For the first time since 2009, the Lake Wales girls’ basketball team have a solid shot at advancing to the State Championships. After a big win against Rockledge High School last week in the Class 5A Regional Semifinals, the Highlanders have advanced to the regional finals. The game will be tonight at 7 p.m. against Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg.

“I’m expecting the toughest game we’ve ever played,” said head coach, Demetrius Sanders. But after a highly competitive season and a disappointing loss that ended last year’s season, the team has a new perspective. “What happened last year is that we came in overconfident,” said Sanders of losing their first regional play-off game last season.