NICEVILLE — Crestview High School’s girls basketball team will play for its first district title since 2003 tonight.
It wasn’t easy, but Bulldogs advanced to the District 1-7A championship game with a 47-34 win over Navarre on Thursday.
Crestview will face tournament host Niceville in the 7 p.m. championship game. The Eagles punched their ticket to the finals with an impressive 56-30 win over Fort Walton Beach. (See "Eagles vs. Vikings" below.)
Things weren’t so easy for the Bulldogs (16-9) though.
After disposing of the Raiders by more than 30 points in each of their two regular season games, Crestview found itself in a battle with a spirited Navarre team that had nothing to lose against the top seed Bulldogs.
Crestview-Navarre girls basketball photos>>>
“We didn’t play like I wanted us to,” Crestview coach Kathy Combest said. “I think we were just too anxious to get out here and play. And we just didn’t do what I thought we would do.
“But we won so I ain’t griping. And they did a great job, Navarre did.”
Jensis Coleman, who led Crestview in scoring with 14 points, gave the Bulldogs a quick 2-0 lead. Elder responded with a score for the Raiders and it was game on.
Navarre led 6-4 with 3:45 left in the first quarter after scores by Elder and Jordyn York.
A Tiara Payne basket on an offensive rebound tied the game for Crestview and ignited a 14-0 Bulldog run that lasted until the 5:15 mark in the second quarter.
The Raiders scored eight unanswered points to close out the half to close the Bulldog lead to 18-14.
And while Navarre brought heart and effort into the battle in the end Crestview had too much talent.
Every time it seemed as if momentum was shifting to Navarre the Bulldogs had an answer.
A Christa Johnson basket off an offensive rebound and a Coleman 3-pointer early in the third quarter pushed the Bulldog lead back to nine points. The Raiders never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
Payne, who joined Coleman in double figures for the Bulldogs with 13 points, scored six points in the fourth quarter as Crestview pulled away with the win.
“The game was real intense because it was a very important game for us,” Payne said. “But I had fun, everybody had fun so we did what we had to do to keep on playing.”
Elder led all scorers with 17 points. York pitched in 10 for the Raiders.
EAGLES VS. VIKINGS
In their Thursday game against Fort Walton Beach, it didn't take the Niceville Eagles (17-8) long to take control of things.
Niceville opened the game with a scoring barrage that was balanced as well.
Michela Mitchell, Amanda Wilson, Jessie Day and Madi Doman each scored four points as Niceville jumped to a 16-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Peanut Payton scored all of the Viking points in the first quarter, but couldn’t keep pace with the bigger and stronger Eagle players.
Niceville led 26-15 at the half and easily stretched the lead out throughout the final two periods.
Day led Niceville in scoring with 18 points. Mitchell added 15.
Payton scored 16 points for the Vikings, who finish the year 9-15.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bulldogs to play for district title (PHOTOS, VIDEO)