Big Second Half Sends Ryken to 68-48 Girls' Hoop win Saturday

Sophomore Mara Celis-Copeletti has been Ireton's leading scorer in January

SMR’s Katie McCormick scored most of her game-high 23 points in the second half as the Knights blew open a close game to win 68-48 in Alexandria Saturday afternoon. The junior guard’s play on both ends of the floor in the final half proved to be the difference as the Leonardtown school clung to a two-point advantage at the half.

The Cardinals (4-11, 0-9) played an aggressive zone trap press to open the game and clearly rattled the Maryland visitors as Ireton bolted to a 10-5 lead. As would be the case throughout the contest, the Cardinals took advantage of the charity stripe to build their lead, with sophomore Camille Weber and junior Reeme Lghzaoui’s free throws giving the hosts a 13-9 lead at the end of the first period of play. The Alexandrians were 26-35 at the stripe for the day.

One area that ultimately did do in the redbirds was the lack of field goals, only 11 in the contest, and after the home team built a 17-13 lead on free throws, the Knights countered with a 10-0 run to take a 23-17 lead. Senior Laura Hart and sophomore Julia O’Brien each added a pair of free throws to trim the lead to 23-21 just before intermission.

Ryken turned up the defensive pressure in the third quarter and the resulting Bishop Ireton turnovers spelled the beginning of the end for the upset-minded Cardinals. A 13-3 run during the third quarter widened the St Mary’s lead to 36-24 with 2:34 remaining and senior Sydni Oliver’s jumper with :34 left in the stanza was Ireton’s lone field goal in the period. Ryken opened the final period of play up 45-30.

McCormick and former Cardinal, Briana Robinson, found the range for three pointers and the Cardinals yielded a number of lay ups as Coach Derek Campbell’s girls picked up the pace in an attempt to build momentum in the final quarter.

Sophomore Mara Celis-Copeletti continued her strong play leading the Cardinals with 15 points, Lghzaoui added 8, Oliver 6 for Ireton while Robinson contributed 15, and Somerville came off the bench to add 11 for the Knights (7-7, 2-6) in addition to McCormick’s 23.

Elizabeth Seton travels to Fr. Godley Gym Tuesday, the next opponent for the Cardinal and Gold. Tipoff is 7pm in the JV/varsity doubleheader. As usual, admission to this WCAC contest is $5.