Just the facts: Fla. High, Lincoln, Rickards on road in Jacksonville for regional finals

Hello, Jacksonville.

Two girls basketball teams – FAMU DRS, Aucilla Christian – have already punched their tickets to Lakeland for the state tournament, and now the three remaining large classification schools hit the road 2-1/2 hours to the east for regional finals.

GBB ROUNDUP:FAMU DRS, Aucilla Christian reach state; Florida High, Rickards win

GBB PLAYOFFS:Turral, Lincoln teammates knock off Niceville in regional semifinals

The area record for local teams in the state tournament is four. Can Florida High, Rickards, and Lincoln all win to set a new mark and provide loads of excitement next week?

Here’s a breakdown of each away game Friday night.

Region 1-5A final – Florida High Seminoles (20-8) at Raines Vikings (28-4), 7 p.m.

The polls: Florida High is ranked No. 3 in Class 5A, just behind No. 4 Raines. The Seminoles’ strength-of-schedule is third-best among teams in the top 25, having lost seven of its eight games to powerful out-of-town teams. The Vikings’ four losses are to teams with an average record of 20-6.

The path: The Seminoles have won five in a row after blowing out South Walton (61-13) and West Florida (78-50) in consecutive playoff games. After starting the season 12-0, the Vikings are on an eight-game win streak that includes a 54-33 win over Bradford in its regional quarterfinal and a 58-45 regional semifinal win over Bolles, which is also beat by 14 to capture a district title.

FEATURED:Florida High tops Gadsden County for second time, future meetings expected

The history: Florida High won a regional final two years ago against Fernandina Beach on the way to finishing as Class 5A state runner-up. Last year, the Seminoles were left wanting after going ice-cold shooting and allowing Fernadina to run them out of the gym. Florida High has won 20 or more games for the third consecutive season, which hadn’t happened since a run from 2010-13.

For Florida High: Freshman guard Tonie Morgan, off a 27-point regional semifinal, and sophomore guard Jordan Rosier, who scored 20 against West Florida, are each averaging 17 points per game, while eighth-grade guard Laniyah Gennie is adding 11.6 ppg. Junior point guard Kyndall Thomas runs the show with five points and five assists per game.

For Raines: Six-foot-1 Raines junior center Teyana Carswell is averaging 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, while sophomore guard Ahliah Brown averages 13 points and junior guard Nyla Allen averages 10. The Vikings shoot 44 percent from the field, 27 percent from 3-point range, and 59 percent from the free-throw line.

Up next: The winner faces either No. 8 Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate (22-7) or No. 2 Oxbridge Academy (26-2) in a Class 5A state semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Quotable: “Our guards have to once again take the game over. They have two good guards, but not four like we do. If we can even things out, that is the idea. But we have to find a way to keep (Carswell) off the boards. Our post players since Day 1 have been by committee. They have to box out and get rebounds. The key to it all is running the floor in transition. She’s not as mobile as some bigs we’ve played, so if we can get her moving that gives us an advantage. It’s a tall task, but I think it’s one we can handle.” – Florida High head coach Darryl Marshall

Region 1-6A final – Rickards Raiders (22-8) at Bishop Kenny Crusaders (27-2), 7 p.m.

The polls: Bishop Kenny is ranked No. 1 in Class 6A and No. 5 in the state. Rickards is No. 5 in 6A.

The path: The Raiders are on a seven-game win streak, having beaten Mosley 61-27 in the regional quarterfinal, but Tuesday’s 45-38 win over Godby in a regional semifinal left something to be desired for scoring purposes aside from 18 points by point guard Iyanla Woodfaulk and 16 from forward Renia Hawkins. The Crusaders’ nine-game win streak includes a triple overtime win over Ribault for a district title, which allowed them to host a regional semifinal against the 12-time state champs. Kenny won that game 56-41 after beating Ridgeview 67-16 in the quarterfinal.

FEATURED:Rickards' nine senior girls see light at end of the tunnel, tracks dream finish

QUARTERFINALS:Rickards girls basketball wins sixth straight, avenges playoff defeat to Mosley

The history: Despite winning 11 consecutive district titles, Rickards last reached the state semifinals during back-to-back seasons in 2012 and 2013, losing both times. After falling to eventual state champion Jacksonville Ribault in the regional final in 2016 and 2017, Rickards was bounced from the playoffs in the second round last year by Mosley. This senior class for the Raiders became the first to win 20 or more games in four consecutive seasons.

For Rickards: Senior guard Iyanla Woodfaulk leads the team in scoring with 14 ppg, followed right behind by senior forward Renia Hawkins who gathers 12 points and 10 rebounds per game. Senior guard Keshonda Gaskins sits at 10 ppg, while senior guards La’Niyah Lee and Denia Love are more than capable of hitting 3-pointers and getting hot to produce double-digit scoring.

For Bishop Kenny: Sophomore forward Jasmyne Roberts is averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game, while freshman guard Maddie Millar is contributing 15 points per game and junior Rose Dolmovich comes in at 8.6 ppg.

Up next: The winner faces either No. 3 Sarasota Booker (22-6) or No. 4 Bradenton Southeast (25-4) in a Class 6A state semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Quotable: “I feel confident in what we bring to the table and our strategy. They are a very disciplined and skilled team. We have to take them out of their normal way of working. We have to shake it up a little bit and can’t allow them to be in their comfort zone. Offensively, we have to attack. We need to push the tempo because they’ll want to slow it down. We need to force turnovers to get us easy baskets.” – Rickards head coach Chariya Davis

Region 1-8A final – Lincoln Trojans (15-12) at Bartram Trail Bears (23-6), 7 p.m.

The polls: Bartram Trail is ranked No. 9 in Class 8A and No. 32 in the state, while Lincoln jumps in at No. 17. The Trojans have played the fourth-hardest schedule among teams in the top 25.

The path: Lincoln beat Tate 73-32 in the regional quarterfinals, then edged out Niceville 72-68 on Tuesday night. Trojans sophomore guard Erin Turral scored 41 and 40 points, respectively, part of a streak of five straight games with 40 or more points. Bartram Trail, which is on an eight-game win streak, beat First Coast 48-33 in the first round, then beat Creekside 44-39 on Tuesday. Bears sophomore guard Bella Weary scored 14 and 26 points in back-to-back games.

COLUMN:Godby, like others, can't guard Lincoln's Turral. Can anyone?

FEATURED:Lincoln sophomore guard Erin Turral records 53-, 60-point holiday games

The history: The Trojans made their first trip to the state tournament last year, beating the Bears 64-58 in the regional final before bowing out to No. 1 Winter Haven in the state semifinals. Erin Turral scored 16 points as Lincoln had four double-digit scorers, but the other three won’t be on the court Friday night. Two seniors graduated and Turral’s twin sister Erica tore her ACL in Lincoln’s seventh game this season. Bella Weary and Dana Art combined for 29 points as freshmen for Bartram. This is the Bears’ eighth 20-win season in the past 11 years. They were Class 5A state runner-up in 2012, the last year they appeared in the state semifinals.

For Lincoln: With 12 games of 40-plus points, Erin Turral is averaging 34.4 points per game – up from 29 last year when she led the state in scoring -- and she’s recorded an all-time area record with a 60-point game over the winter break. Senior Kayley Farmer and sophomore Tariah Mosley both scored in double figures last game, while sophomore guard Kailey Schucts is second on the team in scoring (4.3) and rebounding (4.5).

For Bartram Trail: Bella Weary scores at a 20.2 ppg clip, and she gets five steals per game. Sophomore Dana Art is averaging 11.1 ppg, while junior Sierra Calleson – who transferred from Chiles after her freshman year – is averaging 6.3 ppg, and sophomore Moira McCarthy checks in at 6.1

Up next: The winner faces either No. 1 Braden River (24-1) or No. 4 Tampa Bay Tech (26-3) on Friday, March 1 at 2 p.m. in a Class 8A state semifinal at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Quotable: “The big difference this year versus last year is their pieces are more on the guard size. We’re trying to reduce their effect on the game offensively. Their point guard, Bella, is real shifty, gets to basket, shares the ball well. We have to contain her the best we can and force others to be key. That said, they also have a good shooter who can put it up. It’s containing the guard play, slowing them down when we can, and forcing their bigs to be better, which we feel is one of their weaker points. On our end, we have to eliminate turnovers because they will press us. Being on the road in a hostile environment with a big student section, hopefully our experience of playing those types of games this season will help us.” – Lincoln head coach Rod Mack