DOWN THE COURT. Sophomore Cassandra Ketchum attempts to break through the Wildcats' defenses. photo/MEGHAN COTTON
DOWN THE COURT. Sophomore Cassandra Ketchum attempts to break through the Wildcats’ defenses. photo/MEGHAN COTTON

By MEGHAN COTTON

On Jan. 25, the girls basketball team faced Winter Park and celebrated senior night.  After a close game in the fourth quarter, the team lost 38-42.

Winter Park won the tip-off and made the first basket, then followed with a three-pointer the play after. Junior Kendall Byerly quickly matched their three-pointer by sinking one immediately after.

With expectations high due to being the girls’ senior night, they came out with intensity. Winter Park followed the team’s lead and had the equivalent amount of intensity, leaving fans concerned and thinking the girls needed to calm down and set up a play.  The first quarter ended with Winter Park making two three-pointers to lead the game 7-16.

Boone’s only made five of the 12 possible free throw points in the second quarter.  With this quarter dominated by free throws, Winter Park had a higher shooting percentage keeping them in the lead 18-29.

Similar to the second quarter, the third quarter had many fouls. Senior Celeste Martin drew a shooting foul and made both shots. Freshman Amanda Oliver received a shooting foul as well and made both shots. With an assist from freshman Sadie Desroches, sophomore Cassandra Ketchum made a basket to end the quarter with Winter Park in the lead 29-34.

With a stronger defense as well as an aggressive offense, Boone worked to defeat the Wildcats. In an attempt to catch up, Byerly made a possible game changing three pointer, but wasn’t successful.

With one minute left in the game, Florin made a layup to lead the game 38-37. With 14 seconds left, Winter Park made two free throws. After a nail-biting 10 seconds, the game ended with Winter Park winning 38-42.

The next game is the district semifinals on Wednesday, Jan. 30, in the Wayne Rickman Gymnasium.

By Renee Burke

I currently work as a Media Promotions Manager for OCPS. I taught at William R. Boone HS in Orlando for 22 years, and was JEA's 2015 H.L. Hall Yearbook Adviser of the Year, the 2012 OCPS Teacher of the Year, 2011 FSPA Journalism Teacher of the Year, and a 2011 Gold Key recipient from CSPA. I advised the Legend yearbook and Hi-Lights newspaper for 20 and 21 years, respectively. Both publications earned CSPA Crown awards and NSPA Pacemakers.

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