Birmingham, AL – Jacksonville gets out to blazing start, makes quick work of Hale County in state semifinals to earn much anticipated matchup with Westminster Christian
By Joe Medley
Jacksonville will get its much-anticipated matchup with Westminster Christian, and a Golden Eagle program one year removed from its first state title stands one victory away from back-to-back titles. Jacksonville scored the first 18 points of its Class 4A state semifinal game with Hale County on Tuesday and rolled to an 82-46 rout in Legacy Arena.
The defending state champion Golden Eagles (28-6), ranked second in the final Alabama Sports Writers Association poll of the season, will play top-ranked Westminster Christian (29-3) in Friday’s 5:45 p.m. final. Westminster Christian eliminated Montgomery Catholic 61-28 earlier Tuesday. The combined 69-point margin of Tuesday’s Class 4A semifinals was the second largest in boys’ semifinal margin in Alabama High School Athletic Association history. R.C. Hatch beat Priceville 85-39, and Lanett beat Pickens County 73-44 for a combined 75-point margin in 2006. It only goes to illustrate why Jacksonville-Westminster Christian is 2023’s most widely anticipated 4A matchup.
Jacksonville and Westminster Christian met in the 2022 Northeast Regional semifinals, with the Golden Eagles leading 17-0 after the first quarter en route to a 50-41 victory. Reclassification and realignment moved Westminster Christian to the Northwest Regional this year, setting up the possibility of state-final showdown. “They were in the same Christmas tournament (Huntsville City Classic) as us,” Jacksonville coach Tres Buzan said. “We saw them up there, and they saw us. “We know Friday is going to be a battle, but we look forward to battles. We embrace it. We’re going to go out there and give it our best shot, I promise you that.”
Like Jacksonville did with Westminster Christian last year, the Golden Eagles got off to a blazing start Monday. It was the kind of explosiveness Jacksonville has shown at times this season. The Golden Eagles scored 40 points in the third quarter of their Area 10 semifinal with Cleburne County. “The 18-0 run was amazing,” said senior guard John Broom, who amassed a game-high 18 points and 10 rebounds. “We came out with great intensity, great energy and great defense. “We were hitting shots. We were getting in the holes and playing the gaps.” Their 18-0 barrage to open the game prompted Hale County coach to call timeouts at 5:10, with a 12-0 score, and 3:44, with an 18-0 bulge. [read more…]
