Overcast, 66°
Weather sponsored by:

Burke energy key to Eagles’ success

By Randy Lefko
Posted 3/21/18

FLEMING ISLAND – With strong teams throughout the county battling for district titles and region playoff berths, Fleming Island High junior Aubrey Burke was the mainstay for the Golden Eagles …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Don't have an ID?


Print subscribers

If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.

Non-subscribers

Click here to see your options for subscribing.

Single day pass

You also have the option of purchasing 24 hours of access, for $1.00. Click here to purchase a single day pass.

Burke energy key to Eagles’ success


Posted

FLEMING ISLAND – With strong teams throughout the county battling for district titles and region playoff berths, Fleming Island High junior Aubrey Burke was the mainstay for the Golden Eagles region semifinal berth after a Final Four appearance last year.
For Burke, who scored double digit numbers for coach Joey Williams and also was responsible for numerous game-altering steals and rebounds has been selected as the Clay Today Girls Basketball Player of the Year. “Aubrey is my most complete player and one of the more accomplished athletes at Fleming Island High School,” said Williams. “She is one of a very rare player that is right handed and can go left. That only happens when a player has the work ethic to work on that over the summer. Aubrey is a leader on the court and in the off season.”
Fleming Island finished at 24-6 with nine straight wins to open the season, but losses to Bartram Trail became the
albatross of a second Final Four season for Williams. Bartram Trail lost in the region finals.
Burke, a Clay Today All County first teamer last year, scored biggest in the biggest games for Fleming Island with 16 and 11 points in playoff games against Buchholz and Bartram Trail plus four three pointers in games against Creekside and Bishop Moore, a 6A region semifinalist, as Williams relied on the savvy swing player to make plays. Burke also registered three assists and three steals per game.
On the Clay Today All County First Team, area hot shooters Kendall Sage, of St. Johns Country Day School , and Mallory Roney, of Middleburg, were two key scorers for their teams with Sage punching up close to 23 points per game before losing the final two weeks of her season with a broken hand. Sage was an area leader in scoring prior to the injury as she led the Lady Spartans to a district runnerup and a region playoff berth with six assists per game and a 78 percent free throw shooting score.
Roney, a Clay Today first teamer last year, attracted more defensive efforts against her in 2018 as the Lady Broncos (18-9) could not overcome district champion and region finalist Nease High throughout the year. Roney, with a 19.9 pointer per game average was also a top rebounder at 8.3 per game. Roney was near-automatic at the free throw line with an 86 percent rate; tops in the area.
Joining Roney on the scoring front, Fleming Island’s Tia Robinson averaged 16.2 points per game with seven rebounds and six assists and was notable in her drives to the basket that forced fouls on opposing defenses.
Oakleaf High guard Sabria Littles was a defensive pest for most opposing point guards and fueled the high-octane Lady Knights attack, but, like Middleburg and Nease, the Knights could not find a way to defeat Fleming Island in district play; losing in overtime in their first meeting. Littles, at 10.7 points per game and three steals, was part of a steal-happy defense installed by coach Frank Jenkins that lived and died by the energy level on the floor led by Littles.
The final first teamer for the Clay Today All County team is Orange Park’s quiet forward Dyronna Harris, a senior, who shot at 11.6 points per game in an offense predicated around perimeter shooting and inside rebounding. Harris, with eight rebounds per game, generated an amazing 19 assists and had 46 steals from a position mainly on the baseline. The Lady Raiders finished at 17-12, district runnerups and lost in the region quarterfinals to Bishop Kenny, who lost in the region finals.

Player of Year
Aubrey Burke, FIHS Forward (13.7 ppg, 28 of 85 3-ptrs- 4 vs. Creekside, BMoore, 6 Reb per game, 3 assists, 3 steals per game)
Double digit scoring 20 times including 16 and 11 in playoffs vs. Buchholz and Bartram Trail

First team
Mallory Roney, MHS (19.9 pts per game, 3 steals, 4 assists, 31 3-ptrs, 8.3 rebounds per game, 86 percent FT)
Tia Robinson, FIHS (16.2 ppg, 7.4 Reb pg, 6 Assists pg, 2 Steals pg, 8 of 23 3-ptrs)
Sabria Littles, OHS (10.7 PPG, 3 Steals, 2 Assists per game, 23 3-ptrs)
Dyronna Harris, OPHS (Sr) (11.6 ppg, 38 3-ptrs, 7.3 Reb.pg-190 rebounds, 19 assists, 46 steals)
Kendall Sage, SJCDS (23 pts. per game, 6 assists per game, 78 percent FT)

Second Team
Britany Range, MHS (41 3-ptrs, 16.7 Pts per game, 6.3 rebounds per game)
Hope Rozier, FIHS (5 Reb pg, 3 Assists pg-85 total, 2 steals pg-37 total, 11 3-ptrs)
Andrea Diaz-Merced, OHS (31 3-ptrs, 9.2 PPG, 3 Steals, 2 Assists per game)
Molly Ragle, FIHS (6.4 ppg, 40 of 144 3-ptrs (6 games with 3+ 3-ptrs), 6.4 rebounds pg, 3 Assists pg, 2 steals pg, 31 blocked shots)
Tori Cole, OPHS (Sr) (8 ppg, 8 Rebounds pg, 3 assists pg-55 total, 4 steals pg-83 total)

Honorable Mention:
OPHS: Harlee Sharp, Sr., (8 ppg, 40 3-ptrs), Yoly Rosado, Soph, Dyreena Harris, Sr., Naeyli Williams, Soph., (28 3-ptrs, 3 assists pg)
CHS: Kaitlyn Kumpf, Sha’Nia Rendell, Lea Plante, Alexis Stilianou
FIHS: Miranda Mas (9 of 43 3-ptrs, 85 rebounds), Skylar Baltezegar (41 blocked shots)
MHS: Jamyah Harkins (3 Steals, 3 Assists per game), Macie Faucett (7.2 Pts per game, 25 of 83 3-ptrs), Katie Bryan
OHS: Jalisa Lee (6.5 reb per game); Jazlyn Dukes (4 Rebounds per game), Chancelor Lee 8.2 ppg, 55 percent 3ptrs); Daja Oden (5 Reb. per game)
SJCDS: Kinley Hall, Kyla Hartwell, Maggie Kent
RHS: Trenity Gilford (13.3 pts. per game, 62 steals, 16 assists), Sidney Davis (11.3 rebounds per game), Brittany Sutton (25 of 97 3-pointers)
KHHS: Haley Julius, Jr., (12.8 ppg, 33 3-ptrs, 3 steals pg, 2 assists pg), Savannah Channell, Jr., (9 ppgs, 7 rebounds pg, 5 steals pg), Victoria Snider, Sr., (212 rebounds, 10 rebounds pg)

OPHS 17-12, 8-0; District runnerup, lost to Bkenny in quarters
OHS: 21-5, 6-2 (Two to FIHS); Beat BTrail 40-33 Jan. 17)
RHS: 6-14, 3-5
CHS: 4-15, 0-4 Beat RHS 52-39
FIHS: 24-6, 7-1 (Opened w 9 wins; won 9 in January-loss to Nease Jan. 27, Lost to BTrail 56-54 Nov. 19, Beat BTrail 53-50 Dec. 5, lost BTrail 56-54 Dec. 19, 50-47 in district final and 51-48 in region semifinal)
MHS: 18-9, 6-2 (Lost twice to Nease, FIHS; Beat Bartram Trail 60-39)
SJCDS: 12-10, 0-1. District runnerups, lost in region quarters
KHHS: 8-15, 3-7