'It’s all up to us': Bulldogs right where they want to be entering second half of season

Flagler Palm Coast’s girls basketball team kicked off the new year by taking down each of the teams it faced in the sixth-annual The Challenge tournament, hosted by FPC.

The Bulldogs defeated Colonial 46-35 on Friday, Jan. 3, and eclipsed Nease 48-45 on Saturday, Jan. 4, for their 10th and 11th wins of the season.

Despite losing a few games earlier in the season, the Bulldogs believe they’re in the right position heading into the second half of their schedule.

“We are where we want to be,” Bulldogs head coach Javier Bevacqua said. “We dropped a few games that we should have been more competitive in, but we’re happy with where we are right now moving forward.”

The Bulldogs have seen an improvement in junior guard Lily Dunaway, who is averaging about 9 points per game this season. However, the team is unquestionably led by senior guard Brianna Ellis, the team’s leading scorer, and sophomore forward Lauren Stewart.

Stewart was zoned for FPC but played at Father Lopez her freshman year before transferring.

It’s taken some time to develop chemistry with her teammates, but there has been progression.

“I’m just getting used to my teammates,” she said. “We’re all starting to work together now. We’re getting better every game.”

The Bulldogs have not peaked yet, but they’re building up to it.

“We can go as far as we want to go,” Ellis said. “We’re almost there. It’s all up to us.”