CORAL SHORES AND MARATHON TRADE WINS IN PREP BASKETBALL

Adrion Cruz (2) drives to the basket.

Coral Shores traveled to Marathon on Dec. 15 for a county matchup in boys and girls basketball. 

The Lady Fins won the girls game 54-38. Elena Eubank had the hot hand for Marathon, scoring 17 points in the game, with teammate Abrianna Marshall adding 14 before retiring to the bench to allow the younger players to gain some valuable playing time. Brooke Mandozzi led the scoring for the Lady ’Canes with 18 plus 4 steals. Grace Leffler had 9 points with 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. 

Marathon’s girls are 3-6 so far this season and play again Thursday, Jan. 5 at NSU University School in Fort Lauderdale. The Lady ’Canes are 4-3 and will have a chance at redemption in their rematch with Marathon in Tavernier on Friday, Jan. 6.

Key West’s girls are looking for their first win this season. The young team will face Coral Shores in their next game on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at home.

In the boys Marathon-Coral Shores game, it would be the Hurricanes bringing home the win as the Upper Keys squad bested Marathon 64-28. Matt St. Aubin had 20 points including 3 3-point baskets. Isaac Holmes scored 17 points and added 6 steals, disrupting the Dolphins’ offense. Eddy Espinosa had 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals for the night. Marathon’s Xavier Grant was good for 13 points in the loss. 

The 6-2 Hurricanes play a series of out-of-state teams over the holiday break in Orlando, then resume their regular opponents on Thursday, Jan. 5 at Oxbridge Academy. The 2-4 Dolphins tip off again against Palmer Trinity at home on Wednesday, Jan. 4. The 1-5 Conchs play Gig Harbor, a team out of Washington State, on Thursday, Dec. 29, then ring in their new year on Saturday, Jan. 7 at home against Boca Raton.

Photos by BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly. See more game photos at www.shadypalmphotography.com

Tracy McDonald fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.