The Mount Vernon girls basketball team turned the ball over only five times. Senior point guard Jalinda Venable scored a game-high 21 points and went over the 1,000-point mark for her career. Senior guard Tracy King dished out eight assists while drawing the defense’s attention.
While there were positives for the Majors on Feb. 25, Mount Vernon’s 2009-10 campaign ended in a fashion similar to last season — a regional tournament loss to Oakton.
The Majors lost to the Cougars 44-38 in the quarterfinals at Oakton. The Cougars went on to win the Northern Region. Last season, Oakton beat Mount Vernon in the semifinals.
Jasmine McDonald, a second-team all-region selection, scored 11 points and King added six for the Majors on Feb. 25. Mount Vernon assistant Courtney Coffer said King, a first-team all-region selection, went from a scorer to a "facilitator" as Oakton pressured her with a box-and-one defense.
"We were able to get some other girls some key buckets based on the attention she was receiving," he said.
While the Majors limited their turnovers, head coach Terry Henderson said each of Mount Vernon’s five turnovers led to something positive for Oakton. Coffer said three of the Majors’ turnovers came in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter, each leading to a fastbreak layup for Oakton.
Mount Vernon went 15-7 and finished runner-up to Edison in the National District.
While the Majors will lose their "big three" of King, McDonald and Venable, Mount Vernon appears to have a bright future.
Sophomore forward Titi Gray and freshman guard Taylor Dunham saw extensive minutes for the Majors and figure to be leaders of the 2010-11 team.
"I thought we had a great season," Henderson said. "A lot of young kids really stepped up and played some good minutes for us, especially at key positions."
Sophomore Elizabeth Owusuwaa and freshmen Kelly Loftus and Tiffany Webster also figure to be contibutors next season.
"We had a real young team," Coffer said. "A lot of our young players, they really played a lot this year. … I hate to look forward to next year already because we’re losing some key seniors, but with those young girls getting a chance to get expereince … it’s going to benefit them. … I really believe we’re going to be a promising team."
<b>Majors, Wolverines Compete at Indoor Track States</b>
Mount Vernon senior Clive Cameron finished fifth in the boys 300-meter dash (35.8 seconds) and 24th in the 55 hurdles (8.02), and senior Candace Bailey was 11th in the girls shot put (35 feet, 3 1/2 inches) on Feb. 27 during the state indoor track meet in Hampton.
Cameron and Bailey finished second in their respective events during the Northern Region meet.
West Potomac’s 4x800 girls relay team (Dale Lescher, Sarah Jane Underwood, Kelsey Rosenberg, Julianne Bigler) placed third at the state meet with a time of 9:32.51. The boys 4x800 relay team (Max Muir, Peter Stebbins, Khoki Bernier, Ben Aleixo) placed 10th (8:14.80).
Underwood also took fifth in the 1,000-meter run (3:00.33) while Rosenberg finished 17th (3:13.93).
The West Potomac girls finished 18th as a team with 10 points. The Mount Vernon boys were 41st (four pionts).
<b>Mount Vernon Spring Sports</b>
The Mount Vernon baseball team will travel to Courtland for a scrimmage at noon on Saturday. The Majors open their season at home against Stonewall Jackson at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
The softball team has a scrimmage scheduled for 4 p.m. today at home against Mount View. The Majors open their season at home against Chantilly at 6 p.m. Monday.
The boys lacrosse team will host South County at 7:15 on March 18. The girls lacrosse team travels to scrimmage T.C. Williams at 7:15 p.m. Friday and opens its season at South County at 7:15 p.m. on March 18.
The boys soccer team will travel to scrimmage Hylton High at 7 p.m. today. The Majors host West Potomac at 7 p.m. Monday. The girls soccer team hosts West Potomac at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
The boys tennis team travels to face Wakefield at 4 p.m. March 17. The girls team hosts Wakefield at 4 p.m. March 17.
<b>West Potomac Spring Sports</b>
The West Potomac baseball team will travel to scrimmage Bishop Ireton at 6 p.m. today. The Wolverines will host Stonewall Jackson at 6:30 p.m. March 19.
The softball team travels to scrimmage Langley at 6:30 p.m. today.
The boys lacrosse team travels to scrimmage Washington-Lee at 7:15 p.m. today. West Potomac opens its season at Fairfax at 7:15 p.m. Monday. The girls lacrosse team hosts a scrimmage against W-L at 7:15 p.m. today and opens its season at home against Yorktown at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.
The boys soccer team will host a scrimmage with Stuart at 6:30 p.m. Friday and travel to face Mount Vernon at 7 p.m. Monday. The girls soccer team travels to face Mount Vernon at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
The boys tennis team hosts South County at 4 p.m.
<b>B.A. Girls Basketball Team Advances to Finals</b>
The Browne Academy seventh/eighth grade girls basketball team beat Alexandria Country Day School on March 4, 21-13. The Browne Academy girls advance to the championship game scheduled for Thursday at Bishop Ireton High School. Game will begin at 3:45 p.m.
The Browne Academy 7th/8th grade girls’ basketball team is currently 7-3.
The winner of the championship game will be the 2010 champion of the ABC Athletic League of Greater Washington.
Browne Academy is a co-ed preschool through eighth grade independent school located in Alexandria.
<b>Registration Now Open for New Spring Break Soccer Camp</b>
The "Sev Gronlie Peace Camp" is a new soccer camp for elementary-aged children to be held at Carl Sandburg Middle School on the turf soccer field behind the school, March 29-April 2, 9 a.m.-noon. This spring break soccer camp is open to children in kindergarten-sixth grade at a cost of $100 per child.
Each child will receive a T-shirt and Soccer ball thanks to donations by suppliers. Organizers have designated that 100 percent of the registration funds will go toward Youth Missions at Aldersgate Church. This camp is open to all elementary-aged children in the community. Online registration is now open for this camp at www.aldersgate.net.