Wrestling, girls basketball districts on horizon

Mosley and Rutherford are among Panhandle schools hosting girls basketball district tournaments next week. Wrestling also enters the postseason phase with county teams traveling to district sites in Pace and Wewahitchka.

The District 2-6A basketball tournament will begin off-site with Crestview hosting Niceville in the play-in game 6 p.m. Monday. That winner advances to meet top-seeded Choctawhatchee in a semifinal 7 p.m. Friday. Host Mosley meets Fort Walton Beach at 5:30 p.m. in the other semi.

The championship will be 7 p.m. Saturday at Mosley.

The Dolphins are 18-5, but Coach Steve Canfield recognizes that Choctawhatchee is the prohibitive favorite with a 22-1 record, including unbeaten in the district. Mosley split with semifinal opponent Fort Walton Beach, each school gaining a narrow victory on its home court.

Mosley’s Segovia Goodin has rounded into form after being hampered by injury the first half of the season, and freshman Hennessey Smith is playing at her highest level of the season to bolster mainstays Deanna Canfield, Alexis Ware and Tasha Trzaska.

“I think we’ve got a pretty good shot to get to a district championship,” Coach Canfield said. “If we do it’s going to be pretty rough, but we’re capable of getting there. It’s been a couple of years for us.”

Rutherford is the site of the 1-5A event. Arnold earned the top seed with an unbeaten district slate, and JoJo Booker has been on a scoring tear of late. But the fact the Marlins under .500 for the season would indicate they are not a dominant favorite.

The host Rams, though only 3-5 in district and 8-9 overall, lost to No. 2 seed Bay in overtime and to Arnold on a last-second shot.

“All of our regular-season games have been very competitive,” Rutherford coach Allen Kelly said. “I feel the tournament is wide open and like our chances.”

Emilee Cook gives the Rams a presence in the post and Lakia Snowden has been a consistent contributor. Bay should be a factor with Shania Brantley, Ni’Kaya Russell and Tia Webb leading the way. Gulf  Breeze cannot be overlooked, either.

Bozeman will play in the District 4-A tournament at Blountstown and open against No.2 seed Port St. Joe on Tuesday. Ponce de Leon and Graceville are the top seeds in the 3-A tournament hosted by Cottondale.

Wrestling

Arnold, Bay, Bozeman and Rutherford compete in the District 1-1A tournament hosted by Wewahitchka starting Saturday, Feb. 4. The top four finishers in each weight class move on to the regional round.

Mosley travels to Pace on the same day for the 1-2A event.

Districts not only are about advancing, but those advancing to championship matches earn a better seeding in the regional. County wrestlers should fare especially well in the lower weights in 1-1A, the district also comprising Franklin County, Marianna, Pensacola Catholic, Rocky Bayou and South Walton in addition to the host Gators.

Bozeman could conceivably lead county schools in the number of qualifiers as the Bucks have filled the most weight classes this winter and their wrestlers in many cases are having strong seasons.

Arnold will be well represented and Bay, barring injury in what has been a season rampant with serious injuries in the sport, will advance some wrestlers.

Perhaps the most compelling story locally, however, is Rutherford senior Marcus Roberts. With a 24-3 record, Roberts will be seeded No. 1 at 195 pounds as he attempts to overcome narrow misses in reaching state both of the past two years.

The district is his first step in attaining that goal, and an individual championship would enhance his seeding in the upcoming region tournament.

Other Rams with a legitimate chance of moving on are Mitchell Gomillion at 132, Tarrance Reed (145) and John Lee (220). All are veterans, with Lee another wrestler trying to overcome an injury, this one suffered in the Capital City Classic.

Injuries also could determine how Mosley wrestlers fare at Pace. Michael Cannizzo was the latest Dolphin to go down, but teammates Brock Carlan, Dillon Humphrey and Forrest Lang could be rounding into shape at the best possible time after being hurt much earlier in the season.

Rutherford transfer Beau Boggess (106) is among the contingent at Wewahitchka looking to move on.

Girls basketball

District 2-6A at Mosley

• Monday; Niceville at Crestview 6 p.m.
• Friday: Fort Walton Beach vs. Mosley 5:30 p.m., Choctawhatchee vs. Niceville-Crestview winner 7 p.m.
• Saturday: Championship 7 p.m.

District 1-5A at Rutherford

• Tuesday: Rutherford vs. West Florida Tech 7 p.m.
• Friday: Bay vs. Gulf Breeze 5:30 p.m., Arnold vs. Rutherford-West Florida Tech winner 7 p.m.
• Saturday: Championship 7 p.m.

District 3-A at Cottondale

• Monday: Sneads vs. Wewahitchka 6 p.m., Cottondale vs. Vernon 7:30 p.m.
• Friday: Ponce de Leon vs. Sneads-Wewahitchka winner 6 p.m., Graceville vs. Cottondale-Vernon winner 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday: Championship game 7 p.m.

District 4-A at Blountstown

• Tuesday: Liberty County vs. Franklin County 4:30 p.m., West Gadsden vs. Blountstown 6 p.m., Port St. Joe vs. Bozeman 7:30 p.m.
• Friday: Liberty County-Franklin County winner vs. South Walton 6 p.m., West Gadsden-Blountstown winner vs. Port St. Joe-Bozeman winner 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday: Championship game 7 p.m.