The Ponte Vedra High and Beachside High basketball programs earned district titles and now eye a possible state title to go in the trophy case.
The Sharks’ boys basketball squad defeated St. Augustine High 49-30 in an all-St. Johns County battle to claim the district 4-5A championship, while the Barracudas won the girls basketball crown defeating the Sharks with a convincing 73-34 victory.
It was the Sharks’ defense that proved the difference in the boys championship as it was able to stymie the methodical Yellow Jackets’ offensive attack and held them to their lowest point total of the season.
Maddox Palmer had a game-high four steals, as the Sharks had nine steals on the night and forced the Yellow Jackets into 14 turnovers.
Palmer and David Sanchez Barrera both led the Sharks with 14 points and Trace Westercamp finished one point shy of posting a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.
It was the eighth straight win in their series against the Yellow Jackets.
The Sharks earned the No. 2 seed in region 1-5A and hosted No. 7 Pensacola Booker T. Washington High in the first round on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. The score was not available by press time, but with a win, the Sharks would play either No. 3 Gainesville High or No. 6 Lake City Columbia at home on Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.
In the girls championship, the Barracudas proved time and again that they were clearly the best team in the district and that was reflected during the district tournament, when they won both their games by an average margin of 36.5 points, as they defeated Riverside High 60-26 in the district semifinal prior to their blowout win over the Sharks.
Senior Kendall Kane and junior Morgan Cremen both had a huge tournament scoring and proved hard to defend, especially from long range.
Kane reached the 20-point mark in both games and was on fire against the Sharks, shooting 67% from the field on 12 shots.
Cremen tallied 16 and 19 points in the two games, respectively, and together with Kane the two combined for 13 three-pointers during the tournament.
Junior Anni Ament was a force rebounding and freshman guard had a breakout game against the Sharks in the championship with 15 points on a perfect night shooting, as she knocked down all six of her shot attempts.
As district champions, the Barracudas slot in as the No. 3 seed in region 1-5A of the girls basketball state tournament and will host No. 6 Orange Park High in the first round, while the Sharks make the playoffs as a No. 8 seed and will travel to take on top-seeded Pensacola Booker T. Washinton High.
Both games will be played on Thursday, Feb. 13 and begin at 7 p.m.
