Westlake girls basketball coach Hilda Hankerson was walking the school’s hallways three years ago when one of her freshman players stopped her.
“She said, ‘Coach, I’m going to help these seniors win a state title before I go,’” Hankerson said.
That player was guard Raven Johnson, and not only did she deliver on that promise, she’s also been a driving force behind the Lady Lions’ three consecutive 7A titles and 103-game winning streak.
The Lady Wolves are one of five GHSA programs vying for at least a third consecutive state championship. Buford’s girls lead the way with four in a row, one ahead of Westlake. The St. Francis boys, Douglass girls and Holy Innocents’ girls are back-to-back champions.
The state playoffs begin Feb. 23 and end with the championships March 10-13 at Macon Coliseum.
The challenges between the first and second championships are different. The first championship can be the hardest because it’s uncharted territory and the pressure is greater. For the second one and beyond, the hunter becomes the hunted.
“The target on your back is big,” said Hankerson, in her 24th season coaching the team. “We are everyone’s best game on their schedule, and they all want the opportunity to beat us. Maybe they were only averaging 40 points, but they’ll get 60 against us. They have nothing to lose and can only gain. So why not try? That’s the philosophy I used all of those years (before Westlake won its first state title in 2018).”
Westlake is aiming to become the third team to win four consecutive titles in the GHSA’s highest classification. McEachern (2014-17) is the most recent team to do it and the last team to win a state title before Westlake’s run began. Lowndes won the high class from 1977-80.
The Lady Lions (13-0), currently No. 1 in Class 7A, are on a win streak that began Nov. 10, 2018 and are 29 wins from the girls state record of 132, set by Taylor County from 1967-72.
The streak has, at times, served as a source of motivation during their championship runs.
“Last year going into the playoffs, we were lackadaisical,” Hankerson said. “I pointed at the banner and said, ‘Do you want that to say 89-1? No, you want it to say 90-0. ... We got to 100, but that was never the goal. Our goal was to win a title, and striving for that is how 100 fell into our lap.’”
Buford’s Lady Wolves, ranked No. 1 in 6A, are looking to become the fourth girls program in GHSA history to win five in a row. Hart County (1989-94) and Wesleyan (2008-13) each won six in a row, and Taylor County won five consecutive from 1968-72.
“We try to shut the book on last year and get the kids to understand that every season, every team is totally different. What we did last year is in the past, and now we’re moving to build a legacy.”
The Lady Wolves’ current run has reached dynastic levels. Last year’s senior class graduated after winning state titles all four years. They’re 16-0 this season, despite enduring a three-week quarantine period.
Although it might be hard to rank which championship was a favorite, this year’s will be the most unique.
“To win a state championship in the COVID era will be a special title for anyone who can pull it out,” coach Gene Durden said.
St. Francis (1-8), the only boys team gunning for at least a third consecutive title, is a long shot to repeat this year. St. Francis graduated AJC 1A Private player of the year Dwon Odom, now at Xavier, and all-state forward Chase Ellis from last year’s team. In addition, three key players either transferred or were ruled ineligible after the season started. The ineligible player caused the Knights to forfeit their first seven games. They’ve also endured three separate 10-day quarantines.
They’ll have to finish the regular season 8-0, then win enough in the region tournament or playoffs to avoid their first losing season since 2009-10. More important, they must win the region tournament to qualify for the playoffs.
“It’s been a strange, tough year,” Knights coach Drew Catlett said. “We’ll see what happens. We could still win the region tournament and advance in the state playoffs and have a very good year.”
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