State Championship Review: (Rural – Class 3A)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2024-2025 high school basketball season has officially wrapped up, and champions have been crowned across Florida. This two-part series highlights the teams that battled their way to the top, securing state titles in their respective classifications.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Part 1, we break down the Rural-Class 3A state champions, highlighting the dominant performances and standout players that defined the season's final moments. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rural: Hawthorne (20-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hawthorne 59, Crossroad Academy 38</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hawthorne put together a commanding championship run, capping it off with a dominant 59-38 victory over Crossroad Academy. Behind a balanced offensive attack and stifling defense, the Hornets left no doubt in their title pursuit. For Hawthorne, this championship reinforces the program's reputation as a powerhouse in Florida's rural classification.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Road to the Title:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• Defeated Graceville 69-44 in the semifinals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• Entered the championship riding a three-game win streak</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Key Players:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• Chaison Wilson led the way with a game-high 16 points and 9 rebounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• Leland Johnson added 15 points and 5 rebounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• Dacarion Debose &amp; Kelvin Baker provided crucial contributions on both ends</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1A: Sagemont (22-8)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sagemont 84, Victory Christian Academy 59</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Victory Christian Academy reached the state title game for the first time in program history, but Sagemont was simply too much to handle. With an explosive offensive performance, Sagemont secured its third consecutive state championship in dominant fashion. With this win, Sagemont continues to solidify its place as a dynasty in Class 1A, proving once again that experience and depth are crucial come championship time. Despite falling short, Santa Fe Catholic's season was nothing short of special, and their rise as a contender will make next year even more interesting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Key Players:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• Matthew Able</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• [player_tooltip player_id='1879504' first='Patrick' last='Liburd']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• [player_tooltip player_id='2134660' first='Kevin' last='Thomas']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2A: Riviera Prep (21-10)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Riviera Prep 66, Santa Fe Catholic 54</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Santa Fe Catholic made history, reaching the state championship game for the first time since 1964. But Riviera Prep had other plans, claiming its third straight state title and showing why they remain the team to beat in 2A. [player_tooltip player_id='1450225' first='Tate' last='Darner'] capped off his career as one of the top Polk County prospects of the last decade. Head coach Mike Blicher deserves recognition for leading Santa Fe Catholic to new heights</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Key Players:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• Jeremy Jenkins</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• [player_tooltip player_id='2436959' first='Laron' last='Mack'] Jr.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• [player_tooltip player_id='2294486' first='Myles' last='Fuentes'] &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='1660033' first='Mason' last='Fuentes']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3A: Calvary Christian Academy (22-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State Championship: Calvary Christian Academy 66, The Villages 64</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most thrilling finishes of the championship slate, Calvary Christian Academy edged The Villages Charter in a nail-biter, 66-64.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Calvary entered the season as a nationally ranked powerhouse, suffering only one loss all year en route to their fifth state championship. But The Villages didn't go down without a fight, nearly pulling off an upset before falling just short. Though The Villages fell just short, this was a historic season for the program. With one of their most talented rosters in years, they proved they belong among Florida's elite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Key Players:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• [player_tooltip player_id='1301718' first='Shon' last='Abaev']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• KJ Francis</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• [player_tooltip player_id='2194891' first='Cayden' last='Daughtry']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>• [player_tooltip player_id='1891145' first='Collin' last='Paul']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->