Abbeville's ‘D’ big reason for its success

The Abbeville Wildcats advanced to the second round of the Division IV Non-Select Playoffs, where they faced a tough No. 1 Wossman team on Monday.
The Wildcats  (20-13) were the No. 16 seeded team, while Wossman is the top seed in the playoffs. The Meridional went to press Monday before the game ended. Wossman has been to the state finals five years in a row. 
Wossman won the Division II Non-Select state title last year as the No. 2 seed. 
In 2023, Abbeville battled No. 1 Wossman in the second round and lost, 82-52. Wossman would finish second in 2023, and it won the state title in 2024. 
On Friday, the Wildcats reached the second round by beating Iowa, 54-44.
Abbeville won 10 out of its last 11 games before playing Wossman.
Abbeville had four players score in double digits on Friday.
Jacolby Campbell led the team in scoring with 14 points. Cameron Samuels had 13, with each 10 points Chayson Gray and Trentin Cormier. 
On Friday, the Wildcats used a tough, “in your-face” defense that created turnovers and provided scoring opportunities.
Abbeville head coach Trevor Eaton said that style of defense is how they have been playing all year.
“This is the only way we can play defense,” said Eaton on Friday. “That is Abbeville’s defense. In-your-face defense.  Our players have bought into that over the last three years.”
Against Iowa, Abbeville led most of the game and by as much as 12 points. The Wildcats got behind once, 25-24, early in the third period.
Down by a point, Abbeville’s Kaylon Fletcher sparked Abbeville when he made a defensive play that resulted in him injuring his ankle and missing the second half. Fletcher’s out-of-bound play saved the ball, but he injured his ankle.
A lay-up from Fletcher’s save put Abbeville ahead 26-25, and the Wildcats never gave up the lead again.
Cormier made his second three-pointer of the game, putting AHS up 51-38 with less than a minute to play.
Other scorers for AHS were Kaylon Fletcher (4) and Kobe Vital (3).