Dream ends in Lakeland

By Ed Taylor, Sports Correspondent

February 27, 2008 05:01 pm

— Before the 2007-08 basketball season opened back in December, it was the expressed goal of the Lafayette Lady Hornets to earn a trip to the state Class 2A finals and earn a championship ring. One of those two dreams became a reality when Lafayette met nemis North Florida Christian in the championship game last Saturday but the second part of that dream ended in Lakeland when the Mayo team fell 54-44 to North Florida.
The championship game took on the look of the semi-final game when Lafayette defeated St. John Neuman 56-54. However, the inabilty of the Lady Hornets to score in the final three quarters proved costly in dropping the championship game. Lafayette, as they did against St. John Neuman, opened the championship game with great offense and their defense had North Florida confused.
Coach Jimmy Blankenship’s ballclub led 16-8 after the first quarter and took a 10 point lead, 18-8, on a basket by senior Natalie Land to start the second period. Following a short jumper by sophomore Sunshine Reid, Lafayette went the final 5:47 without one field goal, a basket by freshman Cartesha Macklin with just over a minute to play. The Lady Eagles went on a 10-2 run that tied the game at 20-20. A lay in by Macklin and Land’s free throw netted Lafayette a 23-22 lead at the half.
What happened to Lafayette in the second period only worsened in the third. North Florida ran off 10 unanswered points in assuming a 32-23 lead. The lead went to 12 points, 42-30, after three quarters. Late in the fourth quarter, back-to-back baskets by Land and an easy basket from Reid reduced the North Florida margin to five, 49-44 with 59 seconds to play forcing Lafayette to put the Lady Eagles on the foul line where they converted five of eight attempts to put the game away.
It was the third straight championship game for North Florida and their first state title since 1997. The past two seasons they fell to First Academy, a team Lafayette took care of in regional championship game. It was the trip to the state finals for Lafayette who got there on the strength of their defense.
Reid led the Lady Hornets scoring with her 15 points. Land finished with 14 playing her final game as a Lady Hornet. Macklin netted nine points and Rhoda Reid finished with four. Melodie Warner led all scorers with her 20 points for the Lady Eagles.
Lafayette ended a very successful season with a 28-3 record. The loss to North Florida ended a 21 game winning streak for the Lady Hornets.