Bishop Ireton’s girls’ basketball team rebounded from a setback at Elizabeth Seton before the Christmas break to take two of three games in the Title IX tourney at the DC Armory during the holidays. Â Highlighting the tournament series was the finale, a 46-42 win over cross town rival, TC Williams.
The Cardinals opened the series in convincing fashion, thumping Forestville High School 63-43 on December 27th. The Cards broke quickly to a 17-9 first quarter lead and expanded the margin to 36-22 at intermission. Each team tallied 12 points in the third, but Ireton once again took control with 15 points in the final quarter for the 20 point margin of victory.
Seniors CeCe Leone and Alex Stipano led the Cambridge Road school with 19 points each, junior Michelle Montgomery had 6. Eight Cardinals scored in the contest and Ireton drained eight 3-pointers, including five by Stipano, the Washington Post’s leading three point scorer. Â Marche Sisco led Forestville with 18.
Bishop Ireton moved on to play Baltmore’s fifth-ranked Polytechnical Institute. Â The Engineers and Cardinals battled to a virtual draw after three quarters before the favored Poly used a 21-12 final stanza to pull away for the 58-47 win. Â Once again senior Alex Stipano led the Cardinals, raining in 4 three-pointers in her game-high 18 points. CeCe Leone added 16 for the Cardinals and Montgomery chipped in 8. Â Aneah Young had 18 for the Engineers, one of three that scored in double figures.
Ireton and Poly battled to 13-13 after one, the Baltimore school edged ahead 27-26 at intermission. Â The Engineers crept another point ahead, to 37-35 after three and the Cardinals were poised to spring the upset. On this day, however, it was not to be and Poly rallied with 21 4th quarter points to pull away for the win, setting up a tournament final day contest with neighboring TC Williams in the historic DC Armory.
The Titans dumped the Cardinals last year in early non conference action, but Coach Jason Harris has this year’s edition of Cardinal basketball playing a  more confident brand of basketball.  The game opened at a quick pace, both squads finding their scoring range early as the Alexandria public school claimed a 16-14 lead after one act.  The scoring slowed, but the Cardinals had the better of the second period, a 9-6 margin giving Ireton the upper hand at intermission 23-22.
With both clubs recording 12 points in the third quarter the game moved to the final period for a decision. With :33 seconds remaining, Ireton nursed a 43-40. Stipano drained a free throw, the Titans responded with a layup. Free throws down the stretch proved the difference and Ireton escaped with a hard-earned 46-42 rivalry win. Â Three Cardinals scored in double figures, with Leone leading Ireton with 14 points, Montgomery 13, and Stipano 10. Â Ireton won the game at the free throw line, shooting an impressive 18 of 21, including Leone, who was a perfect 10 for 10. In contrast, the Titans had only 7 opportunities from the charity stripe, they converted 4.
With the victory, Harris’ squad improved to 8-5 on the campaign as they return to conference action. Â Next up for the Cardinals are the Cadets of St Johns on January 2d in Alexandria.
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