Record-setting win for Cardinals over Bishop McNamara, 67-45

Sophomore Alex Stipano contributed 12 points for Ireton in the 67-45 win over Bishop McNamara.

The 2012-13 Cardinals (10-16, 2-15) erased the record for largest margin of victory by Bishop Ireton over a WCAC opponent Tuesday night with a lopsided 67-45 win over the Mustangs of Bishop McNamara. The 2006 Cardinals defeated Elizabeth Seton by a 20-point margin to set the previous mark for margin of victory in a WCAC game.

“We practiced taking the open shot” commented head coach, Derek Campbell after the game. “This was the goal, to play this well and shoot the ball like this, not just making the shots, but recognizing good shots.”

The game opened with the Cardinals moving the ball offensively and living on the three point shots. Their first three baskets of the game were three’s, and the home team was a tremendous 9 of 17 for the game. Alex Stipano converted two of the three she made from beyond the arc in the opening minutes. The Mustangs held a slim 12-11 lead after one period.

Mara Celis-Copelotti took the offense on her shoulders and outscored McNamara 8-2 during a stretch where Ireton would begin to open the lead in the second period. Ireton would then hang on to the three point lead into intermission at 26-23.

Both teams struggled offensively coming out of the locker room until Stipano broke the stalemate with a three and senior Camille Weber’s free throw made it 30-25. Soon the Cardinals would begin to chip away while the Mustangs struggled to find any offense. Julia O’Brien began to find the range with her hook shots and close range jumpers, Weber threw in a three and the lead became nine. Ireton would enter the final period with a 10-point advantage and a huge final quarter about to begin with Ireton up 41-31.

Ileanna Gutierrez scored 9 for Ireton and the Cardinals substituted liberally and seemed to score at will. 26-points in the final stanza alone and the suddenly it was a 22-point bulge, and could have been more except for a 8-2 run late by the visiting Mustangs.

Four Cardinals scored in double figures in the game, Weber with 13, Stipano and O’Brien with 12 each, Celis-Copelotti with 11. Gutierrez had 9, Cece Leone and Isabelle Kendall added 4, Kelly Gallagher rounded out the scoring with a pair of free throws.

The regular season ends for the Cardinals with Senior night for four Ireton players against rival Bishop O’Connell. The triple header begins with freshmen at 4pm, JV at 5:45, and varsity at 7:30. Seeding for the WCAC will follow, but the Cardinals can finish no higher than a tie for 8th with the Knights, but would lose a tie breaker because the Knights beat a higher seeded team during the regular season.