Lafayette girls have state title aspirations

Published 1:45 pm Wednesday, February 7, 2018

MAYO, Fla. — They were a final four team last season. Now, the Lafayette girls basketball team has its sights set even higher. 

The Hornets, sitting with a 17-7 record just a few days before the start of the district tournament, are serious contenders for the Class 1A state title. For LHS coach Jimmy Blankenship, who has been to four state semifinals and one state championship game in his 19 seasons, being close is not enough. He’s ready to break through.     

“We’ve been close before,” Blankenship said. “You hate to be just close. Hopefully we get down to Lakeland again. We want it (a state championship) every year.”

Leading the way this season has been junior Jasmine Lewis and senior Haley Ellefson. Lewis has been the catalyst on both ends of the floor. She leads the Hornets in most statistical categories, averaging 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals per game.

Ellefson has recorded 11 double-doubles while averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds per game. 

In just her second year of varsity basketball, Ellefson has been has been the steady presence down low that Lafayette needed. 

The three-sport standout, who was focused on softball and volleyball previously, had to be convinced by Blankenship to even come out for the team her junior year.

He’s pretty happy to have her on the team. 

“She’s made a big difference for us,” Blankenship said. “We’ve been guard-oriented team. She gives us that threat inside. She does a great job running the floor and her and Jasmine are controlling the boards for us.”

Playing another challenging schedule, LHS has earned some marquee wins, most notably a 53-49 overtime victory at P.K. Yonge on Jan. 22. Lafayette has sported two long winning streaks this season  — a five-game span at the beginning of the season and a four-game run that started at the end of December.   

While the success certainly has given Lafayette championship hopes, there have also been some disappointing losses. Trenton used its speed to run away with two blowout victories against LHS. And the Hornets couldn’t dig out of a big hole against defending state champ Wildwood in a 50-42 loss on Jan. 27. 

Lewis think the mistakes the Hornets made in those games are fixable. She’s also confident that last year’s experience will help the Hornets this time around in the playoffs.   

“We have to compete on defense,” she said. “We’ve got to box out and get in position and not let the other team push us around.”

“The experience and the atmosphere — going down there and seeing how it is different — it will really help us for this year.”

Blankenship said a major key for this postseason will be focus. 

“We’ve had a tendency to have a few minutes here and there where we lose our focus,” said Blankenship. “Against a lesser opponent it doesn’t hurt us. But against a PK, Trenton or Wildwood that can turn the tide of a game.

“We have to be consistent in how we approach the game. Every possession is vital.”

As for Ellefson, who competed for a softball state title in 2012 and a volleyball state title in 2015, it would be pretty special to win her first state championship.  

“It would mean a lot,” said Ellefson. “It’s important as a community — you want to support Lady Hornet basket and get a ring. I want it bad, just as much as all my teammates do.” 

Lafayette will face Hamilton County for the district title on Friday at 7 p.m. at Hamilton County High School. The Hornets begin the state playoffs on Thursday, Feb. 15, with a regional semifinal.