the Razorbacks' lead well into double digits. Both teams – especially Keenan – would have plenty to discuss during halftime as Walhalla had built a 42-27 lead.   “I think we started getting stops,” Wimphrie says on the difference in his team's performance in the first and second quarters. “Slowing Taelor (Lee-Sutton) down a little bit. We were pushing it, hitting threes, getting layups in transition. Against Keenan, you've got to rebound and you can't turn the ball over.”    The Raiders needed a run to at least close their gap to single digits. Instead, Walhalla only grew its lead to 18 at the conclusion of three frames. Walhalla was eight minutes from a successful defense of last year's state championship, leading Keenan 62-44.    As minutes continued to tick off the clock, it was not much of a question as to if Walhalla would go back-to-back, but what the point margin would be. That point margin would be 12 points as the Razorbacks would depart from the CLA exactly as they would depart the Florence Center last year – as state champions.    “I'm proud of the group, proud of the community for showing up,” Wimphrie says. “I know we just got to get back to work for the next group.”   Primetime Performers   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_0135-crop-3321x2181-1772835135.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1798407" style="width:572px;height:auto" /></figure>   Keenan's defense had very few answers for the heroics of junior [player_tooltip player_id='1606129' first='Ashlyn' last='Frick']. She would lead all point-getters with 23 points. Frick also connected on three of her seven attempts from distance. Her nine rebounds her one board shy of a double-double and she also aided the Razorbacks effort with three blocks.   “Ashlyn's a great player,” Wimphrie says. “ Good size. She had a broken foot last year and she still was able to come in and play in a state championship run. I knew what kind of player she is, I see her every day in practice. It's good that she could display that on TV in front of the whole state.”   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_0108-crop-2905x1907-1772835641.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1798411" style="width:568px;height:auto" /></figure>   Adding to Walhalla's successful Friday afternoon at the CLA was [player_tooltip player_id='925569' first='Baylee' last='Cannon'] who finished her day with 19 points. Cannon also grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists. A steal was also part of Cannon's performance.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_0099-crop-2186x1435-1772835732.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1798414" style="width:566px;height:auto" /></figure>   In what would be her final time sporting Walhalla's signature purple hue, [player_tooltip player_id='587302' first='Kami' last='Roach'] would add 12 points to the Razorbacks' efforts. Roach would also dish out seven assists, haul in six rebounds and collect a pair of steals.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_0163-crop-2825x1855-1772835824.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1798416" style="width:566px;height:auto" /></figure>   Friday's matchup at Colonial Life Arena was also the final time for [player_tooltip player_id='1317857' first='Miley' last='White'] in a Razorbacks uniform. White spearheaded the rebounding efforts for Walhalla by grabbing 12 boards in addition to the eight points she tallied.   “(Kami and Miley) already were winners beforehand,” Wimphrie says. “But, to go out this way is great. So, I'm proud of them and how special they were (today).”   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_0176-crop-2536x1665-1772835940.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1798418" style="width:569px;height:auto" /></figure>   For Keenan, [player_tooltip player_id='637593' first='Taelor' last='Lee-Sutton'] would conclude her day with a 20-point performance. Out of the 20 she placed on the scoreboard, 11 occurred in the first half of play. Lee-Sutton also grabbed six rebounds and sent out four assists.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_0211-crop-3603x2366-1772836037.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1798420" style="width:571px;height:auto" /></figure>   The Raiders also greatly benefitted from the 14 points that were placed on the scoreboard by [player_tooltip player_id='651709' first='Kristin' last='Brown'] who was playing her final game in Keenan's threads. Out of the 14 she scored, eight occurred in the first half.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/IMG_0201-2-crop-2368x1555-1772836162.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1798422" style="width:568px;height:auto" /></figure>   Friday afternoon's contest was also the final occasion for [player_tooltip player_id='562110' first='Aareonna' last='Caughman'] in a Keenan uniform. She contributed 13 points to the Raiders' cause. Eight rebounds plus a blocked shot were also part of her day.   So Long, Seniors   [player_tooltip player_id='587302' first='Kami' last='Roach'], [player_tooltip player_id='1317857' first='Miley' last='White'], Mara Chappell and Macarly Chappell are the four seniors that will soon depart from Walhalla. As for Keenan, it will soon say farewell to Zaria Mines, [player_tooltip player_id='562110' first='Aareonna' last='Caughman'], Xalesha Dwyer and [player_tooltip player_id='651709' first='Kristin' last='Brown'].   Reclassification   Beginning next season, Walhalla will remain in 3A while Keenan drops back down to 2A and the Upper State.

After championship Thursday was in the books, it was time to look ahead to championship Friday which would begin by determining champions from the 3A classification.