District champs: FPC wins its second district title in three years, thanks to a buzzer beater

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

The Flagler Palm Coast Bulldogs (16-11) have concluded two consecutive district tournaments on game-winning buzzer beaters. Fortunate for them, they finished on the winning end this year.

After going back and forth against DeLand in four quarters and almost all of overtime, sophomore D'mahgio Warren heaved up a 3-pointer that swished in the net as time expired to put the Bulldogs over DeLand 40-37 to win the District 1-9A championship— their second in three years — on Friday, Feb. 10, at FPC.

“After the shot,” Warren said, “I was thinking, ‘Did that just happen? Did I just win my first district championship on a buzzer beater?’ I was shocked it actually went in.”

Better fortune

Last year, the Bulldogs were leading Spruce Creek in the final seconds of last season’s district final, but Creek’s Keyshawn Johnson hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer that lifted the Hawks over FPC 54-53.

"Prior to last season, the Bulldogs beat Mandarin in overtime to win the district championship in 2015. While that season came with adversity, head coach Gary McDaniel says this district title was the toughest to win.

"For a lot of reasons, we weren't suppose to be here," he said.

No more one-and-done?

Although the Bulldogs have reached the postseason for three straight seasons, FPC has lost in the first round of the last two years. McDaniel and the Bulldogs have never reached a regional semifinal.

This season, they have played 27 games this season. Of those games, 12 have been decided by five points or less, and McDaniel believes they will be in a similar fight in order to advance.

“It’s going to be tough,” he said, “but being at home, healthy and having moment will help a lot. We’ve had battle after battle. We’ve won a lot of close games, and we’ll probably have to win another one.”

The Bulldogs will host Seminole (22-6) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at FPC.

Game stats

D’mahgio Warren led the Bulldogs with 14 points, and Ga'Quan Rodgers added 10.