Wildcats ready to defend championship

The Wildcats are set for their first regional playoff appearance since their Cinderella season last year when they went from one of the biggest collapses and turned into unexpected state champions. Can they win it all again? Their first date with destiny comes Thursday night.

In the district championship game against Oak Ridge, they hung on to snatch a 52-51 thriller away from what looked like impending defeat.

Austin Goodluck came alive to sink 16 points and grab six rebounds to help lead the Wildcats to the win, with Elijah Farley hitting 13 points on his own plus three assists.

But in the low-scoring game, defense took center stage, with the Wildcats’ Wyatt Wilkes leading on defense with 11 rebounds, six turnovers and a blocked shot to keep the Pioneers in check.

Now into the first round of the regional playoffs, the Wildcats benefit from their narrow district win with a home game against Treasure Coast. The Titans just fell to Vero Beach 63-58, earning them a road trip to Winter Park for a shot at advancing.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at Winter Park High School.

Winter Park girls basketball

The lady Wildcats saw a shot at the regional semifinals slip away when they fell 45-43 to Vero Beach in the quarterfinal. The Wildcats had made it that far thanks to a district runner-up performance.

Against Vero Beach, the Wildcats led the game at the end of the third quarter 34-31, but watched Vero Beach mount a late comeback that put them away.

Edgewater boys basketball

The Eagles blasted their way into the regional tournament with a 71-66 district championship win over Heritage on Feb. 6. The win gave Edgewater a home court advantage against an incoming Auburndale team for a 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, tipoff.

Edgewater girls basketball

The lady Eagles destroyed Poinciana 52-20 in one of the biggest blowouts of the first round of the Class 6A regional tournament on Feb. 5.

They traveled to Winter Haven for the second round, where they faced the team that had the biggest blowout win of the first. The Blue Devils still had that magic, blowing through Edgewater by a 62-48 score, ending the Eagles’ season.