February 6, 2025
Tavares High Boys Basketball Makes First District Final Appearance in 20+ Years
By Kyle Coppola
Tavares High Boys Basketball Makes First District Final Appearance in 20+ Years
TAVARES, Fla. — The Tavares High School boys basketball team has made history, reaching the District Championship game for the first time in more than two decades. Led by head coach Berkley Carey, the Bulldogs have enjoyed their first winning season in over 20 years and their first campaign above .500 since 2012. With a 14-9 record, they now face a daunting challenge against Eustis High School, a team hungry for a district title of its own.
(Coach Berkley Carey looks on. He has become the first head coach at Tavares High to post a winning record in over 20 plus years.)
“I am very proud of this team,” Carey said. “I had job offers elsewhere after my first year taking over this program, and when I turned them down, people looked at me like I was crazy. But I knew we could build this program back up, and that is exactly what we have done. I love proving people wrong, and I think we have accomplished that goal this year.”
Carey credits the team’s success to commitment and perseverance.
(Junior Izayia Williams is a standout on the football field and on the basketball court. He has been a big reason for Tavares High School’s resurgance.)
“It takes a consistent group of people and students to make things like this a possibility. I am grateful for the team we have and the boys who have bought into this program. It’s a program that was down for a long time, but it’s great to be back fighting for a District Championship once more. It’s a daunting task to go up against Eustis and I greatly respect coach Wesley Green and what he has built in Eustis. But we will give it our all no matter what.”
The Bulldogs have been fueled by standout performances from sophomore Kevin Daniels and junior Izayia Williams, who are both averaging nearly 12 points per game. Dylan Campbell has also been a key contributor, putting up 10.5 points per contest, while freshman Landon Samuel is emerging as a rising star with a 10-point-per-game average.
(Photo Credit – Joe Ott Photography Fan Zone.)
Their opponents, the Eustis Panthers, are no strangers to championship aspirations. Senior Timothy Key leads the team with 13 points per game, while Cornelius Hines dominates the boards, averaging 9 rebounds and 11.3 points per game. Lomar Sparrow and senior Andrew Riley have also been crucial to Eustis’ success.
(Eustis high head coach Wesley Green stands with his team during a game against Leesburg. This team is hungry for a district championship trophy. Photo Credit – Joe Ott.)
Eustis, which has been the district runner-up in recent years, is eager to claim the title this season. Head coach Wesley Nino Green has guided the Panthers to a top-10 ranking in Class 4A, and they are coming off a dominant 61-16 victory over Mount Dora High in what was a strong looking tune-up game. With Eustis hosting the district championship, they hold the home-court advantage as they attempt to end their championship drought.
As Tavares looks to cap off its turnaround season with a district title, they will have to overcome one of their toughest opponents yet. A championship victory would be a milestone achievement for a program that has fought its way back into contention after two decades plus of struggles. For coach Carey and his players, the opportunity to compete on this stage is a true testament to their hard work and belief in the program’s resurgence. If you are a fan of basketball, be sure to be at Eustis High on Friday night. It’s going to be lit!
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
