Seahawks hoopsters look for first win

A young, but scrappy, Seahawks varsity boys basketball team got their 2011-12 campaign underway last month with a comparatively inexperienced roster.

Coach Mike Sweatt’s squad has just three seniors, with only shooting guard Chance Buffkin entering the season with much varsity playing time under his belt.

The other seniors, starting point guard A. J. Allen and Tresean Carr, both enter the season both enthusiastic and inexperienced. “He’s got the quicks,” said Sweatt of Allen, who has not played varsity ball before. “But it’s kind of like starting again for him. He has to make the adjustment.”

Power forward Rahkeim Pierce played junior varsity last year, but his fellow juniors, David Butler, Direek Farmer, Chase Golden and Seth Rogers all come in with completely fresh faces to the varsity game.

Rounding out the roster are sophomores Holden Foley, Leonard Green and Dwayne Griggs, freshman Kelsey Jones and eighth grader Carza Harvey.

The Seahawks opened the regular season with a non-district game at John Paul II on Nov. 21, losing a close one 59-56. Down 32-26 at the half, and 47-39 after three quarters, the team outscored their opponents 17-12 in the final stanza but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

The team was led by Griggs with 15 points, including a solid 7-of-8 from the field. Green pulled down 14 rebounds.

In the team’s home opener Nov. 22, the team fought hard from the start, hoping to secure for coach Sweatt a victory over the visiting Wakulla War Eagles, his alma mater and former coaching assignment.

But the visitors proved too much, winning 63-40, led by 27 points from Takia Knight.

The Seahawks were paced by Allen’s 13 points, and Green’s 15 rebounds.

Nov. 21 @ John Paul

Franklin County   20            6              13            17 - 56

John Paul II           15           17            15            12 – 59

SEAHAWKS: Dwayne Griggs 7/8 2s, 1/1 FTs, 15 pts.; Leonard Green 5/10 2s, 4/6 FTs, 14 pts.; A.J. Allen 3/7 2s, 1/10 3s, 3/6 FTs, 12 pts.; Chance Buffkin 2/13 3s, 2/3 FTs, 8 pts.; Seth Rogers 1/4 3s, 3 pts.; Tre Carr 2/8 2s, 4 pts.

TEAM: 21/66 (32 %) - 17/38 2s, 4/28 3s, 10/18 FTs

Rebounds: Green 14, Allen 4

Blocks: Green 4, Allen

Steals: Allen, Carr 3; Buffkin 2; Green, Rogers, Griggs

Assists: Allen 4

Nov. 22 vs. Wakulla

Wakulla                 14            17            14            18 – 63

Franklin County   5              13            11            11 - 40

SEAHAWKS: Griggs 1/4 2s, 1/3 FTs, 3 pts.; Green 2/9 2s, 4 pts.; Allen 2/10 2s, 1/10 3s, 6/15 FTs, 13 pts.; Buffkin 1/8 3s, 3/6 FTs, 6 pts.; Rogers 1/2 FTs, 1 pt.; Carr 2/7 2s, 3/6 FTs, 7 pts.; Chase Golden 1/3 2s, 2 pts.; Rahkeim Pierce 1/2 2s, 2 pts.; Kelsey Jones 1/2 2s, 2 pts.; Holden Foley 1 /2 FTs, 1 pt.

TEAM: 11/59 (19 %) – 9/43 2s, 2/26 3s, 16/30 FTs

Rebounds: Green 15, Buffkin, Carr 6, Allen, Rogers, Golden 3

Blocks: Green 3

Steals: Allen, Carr 3; Rogers, Griggs 2, Green, Golden

Assists: Allen, Golden