Monday night’s cross-town clash between Apopka (3-8) and Wekiva (5-4) girls basketball teams featured a defensive battle early. The teams traded physical possessions, loose balls and long scoreless stretches before the Mustangs pulled away in the second half for a 59–30 win. 

For Wekiva head coach Jerry Middleton, the early grind reflected where his team is mentally right now. 

“We’d like to continue to grow, continue to trust the process,” Middleton said. “Failure is only a failure if you don’t learn from it. Now we just continue to press forward and try to stack some wins up for the break.” 

Neither team scored for the first two-and-a-half minutes as pressure on the ball forced turnovers and rushed shots. Alexis Hill finally opened the scoring with a mid-range jumper for Wekiva, but Elyse Pringle answered right back with a layup for Apopka.  

Jakayla Johnson gave the Mustangs a brief edge with second-chance points, and the physicality only increased as jump balls and contested rebounds became routine. Wekiva carried a narrow 6-4 lead out of the first quarter. 

The Mustangs eventually found their rhythm in the second quarter when Ja’Niya Poole knocked down a 3-pointer. Jasmine Pooler followed by finishing a fast-break layup off a steal and outlet pass from Makayla Bell. Apopka broke through from the free-throw line with 3:45 left, and the pace finally picked up as both teams began trading baskets. 

After Pooler scored inside, Apopka responded with consecutive paint finishes — a floater from Destiny Gelin and a tear dropper from Mikayla Wiggins — to keep the game within reach.  

Johnson answered with a 3 and then found Bell cutting for a layup, allowing Wekiva to push the margin to double digits. The Mustangs maintained control through the final minutes of the half and went into the break ahead 19-9. 

Apopka head coach Brittany Hardy said her team’s early defense showed promise, but conditioning needs to improve. 

“We gotta get in shape and get everybody together,” Hardy said. “Right now, I only have five varsity players, with three coming up from JV, and they don’t practice with us. We’re just not all on the same page yet.” 

Apopka opened the second half with energy as Pringle scored on back-to-back possessions, first with a layup and then a deep two. Johnson answered with a strong finish and free throw, and after another floater from Gelin, Wekiva began to separate. Hill converted at the line and followed with a pull-up jumper, Pooler attacked an open lane for a layup, and Tiana Washington cleaned up second-chance points to stretch the lead. 

After an Apopka timeout late in the third, Johnson slithered through defenders for a Euro-step layup, and Pooler buried a buzzer-beating 3 to send Wekiva into the fourth with a 20-point advantage. 

The Mustangs opened with layups from Johnson and Pooler. Apopka continued to compete, getting points from the free-throw line and a 3 from Pringle, but Wekiva answered each time. 

Pooler led Wekiva with 16 points, while Johnson added 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. Hill finished with 10 points and five rebounds, and Bell filled the stat sheet with five points, five assists and seven steals. 

For Apopka, Pringle scored 11 points. Dillon added six points and four rebounds, and Wiggins contributed five points, four rebounds and three steals. The Blue Darters were also without starter Martina DeGrassi, who is returning to Italy as part of her foreign exchange program, and Hardy said an ankle injury is expected to sideline Deriyon Brinson until January. 

“We’re teaching life lessons through the sport,” Middleton said. “It’s not about being undefeated. It’s about growing and peaking at the right time.” 

In a rivalry matchup defined by defense early, Wekiva’s depth and ability to turn pressure into offense proved decisive as both teams continue to navigate the heart of their seasons. 

Both teams prepare for action in different Holiday tournaments before their break. Wekiva plays in the KSA Pre Holiday Classic starting Friday. Apopka plays in the Clark Christmas Classic that begins Friday.