For details on the Blue Jays' state championship loss to Polytech, click on the score above.

For details on the Blue Jays' state tournament semifinal win over Sussex Tech, click on the score above.

Photos: Seaford's Ebony Keaton (top) and Roniece Williams

The Blue Jays reached the state tournament semifinals for the second straight season in their quest for the school's first state basketball title.

In rising to 20-2 overall, the Blue Jays earned a semifinal date against Sussex Tech on Wednesday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. in the University of Delaware's Bob Carpenter Center.

Seaford beat Tech 54-41 in a hard-fought game in which the Jays trailed by 6 points in the third quarter on Jan. 3.

The Jays lost to eventual state champion A.I. DuPont in last year's tournament semis.

Semifinal winners advance to the state championship game at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, at the Carpenter Center.

Seaford ousted a Caesar Rodney squad that has become its arch-nemesis in recent years.

Before this year, when another semifinalist, Polytech, claimed the Henlopen Conference championship, the Jays had lost to CR during the regular season before beating the Riders in the conference title game in 2001 and 2002.

On Monday night, the Jays again found themselves in a tense battle with the Riders, but back-to-back three-pointers by Shirelle Tingle and Ashlee Burbage broke open the close game and propelled Seaford to the double-digit win.

At the time, CR led 41-38 with 6:44 remaining in the game. Ebony Keaton put back a miss and was fouled for a potential three-point play, but when she missed the free throw, the Jays rebounded and got the ball to Tingle, who sank one of the Jays' five three-pointers for a 43-41 Seaford advantage.

Following a Rider miss, the Jays came back down the court and got the ball to Burbage, who hit her three-pointers to put Seaford up for good at 46-41 with 5:55 remaining in the game.

For the game, Keaton scored 19 points, including 11 in the fourth period. Roniece Williams added 18 points. Tingle finished with 9 points including a pair of threes.

The fourth quarter rally enabled the Jays to overcome a 6-point first quarter. Seaford led 20-19 at halftime but trailed 37-36 going into the final period.

Photos: Seaford's Ashlee Burbage

The Blue Jays rolled to a 20-point lead but had to rebuild it after nearly losing the lead to advance to the state tournament quarterfinals for the third straight season.

Seaford, the top seed in the tournament, improved to 19-2 overall to move into a quarterfinal contest against No. 8 Caesar Rodney on Monday, March 3, at Sussex Tech.

The Blue Jays roared out to a 26-6 leadin the first quarter against St. Elizabeth but saw that advantage cut to only 37-33 in the third period.

The Jays righted themselves, though, and went on a 12-0 run to start the fourth quarter. Seaford shot well from the free throw line to rebuild its lead as it went 15-for-23 in the second half.

Roniece Williams sparked the victory with 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Ashlee Burbage added 14 points and 9 rebounds.

The Blue Jays reached the semifinals of last year's state tournament before falling to eventual state champion A.I. DuPont.

St. Elizabeth, which Seaford defeated 61-49 during the regular season, finished its season at 11-12.

The Blue Jays pulled the game out in the fourth quarter after trailing going into the final period.

Seaford trailed the Auks 32-31 going into the final period but outscored them 16-9 in the fourth quarter to earn the nonconference victory.

Shirelle Tingle and Roniece Williams led the Jays with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Tingle hit 2 three-pointers.

Ashlee Burbage chipped in with 9 more points.

The Blue Jays were held to one of their lowest scoring outputs of the year but pulled the game out behind Tonya Purnell's three-point shooting.

The game was tied at the half but the Blue Jays gradually pulled away in the second half.

Purnell scored all of her game-high 15 points on 5 three-pointers. Ashlee Burbage added 10 points.

The Blue Jays jumped all over their rivals in the first quarter and never looked back.

Seaford bolted to a 16-3 lead after the first quarter and played the Riders even from there.

The Jays were led by Roniece Williams' game-high 20 points. Ashlee Burbage added 14 points, while Tonya Purnell hit 3 three-pointers on the way to 11 points. Ebony Keaton contributed 9 points.

The Blue Jays scored almost half of their points on three-pointers while holding Laurel to just 9 points over the final three quarters.

Seaford bombed away from outside with 9 three-pointers, including three apiece by Roniece Williams and Tonya Purnell and 2 by Shirelle Tingle.

Williams finished with 17 points, while Purnell added 11 and Tingle tossed in 8. Ashlee Burbage and Angie Owens scored 6 points apiece.

The Blue Jays were eliminated from the Henlopen Conference Northern Division race and the chance to defend their Henlopen Conference championship with the loss.

Seaford trailed 22-6 after the first quarter and never recovered in falling to 9-2 in the conference and 11-2 overall.

Roniece Williams led the Jays' uncharacteristically low scoring effort with 9 points. Shirelle Tingle added 6 more.

The Blue Jays rolled to the Henlopen Conference win over Indian River behind Ashlee Burbage's 22 points. Ebony Keaton and Roniece Williams added 14 and 13 points, respectively.

The Blue Jays broke open a tie game at halftime with an early second half spurt for the nonconference victory over the upstate power.

Tied 21-21 at the half, Seaford went on a 10-0 run to start the third period and never looked back.

In rising to 12-1 overall, the Blue Jays posted their ninth straight victory. They haven't lost since a 57-52 defeat at the hands of Caesar Rodney in December.

Leading the Jays were Roniece Williams with 21 points, including 3 three-pointers. Ashlee Burbage contributed 14 more points and Chaunta Kilgoe and Ebony Keaton chipped in with 8 points each.

The Blue Jays easily reached the century mark for the first time this season in the Henlopen Conference win.

Seaford took a 66-8 halftime lead over Woodbridge.

Ashlee Burbage led five players in double figures with 21 points as Seaford bombed away for 11 three-pointers.

Burbage nailed three of those three-pointers, while Tonya Purnell added three more to finish with 11 points. Ebony Keaton added 15 points, Angie Owens contributed 12 points, and Roniece Williams chipped in with 10 points including two three-pointers.

Other contributors were Shirelle Tingle with 9 points and Chaunta Kilgoe with 7 points.

It was only a nonconference victory, but for the Blue Jays, any victory over Polytech is a big win.

In rising to 10-1 overall, the Jays outscored Polytech 16-7 in the third quarter and 18-12 in the fourth period to overcome a one-point halftime deficit.

The Jays did their damage from outside as they nailed 11 three-pointers, with guard Shirelle Tingle sinking 5 and forward Tonya Purnell dropping 3. Guard Ashlee Burbage hit two of the others.

Tingle led Seaford in scoring with 17 points, with Burbage close behind at 16. Purnell and Roniece Williams added 9 points apiece.

The Blue Jays started fast and never looked back in the easy victory.

Seaford jumped ahead of Milford 24-6 after one quarter and 44-13 at halftime.

Roniece Williams led the way with 16 points, while Ebony Keaton and Ashlee Burbage contributed 13 more.

The Blue Jays sank 7 three-pointers, including two each by Williams and Shirelle Tingle.

The Blue Jays had no trouble racking up their fifth straight win as they held Smyrna to just 4 points in the first half of the Henlopen Conference game.

In fact, Seaford limited Smyrna to only 1 point in the first quarter as it took a 16-1 lead after one quarter and a 33-4 lead at halftime.

Roniece Williams sparked the Blue Jays with a game-high 17 points. Tonya Purnell addede 13 points and Ashlee Burbage contributed 10 points.

The Jays earned the rout despite not sinking a single three-pointer. Seaford is now 6-1 in the conference and 8-1 overall.

The Blue Jays had a tough time in the first half but broke away in the second half for their fourth consecutive victory.

Seaford only led Delmar 23-19 at halftime but then held the Wildcats to 15 points in the second half.

Shirelle Tingle led the way for Seaford with 19 points. Roniece Williams added 16 as the Jays rose to 5-1 in the conference and 7-1 overall.

Ashlee Burbage chipped in with 11 points.

The Blue Jays won their third straight game to improve to 4-1 in the conference and 6-1 overall.

Roniece Williams sparked the win with 19 points including a three-pointer. Ebony Keaton added 14 more points for the winners. Angie Owens contributed 10 points and Shirelle Tingle chipped in with 8 points including 2 three-pointers.

Seaford held Cape Henlopen to just 10 first half points en route to a 26-10 halftime lead.

For details on Seaford's hard-fought victory over Sussex Tech, click on the score above.

The Blue Jays took out the frustration of their loss to Caesar Rodney by storming out to a 51-13 halftime lead in the Henlopen Conference Northern Division victory.

The Jays bombarded Sussex Central with 11 three-pointers, including 4 by Tonya Purnell and 3 apiece by Ashlee Burbage and Shirelle Tingle.

Burbage finished with a game-high 25 points, while Purnell added 18. Ebony Keaton and Tingle contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Seaford is now 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

As has become their custom, the Blue Jays suffered another regular season loss to rival Caesar Rodney that could prove more damaging to the Jays' Henlopen Conference championship hopes that past losses.

Seaford drained 6 three-pointers in the game and led 34-26 at halftime, but a poor third quarter doomed the Jays in the Northern Division defeat.

CR erupted for an 18-7 advantage in that third period to enter the fourth quarter ahead 44-41.

Forward Roniece Williams led Seaford with 19 points, while forward Tonya Purnell and guard Ashlee Burbage contributed 8 points apiece. Purnell sank two of the Jays' three-pointers.

Seaford has lost to CR during the regular season in each of the last two years but has turned around and beaten the Riders in the Henlopen Conference championship game and the state tournament.

The loss could prevent Seaford from reaching the conference championship game this year since it has moved into the Northern Division with CR and Polytech. The Blue Jays and Riders will hook up again on Feb. 11, 2003, but that will be a nonconference contest.

Seaford is now 1-1 in the conference and 3-1 overall.

The Blue Jays remained unbeaten with an easy win in their Henlopen Conference Northern Division opener.

Guard Ashlee Burbage and forwards Ebony Keaton and Roniece Williams sparked the Jays with 16 and 15 points, respectively.

Seaford also got 8 points from Tonya Purnell. Williams and Purnell each hit a pair of three-pointers.

Seaford jumped out to a 26-13 halftime lead and ended any hopes for a Dover comeback by outscoring the Senators 14-4 in the final quarter.

Now 3-0 overall, the Blue Jays visit Caesar Rodney in a key Henlopen North game.

Seaford and CR have developed quite a rivalry in recent years, with CR winning the regular season matchup only to be beaten by Seaford in the conference championship game.

With Seaford moving to the Henlopen North from the South this season, the two teams won't meet in the conference title game, giving this game all the more importance for bragging rights.

Seaford beat CR 48-41 for last year's title and then scored a 63-47 win over CR in the state quarterfinals.

Seaford also defeated CR 54-32 in the 2000 conference championship game.

The Blue Jays avenged their state tournament semifinal loss of a year ago by beating A.I. DuPont in its own tournament to capture the Tiger Tip-Off Classic at A.I. DuPont.

Seaford lost to A.I. 53-40 in the 2001 state semifinals to end a 23-3 season.

Senior guard Ashlee Burbage scored 14 points for the Blue Jays to go with Ebony Keaton's 19 points. Burbage sank 4 three-pointers, including a half-court shot at the buzzer to end the third quarter.

That shot broke open a two-point game and gave Seaford a 41-36 advantage heading into the final period after trailing 26-22 at halftime. Burbage was named the tournament's most valuable player.

Keaton also put a stake in the Tigers' hearts as she hit two straight layups midway through the fourth quarter to give the Blue Jays a 49-38 lead.

Forward Roniece Williams contributed 11 points including a pair of three-pointers, while 6-0 freshman center Angie Owens scored 8 points.

Now 2-0 overall, the Blue Jays visit Dover in their Henlopen Conference Northern Division opener on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m. It will be Seaford's first game in the Henlopen North after many years in the Southern Division.

The Blue Jays opened their season with an easy victory over their outmanned foes from Pennsylvania.

Seaford allowed Village Charter only two points in each of the first and second periods en route to a 53-4 halftime lead.

With four players scoring in double figures, the Jays advanced to the championship game against A.I. DuPont in a rematch of a state semifinal matchup that Seaford lost to A.I., 53-40.

Ashlee Burbage led the way for Seaford with 18 points. Ebony Keaton, Tonya Purnell and Roniece Williams added 13, 11 and 10 points, respectively. Shirelle Tingle nearly reached double figures with 9 points. Purnell hit two three-pointers.

Home Page

Internet Access

Email Updates

Classifieds

Sussex Search

Sussex Shop

Beach Guide

Businesses

Computer Guide

Dining Guide

Events

Forums

Golf Guide

Government

Local News

Lodging Guide

Organizations

Real Estate

Schools

Sports

Sussex Towns

Sussex Weather

Advertising

E-Mail

Sussex Beach Guide From Beach-Net! Activities Bethany Cam Dining Events Fishing Lodging Maps Real Estate Rehoboth Cam Shopping Surfing * Beach-Net! is a service of Coastal Images Inc., Fenwick Island, Delaware.