- March 28, 2024
Loading
Mainland upset Winter Haven in the second round of the playoffs. Denzel Houston led the Pride to a comeback win in the regional championship. Shannon Cranshaw scored her 2,000th point, and more...
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
There was comeback win, on the road, in playoffs, which came against a one-loss team. There was a game-winning layup. And a basketball player scored her 2,000th career point.
With the end of 2012 looming, there’s no better time to take a look at some of the year’s best games and individual performances.
Mainland at Winter Haven, Nov. 23
Mainland quarterback Cameron Hadley had thrown two interceptions, which were brought back for touchdowns, as the Winter Haven Blue Devils led 33-27 with 5:48 left in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.
With Winter Haven driving into the Bucs’ territory after Hadley’s second pick, sophomore Arthur Westbrook intercepted a Luke Borders pass, giving Hadley and the offense 2:24 to score.
“Cameron Hadley possesses the ability, at any point in time, to be a strike, meaning he can make a play whenever we need it most,” Mainland head coach Scott Wilson said after the game. “Everybody just believes in him and expects so much out of him. And he usually brings it to the table.”
On third-and-10, with 1:44 left in the game, and from his own 15-yard line, Hadley scrambled and picked up 43 yards. He then found Stephen Bostick, who made a diving catch, to get the Buccaneers to the two-yard line, down by six points.
Hadley handed the ball to Jontey Byrd, who crashed his way into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.
Borders and the Blue Devils then worked their way back down field, looking for a game-winning score. Their field goal fell short, though, and the Bucs rushed the field to celebrate their 34-33 comeback victory.
It was Mainland’s fourth consecutive road victory, its second of the playoffs and another postseason upset.
Father Lopez boys basketball vs Flagler Palm Coast, Nov. 16
An early season matchup, and a game of streaks, was ended with one final possession and one final layup from the game’s leading scorer.
Father Lopez guard Malik Maitland drove the lane and passed to Cameron Breehl, whose layup, with 1.7 seconds left on the clock, gave the Green Wave a 49-48 win over Flagler Palm Coast.
Breehl scored 22 points in the game, with 15 of them coming in the second half and nine in the fourth quarter.
Maitland added 11 points and Ben Marello chipped in 8 points for Father Lopez.
The Green Wave led by nine points with 5:21 left in the game when Deshawn Barbero hit a three, ending the Green Wave run and starting one for the Bulldogs.
FPC pulled to within one, 47-46, with 1:50 left in the game and took the lead 35 seconds later.
The teams exchanged defensive stops until Father Lopez called a timeout, setting up Breehl’s go-ahead layup.
“We wanted to get it to Malik and let him attack and put four guys on the baseline,” Father Lopez head coach Ed Miller said after the game. “So we let Malik attack and find somebody. And he did.”
Ormond Beach Pride vs. Argyle Spartans, Nov. 18
In a rematch against the team that knocked the Ormond Beach Pride varsity team out of the regional playoffs in 2011, the Pride found themselves trailing the Argyle Spartans 18-6, Nov. 18, with six minutes left in the game.
But that’s when Denzel Houston solidified his status as the 2012 tournament’s best player, throwing a 60-yard touchdown to Jason Colubiale and running in the game-winning score on the Pride’s next possession.
The win helped the Pride advance to the American Youth Football National Championship tournament, where they finished as the fourth best team in the country.
Father Lopez volleyball wins district, Oct. 25
The Green Wave volleyball team, led by Erika Pifer, Madi Young and Chandler Ferguson, won the district championship Oct. 25, for the second time in school history.
“First year head coach Allan Knight proved his worth this year by leading the team to a district title for only the second time in 50-plus years of the school’s history,” Berryhill said.
Best individual performances
Shannon Cranshaw scored her 2,000th career point Nov. 15, in a win over Apopka. Just a day before, she signed a letter of intent to attend George Washington University on a basketball scholarship.
Lady Sandcrabs basketball player Shakira Scantling recorded 34 rebounds in a 57-50 win Nov. 30, against New Smyrna Beach. Scantling also scored 15 points in the game.
Mikey Munier, a freshman tennis players, won the district championship April 3, to the state tournament.
“For Mikey, a freshman, to play No. 1 in singles all year, win the district and advance to states was a huge accomplishment,” Father Lopez Athletic Director Trevor Berryhill said.