By Beth Jones
The Fernandina Beach High School boys basketball team, at home against Terry Parker on Jan. 16, heads to Yulee Friday for a showdown with Hornets. Photos by Penny Glackin/Special to Nassau NewsLine
The rivalry heats up Friday night, as the Pirates look to avenge a 69-65 loss to the Hornets last month. The Fernandina Beach High School boys basketball team heads to Yulee for the second matchup of the season.
The FBHS Pirates (6-13) beat the visiting Terry Parker Braves 60-29 on Jan. 16.
Senior Keeton Tomasko led the Pirates on the scoreboard with 14 points. He also had three boards, two assists and a pair of steals.
Senior Dylan Merkitch scored 13 to go along with a pair of rebounds and four assists.
Senior Reid Webber scored 10 points, and he had five rebounds and a steal. Senior Brady Steffen had four assists and four steals. He also had two rebounds and chipped in three points.
The team honored its seniors, including Merkitch, Webber, Steffen, Tomasko, Kendrick Raysor, Elijah Stewart and Ian Miller.
It was also winter homecoming, and homecoming queen Passion Roberts, who was crowned in the fall, was on hand for the ceremonies. Clay Hicks was crowned homecoming king, and Kalani Tucker is the prince.
FBHS lost to host Ed White 72-49. Merkitch scored 18 points and had six assists; Webber scored 10 and had three rebounds and a pair of assists; and Ethan Watts pulled down seven boards.
The Pirates host West Nassau tonight, Jan. 20, for the first of three back-to-back county games. They play at Yulee Friday and cap the regular season at home with Hilliard on Jan. 26. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. for the junior varsity game, and the varsity tilt is at 7:30 p.m. for all three games. Buy tickets at gofan.co.
Yulee (10-10) hosts Terry Parker Thursday, Jan. 22, in a district matchup. Varsity matchup is at 7:30 p.m.
The YHS Hornets travel to Hilliard Jan. 27 and close out the regular season at Baldwin Jan. 28.
Yulee beat First Coast 62-49 on Jan. 16 and lost to Westside 68-50 on Jan. 17.
Sophomore Ben Newby scored 18 points in the win over First Coast. He also had four rebounds, four assists and a steal. Chase Cannone and Carter Kirchner scored 14 points apiece. Kirchner had a double-double with 13 boards. Cannone had four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Noah Robertson had six rebounds.
Cannone led Yulee with 13 points against Westside.
• The FBHS girls basketball team hosts Yulee Friday night. The game starts at 6 p.m.
The FBHS Lady Pirates (5-9) are also home tonight, Jan. 20, with Palatka. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. They play at West Nassau Jan. 21, are home with Hilliard Jan. 26 and finish up the regular season Jan. 29 at Atlantic Coast.
Fernandina beat Global Outreach 59-15 on Jan. 15.
Yulee (8-6) is on a four-game win streak, starting with West Nassau (40-26) on Jan. 8, Harvest Community (52-35) on Jan. 9, Westside (48-22) on Jan. 13 and First Coast (56-37) on Jan. 15.
The YHS girls basketball team is home with San Jose Prep tonight, Jan. 20. Game time is 6 p.m. The Hornets travel to Riverside Jan. 22.
bjones@nassaunewsline.net
