We’re down to the final games of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) district tournament play for girls and boys basketball.

A total of seven girls teams in the Mainstreet coverage area will play tonight, while a total of 11 boys teams will play on Saturday night.

One of the biggest games in the state will be played at 7 p.m. tonight at Bronson High School, which is the site of the Rural Class District 7 championship game. It features the top two teams in the state in that classification.

Defending state champion Wildwood, which is ranked No. 2 in the state, faces No. 1 Williston for the district title.

Wildwood (14-4) eliminated No. 3 seed Chiefland, 76-38, in Wednesday night’s semifinals, and the Lady Red Devils (17-2) defeated No. 4 seed Hawthorne, 64-42, in the other semifinal.

Senior Amarhae Hopkins led Hawthorne (8-13) with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while freshman Janiyah Span led Williston with 24 points and she tied sophomore Trinity Solomon (4 points) with eight rebounds. Trinity’s twin sister, Kierce, had 15 points, four rebounds and five assists.

This is the first meeting this season between Wildwood and Williston, but the Wildcats defeated the Lady Red Devils in last year’s district championship game (68-40) and the region final (60-45).

Both of those games were in Wildwood. Although tonight’s game is at a neutral site, a win could secure a home game for Williston in the region final.

“Keys for us is to handle the pressure, defend and just play hard,” said Williston girls basketball coach Willie Powers.

The game will be broadcast online (audio only) beginning at 6:45 p.m. with Marty Pallman (Play-by-play) and coach Mac McCray (Color) calling the action.

In other girls action tonight, top seed Fort White (15-9) hosts No. 3 seed Taylor County (Perry) (16-6) for the Rural District 6 title, and No. 1 seed Newberry (19-3) is at home against No. 2 seed Bradford (Starke) (14-9) in 3A-District 3.

All three big schools in Gainesville are also playing for a title.

At 7 p.m., Eastside, which is seeking its third straight district championship, is the No. 3 seed in 4A-District 5. The Lady Rams (8-17), who knocked off No. 2 seed North Marion (Citra) in the district semifinals, will host No. 4 seed Crystal River (8-15), which upset top seed Dunnellon, 51-44, in the other semifinal.

GHS, which advanced to the Class 5A state championship game last year, is the top seed in 5A-District 2. The Lady Hurricanes (11-9) eliminated No. 4 seed Chiles (Tallahassee), 55-38, at The Purple Palace on Wednesday.

They will host No. 2 seed Lincoln (Tallahassee) at 6:30 p.m. tonight for the title.

Buchholz is the No. 2 seed in 6A-District 3. The Lady Bobcats (19-6) play at 6:30 p.m. at top seed Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (20-6).

On Saturday, there are nine games involving area teams.

Trenton is seeking its first final four in program history.

The Tigers (22-4) are the No. 1 seed in Rural District 6. They advanced with a 72-34 win against No. 5 seed Dixie County (Cross City) on Thursday night.

“First off, we are extremely excited to have a chance to play for the district championship for the second year in a row,” said Trenton coach Eric Bullis. “Last year we lost a heartbreaker at the buzzer in a game that we led for 31-plus minutes, so my guys have been very motivated to get back to this point and have another chance to win a district championship, which is always special.”

Union County (Lake Butler) is the No. 2 seed. The Tigers (14-7) eliminated No. 3 seed Fort White, 49-33, last night.

Trenton defeated Union County in Lake Butler, 71-43, in the only meeting between the two teams this season on Jan. 22.

“I expect the matchup with Union County to be a very tough, competitive and physical game and much closer than the last time we played them,” Bullis said. “Coach (Alvin) Merriex has done a fantastic job since he took over four years ago, building up the program, and he has a very talented roster that has grown tremendously over the course of the season.”

A win for Trenton is another step toward a trip to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

“For us to have the most success and give ourselves the best chance to win, we’re going to have to win the rebounding and turnover battles, which is something that’s been a focus of ours in every game this year, and push the pace in the full court,” Bullis said. “We are excited for a fantastic matchup against a great rival.”

In Rural District 5, No. 3 seed Branford (12-13) is at top seed Hilliard (16-5) at 6 p.m., and in Rural District 7, top seed Wildwood (22-4) will host No. 2 seed Williston (17-7).
The Red Devils defeated defending state champion Hawthorne, 53-47, in the district semifinals. Based on their strength of schedule, the Hornets (6-9) will likely receive an at-large berth to next week’s regional semifinals.

P.K. Yonge, which is seeking its fourth straight district title, will host No. 3 seed Trinity Catholic (Ocala) at 6 p.m. on Saturday for the 2A-District 2 title.

The Blue Wave (11-13) defeated No. 4 seed Oak Hall School (13-11), 71-60, on Thursday, while the Celtics (14-11) eliminated No. 2 seed Saint Francis Catholic Academy (13-8), 42-38, in the other district semifinal.

The top two seeds advanced in the 3A-District 3 tournament.

Newberry (18-3), the No. 1 seed, advanced with a 75-49 win against No. 4 Palatka, and No. 2 seed Bradford (Starke) (17-4) eliminated No. 3 seed Baldwin, 69-48, in the other semifinal.

You can listen to Saturday’s game online at Mainstreet Daily News with Pallman and McCray on the call. Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m., followed by the tip at 6 p.m.

Just like the girls, the three big schools in Gainesville are also playing for titles.

Eastside (15-7), winners of eight in a row, is the No. 2 seed in 4A-District 5 and will travel to No. 1 seed North Marion (Citra) for a 7 p.m. tip. The host Colts (20-3) won both meetings this year by an average margin of nine points.

GHS, which is the No. 4 seed in 5A-District 2, will travel to No. 3 seed Leon (Tallahassee) (19-7), which defeated Columbia (Lake City), 56-41, in last night’s district semifinals.

The Hurricanes (15-12), winners of nine of their last 10, upset top seed Lincoln (Tallahassee) (20-2) on the road in the other semifinal. Junior Willie Brooks led the ‘Canes with 24 points, including five 3-pointers.

Buchholz, the No. 2 seed in 6A-District 3, edged No. 3 seed Forest (Ocala), 54-50, in the district semifinals. The Bobcats (19-6) play at top seed Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) (21-4) at 7 p.m. on Saturday for the title.

On Saturday at 3 p.m., No. 3 seed Countryside Christian (14-9) travels to top seed Meadowbrook Academy (Ocala) (12-12) for the 1A-District 4 title.

GIRLS

District championship schedule – Friday, Feb. 6

Rural Class-District 6
3 Taylor County (Perry) at 1 Fort White, 7 p.m.

Rural Class-District 7 at Bronson
1 Williston vs. 2 Wildwood, 7 p.m. – Game will be broadcast online (audio only) at Mainstreet Daily News beginning at 6:45 p.m.

Class 3A-District 3
2 Bradford (Starke) at 1 Newberry, 7 p.m.

Class 4A-District 5
4 Crystal River at 3 Eastside, 7 p.m.

Class 5A-District 2 at higher seed
2 Lincoln (Tallahassee) at 1 Gainesville, 6:30 p.m.

Class 6A-District 3 at Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine)
2 Buchholz at 1 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine), 6:30 p.m.

BOYS

District championship schedule – Saturday, Feb. 7

Rural Class-District 5
3 Branford at 1 Hilliard, 6 p.m.

Rural Class-District 6
2 Union County (Lake Butler) at 1 Trenton, 6 p.m.

Rural Class-District 7
2 Williston winner at 1 Wildwood

Class 1A-District 4
3 Countryside Christian at 1 Meadowbrook Academy (Ocala), 3 p.m.

Class 2A-District 2
3 Trinity Catholic (Ocala) at 1 P.K. Yonge, 6 p.m.

Class 3A-District 3
2 Bradford (Starke) at 1 Newberry, 6 p.m. – Game will be broadcast online (audio only) at Mainstreet Daily News beginning at 5:45 p.m.

Class 4A-District 5
2 Eastside at 2 North Marion (Citra), 7 p.m.

Class 5A-District 2 at higher seed
4 Gainesville at 3 Leon (Tallahassee), 7 p.m.

Class 6A-District 3
2 Buchholz at 1 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine), 7 p.m.