MIDDLEBURG – Much as Middleburg High senior guard Hannah Roney loves her former coach Joey Williams, winning Thursday’s game against Fleming Island, where, incidentally, Williams is head coach, was one item on her “bucket list” of things to do before she graduates as, arguably, Middleburg’s best hoopster.

“I still love coach Joey a lot for what he had done for me in junior high,” said Roney, who played under Williams while at Lakeside Junior High School. “We lost to them so much last time (61-40 at Clay Christmas Tournament) because we didn’t really believe in ourselves at that time. Having him coaching on the other is fun, but we still had to beat him.”

Beating Fleming Island on Thursday was not just what they did, but dominated in most of the game’s strategies to the tune of a 64-30 blowout with both teams entering the game as top 10 in state rankings; 10th in Class 7A for Middleburg at 19-3, and ninth in Class 8A for Fleming Island at 19-2, according to the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches girls state rankings.

For the game, Roney and sophomore sister Mallory Roney, both were on fire from the floor with Hannah Roney hitting for 20 points with five steals and five assists with Mallory Roney adding 21 points for the game. Mallory Roney also had 10 rebounds and three steals for the night. Fleming Island was led by eight points from Hope Rozier.

“We wanted to redeem ourselves after that first game,” said Mallory Roney, a sophomore. “We were up by six at one point in that Christmas game, then we just gave up.”

Although Fleming Island opened with none other than a three pointer from Malory Sinsel, also a top gunner in the northeast Florida arenas, but from there, it was Middleburg’s scrappiness and hustle that outdid the Golden Eagles.

“They came to play,” said Williams, who was without forward Molly Ragle, who was on the bench nursing a minor knee injury. “I think they were taken aback by the Christmas game. I told my girls that none of them had a good game. No excuses, they outplayed us.”

Ironically, Hannah Roney air-balled her first three-point attempt, but later sunk three three pointers.

Both teams volleyed the ball around with a strong case of “big game” nerves hitting both sides as the first quarter score was a low 11-8 for Middleburg, which was not indicative of the frenetic action and pace on the floor.

“Basically, that Christmas game, we played bad, and today, my girls were ready,” said Middleburg coach Mike Hayward. “I told the girls in the locker that we need to do this for Hannah. She didn’t want to go 0-4 in her high school career against Fleming Island.”

After the initial stanza of action but no buckets, the Broncos put their foot on the gas pedal and turned up the volume to the tune of 9-0 run behind three steals from Mallory Roney that converted to scores and strong rebounding from Sieanna Hardison and freshman Britany Range.

“I’ve played enough with both of them (Roneys) to now know what is expected of me,” said Range, just a freshman.

Fleming Island would answer with a bucket, but Middleburg again surged with six points to a 29-15 lead at the halftime break.

In the second quarter surge, Hannah Roney opened with a three-pointer and a steal to layup play before teammate Katie Bryan added a layup to end the half.

In the third, the onslaught continued with steals and buckets padding the Bronco lead to 35-15 before Fleming Island got a Tia Robinson free throw.

In the last four minutes of the third period, Hannah Roney and Range both nailed three-pointers to up the ante to 45-20 as Fleming Island could not find the nets on the Bronco bucket.

In the fourth, Roney and Roney tried to slow the pace to a perimeter game and both able to get scores by teammates off two-touch pass patterns ending with Range, Bryan and Hardison all getting layups.

Middleburg has four final regular season games before embarking into the district 3-7A tournament where the Broncos have had little luck to get past the semifinal game.

“After the Fernandina Beach (23-1) game, a 57-54 loss January 3, they decided to turn it around,” said Hayward. “They are starting to believe in all five teammates. They’re cutting and moving. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Fleming Island ends with games at Clay (Jan. 20) and Orange Park (Jan. 24) before starting their district 4-8A tournament.