Military Magnet vs. Great Falls: 1A Championship Preview

When championship Saturday tips off at Colonial Life Arena, eight of the season's 12 champions will have been determined. The final day of the three-day slate in downtown Columbia – the University of South Carolina campus, specifically – will see the 1A and 4A classifications determine their respective state winners.    This season's 1A championship tilt features a team that has been there before, more often than not, over the past several seasons. It also includes a team that has emerged, seemingly, out of nowhere, that is set up to be contenders for many years to come.    Without further ado, here is a look at this season's 1A state championship contest.    Military Magnet (25-4, 6-0 Region 5-A)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/12/IMG_4924.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1544545" style="width:611px;height:auto" /></figure>   It is once again a question throughout the 1A girls' landscape – can anyone in 1A defeat Military Magnet?    Yes, Lake View got the better of the Eagles two years ago at the Florence Center in the 1A Lower State championship but was the exception. What has ensued throughout the bulk of this dynasty run for coach Nathaniel Taylor and his Eagles has been the rule.    The team from Carner Avenue has notoriously had one of the tougher non-region schedules in the state, matching up against teams from higher classifications in the early portions of the season. It has worked again. The Eagles' most recent defeat occurred on Jan. 17 against 5A Division 1 Ridge View – only a six-point, 52-46 loss to the Blazers. Since then, Military Magnet has pulled off 11 consecutive wins – including a 66-63 victory against eventual SCISA 4A champion First Baptist on Jan. 24.    Eagles' Road to Columbia:   Feb. 16 – 89-4 win vs. Johnsonville   Feb. 20 – 72-10 win vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt   Feb. 23 – 69-39 win vs. Bethune-Bowman   Feb. 27 – 76-29 win vs. Latta   Key Players:    One more contest in a Military Magnet uniform awaits for [player_tooltip player_id='366551' first='DaNariyah' last='Williams'], who has played in all 29 contests for the Eagles this season. Williams has averaged a double-double of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds plus 5.6 steals and 2.9 assists this season.    A strength of the Eagles is its mix of veteran and young talent. [player_tooltip player_id='926321' first='Mariah' last='Brown'] is one of the rising Military Magnet stars. She has also competed in all 29 contests and has averaged 13.4 points, five assists, 4.6 steals and 4.4 rebounds per game.    Another that has competed in all 29 Military Magnet games in 2025-26 has been [player_tooltip player_id='1123459' first='Deaury' last='Smith']. She, just like Brown, is an eighth grader. Smith has posted averages of 10.9 points, 3.9 steals, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists.    [player_tooltip player_id='1605899' first='Kaleah' last='Brown-King'] is one of four freshmen on this year's Eagles team. Brown-King has averaged 7.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per matchup. Brown-King is a two-sport athlete who has also played volleyball as a middle hitter.    Teams looking to earn victories over Military Magnet also have to game plan for [player_tooltip player_id='1606173' first='Lamaria' last='Brown'], a playmaker on both ends of the floor. Brown has averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 steals having also played in all 29 contests.    Military Magnet state championships: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025   Great Falls (21-3, 12-2 Region 2-A)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/user-uploads/IMG_7450.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1742875" style="width:636px;height:auto" /></figure>   One would be hard-pressed to find a team that has made a more seismic turnaround than Great Falls has.    After all, only two years ago, the Red Devils finished a dismal 2-20 – and those two victories it picked up in 2023-24 were region victories over Governor's School of Science and Math.    Fast forward to the following season where Great Falls went 9-9 and played in a first-round tournament contest against Williston-Elko. Fast forward to this season where coach Deshonia Cauthen's Red Devils have put together a double-digit winning campaign for the first time since 2007-08 plus region and Upper State championships to boot.   Red Devils' Road to Columbia:    Feb. 16 – 64-25 win vs. Dixie   Feb. 20 – 41-31 win vs. Ridge Spring-Monetta   Feb. 23 – 55-48 win vs. North   Feb. 27 – 40-34 win vs. Lee Central   Key Players:    The primary catalyst behind Great Falls' stunning turnaround has been [player_tooltip player_id='1742881' first='Makenzie' last='Beatty'] who has firmly established herself as one of the premier seventh graders in the Palmetto State. Beatty has averaged 19.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.6 steals in her debut campaign as a Red Devil.    Another key name behind Great Falls' rapid ascent has been Grace Page who is the lone freshman on this year's Red Devils assembling. Page is the team's leading rebounder, averaging 8.6 boards in addition to 7.9 points, 2.3 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.    A veteran presence presents itself in the form of London Williams. She is the one junior that is part of this year's Red Devils roster. Williams is averaging 7.8 points and three steals per contest this season.   The one senior on this year's team that is part of Great Falls' 2026 graduating class is [player_tooltip player_id='798537' first='Janie' last='Bailey']. The veteran is third among this season's Red Devils in rebounding, bringing down four per game.    Another of Great Falls' leaders on the glass is Kendreia McCrorey. The 3.9 rebounds she has brought down per contest has her fourth in boards among this season's Red Devils. McCrorey is one of five sophomores for this season's Great Falls bunch.     When and Where?    Mar. 7, Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, S.C., 12 noon

When championship Saturday tips off at Colonial Life Arena, eight of the season's 12 champions will have been determined. The final day of the three-day slate in downtown Columbia – the University of South Carolina campus, specifically – will see the 1A and 4A classifications determine their respective state winners.