Western High School | Archive | December, 2007

GIRLS’ HOOPS GALORE AT WESTERN THIS WEEKEND

by Derek Toney

Nineteen games. Two gyms. Three days.

If you’re a local girls’ basketball junkie, then the Breezy Bishop Classic starting might be for you. Several local teams will square off against competition from the District, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, Friday through Saturday at Western and Poly.

The Engineers, who reached the Class 2A state Final Four last season, will play New Town, which has played in the 1A state semifinals the previous three seasons at 6 p.m, followed by No. 5 City College taking on Friendship Academy (D.C.). After holding off No. 3 Arundel Monday evening, No. 1 St. Frances Academy should get another tough test from Notre Dame Prep from Massachusetts, Friday at 7 p.m. at Western.

The host and No. 4 Doves will play National Christian Academy from Prince George’s County in the nightcap at 9 p.m. Hill School from Pennsylvania and Virginia’s Miller School tip off the festivities at 5 p.m.

Saturday’s slate will begin at 1 p.m. at Western with New Town and Friendship Academy, followed by Miller School taking Institute of Notre Dame. Milford Mill, which could challenge for the 2A North Region title, plays Elizabeth Seton from the strong Washington Catholic Athletic Conference at 5 p.m.

New York City and Baltimore take center stage in final two games as perennial New York private powerhouse St. John the Baptist plays St. Frances at 7 p.m., followed by Western and Abraham Lincoln. In another matchup of state Final Four teams from last season, Surrattsville from Prince George’s County (1A) will be at Poly at 2 p.m.

At 4 p.m., Notre Dame Prep from Massachusetts and Hill School will meet, followed by Digital Harbor and National Christian Academy. Philadelphia’s George Westinghouse will meet City College at 8 p.m.

The IAAM will be display for Sunday’s finale with No. 18 Mercy, a darkhorse contender in the A Conference, playing Friendship Academy at 1 p.m. at Western. At Poly at 2 p.m., IND will play Hill School, and No. 2 Seton Keough will meet St. John the Baptist in the final game at 6 p.m. Theodore Roosevelt (D.C.) meets George Westinghouse at 3 p.m. at Western, and Notre Dame Prep plays National Christian Academy at 4 p.m. at Poly.

Breezy Bishop Classic

When: Friday thru Sunday
Where: Poly and Western high schools
Tickets: $8 at door

Friday’s schedule
at Poly

New Town vs. Poly, 6 p.m.
Friendship Academy (D.C.) vs. City College, 8 p.m.

at Western

Hill School (PA) vs. Miller School (VA), 5 p.m.
Notre Dame Prep (MA) vs. St. Frances Academy, 7 p.m.
National Christian Academy vs. Western, 9 p.m.

Saturday
at Western

Friendship Academy vs. New Town, 1 p.m.
Miller School vs. Institute of Notre Dame, 3 p.m.
Elizabeth Seton vs. Milford Mill, 5 p.m.
St. John the Baptist (N.Y.) vs. St. Frances, 7 p.m.
Abraham Lincoln (N.Y.) vs. Western, 9 p.m.

at Poly
Surrattsville vs. Poly, 2 p.m.
Notre Dame Prep (MA) vs. Hill School, 4 p.m.
National Christian vs. Digital Harbor, 6 p.m.
George Westinghouse (PA) vs. City College, 8 p.m.

Sunday
at Western

Friendship Academy vs. Mercy, 1 p.m.
Westinghouse vs. Theodore Roosevelt (D.C.), 3 p.m.
 
at Poly
Hill School vs. IND, 2 p.m.
Notre Dame Prep (MA) vs. National Christian, 4 p.m.
St. John the Baptist vs. Seton Keough, 6 p.m.

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DOVES TAKEN DOWN BY D.C.’S BEST

by Derek Toney

H.D. Woodson High girls’ basketball team arrived late for its game against Western Friday night. By the fourth quarter, the Doves probably couldn’t wait for them to leave.

The two-time defending D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association champs stormed past Western, 55-41, in the 11th annual Baltimore-Washington Challenge. The cities are even through two games as Poly rallied late to defeat Theodore Roosevelt Friday evening.

Senior guard Patrice Johnson, who has signed to play for Coppin State College next season, led all scorers with 15 points for H.D. Woodson (3-0), and junior guard Bernisha Pinkett contributed 10. Junior guard Akeema Richards had 13 points, four assists and nine steals for the Doves (0-1).

Leading 28-22 at intermission, H.D. Woodson outscored the defending Baltimore City titlists, 21-6, in the third period for a 21-point advantage. The Doves committed 27 turnovers in losing their first home game in more than two seasons.  

“We had too many turnovers,” said Richards. “I think it was just the jitters for everybody. The first game is something you get over.”

“It was very sloppy. We didn’t that get that style of game in our scrimmages and I’ll take the blame for that,” said Western coach Tiffany Silver. “It’s our first game of the season and their third or fourth game. We had sparks of brilliance which reflects our age.”

The Doves got caught playing into Woodson’s up-tempo pace. Silver said she wanted to force the visitors into a halfcourt game as the DCIAA doesn’t have a shot clock. Richards said lack of concentration was Western’s biggest struggle.

“We needed to have better mental focus instead of worrying about the physical part,” said Richards. “It’s 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical for basketball.”

Western set the pace in the early stages with an 8-3 advantage, but H.D. Woodson went a 23-4 run to take a 26-12 lead in the second quarter. The Doves responded with 10 straight points, capped by a basket from junior forward Asia Bailey to close to within four.   

“We knew they were going to play man-to-man, so we were able to adjust and switch up to a 2-3 zone,” said H.D. Woodson coach Frank Oliver Jr. “We had a lot of fouls early on our key players, but our bench maintaining that lead going into halftime.”

The annual challenge concludes at Lake Clifton Saturday with four boys’ game. Defending City champ Northwestern will play Anacostia at 1 p.m. followed by H.D. Woodson and Mervo. Host Lake Clifton plays Dunbar (D.C.) and defending DCIAA champ Cardozo meets Dunbar in the finale at 7 p.m.

The Doves will look to rebound next weekend at the Breezy Bishop Classic. Richards said the Doves will put Friday’s debut behind them.

“We have heart, that’s all I can think of,” said Richards, who scored 10 points in the second half. “It wasn’t a pretty game.”

Baltimore-Washington Challenge
H.D. Woodson 55, Western 41

H.D. Woodson: Green 2, Pinkett 10, P. Johnson 15, Rainsford 8, J. Johnson 8, Cayard 8, Stewart 2. Totals 21 9-12 55.
Western: Foreman 1, Richards 13, Hicks 4, Bailey 2, Gregg 5, Ade 9, Bell 7. Totals 17 6-15 41. Halftime: H.D. Woodson 28, Western 22.

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GIRLS’ BASKETBALL GAMES TO WATCH IN 07-08

Friday: H.D. Woodson (D.C.) at Western…Doves face off against defending D.C. champ in annual Baltimore-D.C. Challenge.

Dec. 14: New Town at Poly…Battle of last season’s state semifinalists (Poly in Class 2A; New Town in 1A) highlight opening day of
Breezy Bishop Classic at Western.

Dec. 15: Surrattsville at Poly…Surrattsville beat Dunbar for the 1A South Region crown last season, but the Prince George’s County school hasn’t had much luck in Baltimore in regional athletic play.   

Jan. 8: Western at Poly…Bragging rights of Cold Spring Lane & Falls Road will be on the line.

Jan. 10:  Western vs. Dulaney at Morgan State…Two of the area’s best hoopsters matchup at Basketball Academy with Akeema Richards of Western taking Dulaney’s Danielle Parker, who’s headed to Delaware.

Jan. 10: City College vs. Catonsville at Morgan State…City held off Comets in last season’s 3A North Region semifinals.

Jan. 12: Western vs. Catonsville…A possible preview of the 3A North championship.

Feb. 8: City at Western…Rematch of last season’s city championship game and North Region finals.

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