Mike Ridaught
This afternoon at 4, the 22-5 Hawthorne boys basketball team will take on 23-3 Paxton in the Class 1A state semifinals at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Despite the loss of nine seniors, including all five starters, the Hornets are making their first final four appearance in three years. Hawthorne is seeking its first boys hoops state title since 1987. In the other 1A state semifinal, 22-3 Hilliard will face 19-7 Vernon. The Class 1A state championship game is Friday night at 7.
Girl’s Softball: Gainesville blanks Ocala Forest 12-0
On Tuesday night, the Gainesville softball team cruised to a 12-0 win at Ocala Forest behind senior Alissa Humphrey. The JU signee was dominant in the circle, tossing a complete game 1-hitter with no walks and 14 strikeouts. Humphrey was also dominant at the plate, finishing 4-for-5 with a grand slam and eight runs driven in as the Hurricanes improved to 3-0. And in high school baseball action, Mayo Lafayette edged Newberry, 3-1, Union County shutout Baker County, 2-0, and P.K. Yonge defeated Ocala West Port, 5-1.
The defending Class 1A state champion Trenton softball team stayed unbeaten with a 10-0 win in five innings against visiting Class 4A Dunnellon last night. That makes seven in a row to start the season and 34 in a row overall. Trenton will travel to Class 4A Glen St. Mary Baker County on Friday night at 7.
Williston lost at home to unbeaten Class 3A Alachua Santa Fe, 8-5. The Lady Red Devils will look to snap a 2-game losing streak when they travel to Class 3A Bushnell South Sumter on Thursday night at 7.
Bell lost a close one at Mayo Lafayette. The Hornets scored a run in the bottom of the 7th inning to defeat the visiting Bulldogs, 4-3. Dixie County lost at Ocala Lake Weir, 3-0, Bronson lost at home to Newberry, 12-9, and Chiefland scored 24 runs on 22 hits in a 24-13 win at Fort White. The Lady Indians rallied from a 11-7 deficit by scoring 13 runs in the top of the 6th inning to win for the 2nd time in their past three games after an 0-3 start.
Boy’s Baseball: Trenton shuts down Dunnellon
In high school baseball action from Tuesday night, Trenton got in the win column for the first time this season with a 4-0 win against visiting Class 4A Dunnellon. Senior Wyatt Langford, a University of Florida signee, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Juniors Jacob Guthrie, Garrett Mullins, and Jaxson Nessmith each drove in a run for the Tigers. Senior Wyatt Duthu, a Daytona State College commit, pitched six innings and allowed no runs on five hits with no walks and 12 strikeouts. Trenton will host Class 2A Crawfordville Wakulla Christian School on Thursday night at 6.
Defending 1A state champion Williston defeated Dixie County, 10-3. Sophomore Kolton Hunt and senior Conor McKinnon each had a pair of hits in the loss for the Bears. Dixie County will host Bell on Thursday night at 7, while the Red Devils will host Newberry on Friday night at 7.
Mike Ridaught is the founder of The Prep Zone, which is a website that provides high school sports coverage to 26 counties in Florida including Alachua.
At its core, the Prep Zone broadcasts and promotes high school sports in North Central Florida. From Duval County to Lake County, they cover all sports, including local radio broadcasts in Gainesville and Ocala, as well as online (audio and video).
From weekly high school radio shows and daily radio reports, to previews, state & regional rankings (The Prep Zone Power Poll), ‘live’ and ‘archived’ sports broadcasts, and more, “The Prep Zone” is a great resource for high school sports fans.