A year ago, Fort Walton Beach lost to Bishop Kenny by 36 points. On Friday night, the Lady Vikings came within a single point of flipping the script.
- Fort Walton Beach’s season came to an end with a 54-53 loss to Bishop Kenny in the Elite 8 regional final, the same team that ended their run a year ago. But this was a far different game, and a far different Lady Vikings team.
Bishop Kenny controlled the first half, opening the game on an 11-3 run and leading 20-7 after the first quarter. By halftime, the Lady Crusaders held a 33-20 advantage, and it looked like another lopsided finish might be on the way.
It wasn’t.
Fort Walton began chipping away in the third quarter. Abria Jackson hit a bucket with five minutes left in the period that sparked a run, and the Lady Vikings outscored Bishop Kenny 12-8 down the stretch to cut the deficit to 43-35 heading into the fourth.
That’s when things got intense. Chloe Burgos drilled a 3-pointer to make it 45-38 with seven minutes left. Shea Donovan answered for Bishop Kenny, and after Makala DesJarlais hit two free throws, the Lady Crusaders led 50-40.
Then the Lady Vikings went on a tear.
Aniyah Boyd hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to seven with three minutes remaining. Harmony Lee followed with a 3 of her own. After a Bishop Kenny miss, Boyd grabbed the rebound, pushed it up the floor and found Burgos, who buried another 3-pointer to pull Fort Walton within one at 50-49 with 1:54 left.
DesJarlais went to the free-throw line twice in the final minutes, hitting three of four to push the Bishop Kenny lead to 54-51. But Jackson answered with a bucket to make it 54-53 with 30 seconds remaining. Alexis Molander was fouled and hit one of two from the line, and Fort Walton got one final look, but it wasn’t enough. Bishop Kenny held on for the one-point win.
The loss brings the Lady Vikings’ season to a close, but there is plenty to build on. A year ago, this same matchup was a 36-point blowout. This time, Fort Walton nearly completed a comeback from 13 down at the half.
The Lady Vikings will also return nearly their entire roster, with Burgos among the few seniors departing. The entire starting five of Boyd, Jackson, Lee, Anecia Stallworth and Alexis Smith are all projected to return next season, along with the rest of the core that powered Fort Walton to its deepest playoff run since 2021.
Bishop Kenny advances to the Final Four and will face American Heritage, which beat Northwestern 53-47, on March 10 at the UNF Arena in Jacksonville.
With Fort Walton Beach’s loss, the winter sports season in Okaloosa County has come to a close.
