WELLINGTON – Teamwork was on full display from start to finish.
In the Class 7A-Region 2 quarterfinal matchup between No. 3 seed Wellington and No. 6 seed Fort Pierce Central, one team completely dominated the other one – and it wasn’t even close.
Senior guard Dakota Izard (31 points; game-high) and senior forward Tor-El Robinson (25 points) led the way with ease by combining for multiple dunks, layups, midrange shots, and long range shots. They helped Wellington (22-4) cruise to a 46-20 halftime lead and eventual 85-59 home win over Fort Pierce Central (18-10 final record).
Wellington had several other contributors to its 26-point margin of victory on Wednesday night (Feb. 12):
•Rashad Reinhardt – 11 points
•Lucas Moore – 5 points
•Jeremy Tovar – 5 points
•Bryan Demyan – 4 points
•Manny Hernandez – 2 points
•Chase Lombardo – 2 points
Eight players contributed to their team’s scoring.
Wellington seniors Manny Hernandez and Jeremy Tovar represented their team in a postgame interview. Hear their words below on how they earned their playoff win and much more.
Wellington head coach Matthew Colin also provided his own commentary on Wednesday night’s outcome. Hear his words right below.
NEXT GAME – 7A REGION 2 SEMIFINAL: Wellington will be on the road at No. 2 seed Orlando-Oak Ridge (16-9) on Monday, Feb. 17. The tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
OTHER REGIONAL FIRST ROUND FINAL SCORES: PALM BEACH COUNTY, TREASURE COAST, AND MOORE HAVEN
7A REGION 2 QUARTERFINAL ROUND
•No. 2 seed Oak Ridge 77, No. 7 seed Centennial 70
Season ends for Centennial (19-8 final record)
7A REGION 4 QUARTERFINAL ROUND
•No. 2 seed Miami 65, No. 7 seed Park Vista 56
Season ends for Park Vista (14-10 final record)
6A REGION 4 QUARTERFINAL ROUND
•No. 1 seed St. Thomas Aquinas 69, No. 8 seed Dwyer 44
Season ends for Dwyer (15-11 final record)
•No. 7 seed Boyd Anderson 64, No. 2 seed Martin County 56
Season ends for Martin County (22-4 final record)
5A REGION 4 QUARTERFINAL ROUND
•No. 1 seed Pembroke Pines Charter 72, No. 8 seed Atlantic (Delray Beach) 54
Season ends for Atlantic (Delray Beach) (14-11 final record)
•No. 4 seed Miami-Belen Jesuit 56, No. 5 seed South Fork 37
Season ends for South Fork (16-9 final record)
4A REGION 4 QUARTERFINAL ROUND
•No. 5 seed St. Brendan 67, No. 4 Suncoast 62
Season ends for Suncoast (18-7 final record)
3A REGION 3 QUARTERFINAL ROUND
•No. 2 seed St. Andrew’s 71, No. 7 seed King’s Academy 64
Next game for St. Andrew’s (25-3): Home vs. No. 3 seed Fort Myers-Gateway Charter (20-8) in 3A Region 3 semifinal round – Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.
Season ends for King’s Academy (16-7 final record)
•No. 3 seed Gateway Charter 66, No. 6 seed Glades Central 44
Season ends for Glades Central (16-6 final record)
2A REGION 2 QUARTERFINAL ROUND
•No. 1 seed Santa Fe Catholic 65, No. 8 Oxbridge Academy 27
Season ends for Oxbridge Academy (11-14 final record)
•No. 5 seed Benjamin 57, No. 4 seed Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy 51
Next game for Benjamin (10-13): Away at No. 1 seed Santa Fe Catholic (20-8) in 2A Region 2 semifinal round – Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.
•No. 6 seed John Carroll Catholic 56, No. 3 seed St. John Paul II 50
Next game for John Carroll Catholic (16-11): Home vs. No. 7 seed Cornerstone Charter Academy (15-12) in 2A Region 2 semifinal round – Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.
Season ends for St. John Paul II (17-10 final record)
1A REGION 4 QUARTERFINAL ROUND
•No. 2 seed Atlantic Christian 52, No. 7 seed Lake Worth Christian 49
Next game for Atlantic Christian (24-2): Home vs. No. 3 seed Miami-Westwood Christian (16-7) in 1A Region 4 semifinal round – Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.
Season ends for Lake Worth Christian (16-12 final record)
•No. 4 seed Miami-Dade Christian 67, No. 5 seed Grandview Prep 54
Season ends for Grandview Prep (15-9)
RURAL REGION 4 SEMIFINAL ROUND
•No. 1 seed Hawthorne 54, No. 4 seed Moore Haven 32
Season ends for Moore Haven (13-8)
HONEST AREA ANALYSIS
This season may completely end early for our entire area. We started the FHSAA state playoffs with 20 teams, but we are already now down to just five teams left.
We have the following teams in the FHSAA state regional semifinal round:
PALM BEACH COUNTY
7A: Wellington (22-4); No. 3 seed in Region 2
3A: St. Andrew’s (25-3): No. 2 seed in Region 3
2A: Benjamin (10-13): No. 5 seed in Region 2
1A: Atlantic Christian (24-2): No. 2 seed in Region 4
TREASURE COAST
2A: John Carroll Catholic (16-11): No. 6 seed in Region 2
While we are not expecting any of our remaining teams to reach the 2025 State Final Four at RP Funding Center in Lakeland this year, it would be very nice to see some upsets work out in our favor next week.
The good thing here is that it’s all about matchups and it’s all about what a team does over a span of 32 minutes. We can see anywhere from one to all five of our teams in Lakeland.
What a team has done in the past matters. But the past is not a totally accurate predictor of what could happen next.
We have three of our five remaining teams playing at home on President’s Day – St. Andrew’s (3A), John Carroll Catholic (2A), and Atlantic Christian (1A). We can see one, two, or all three teams winning their next game and advancing to their respective regional finals on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
Our other two teams remaining – Wellington (7A) and Benjamin (3A) – have the toughest games to play this upcoming Monday night. But if they both play their best complete games of the season by making most of their shots and limiting mistakes, they have a chance to pull off upset wins.
In the world of basketball, anything can happen. Let us all hope for the best and look forward to a great ending to President’s Day.
PHOTO CREDITS: Jack Bartlett
Muck City Media Enterprises 
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