Sports
Sherwood takes down the Blazers
The Warriors led from start to finish against the injury depleted Blazers on Monday night.
The Montgomery Blair Blazers (11-7) are starting to feel the effects of losing three of their starters to injury. It has been a tough pill for the Blazers to swallow, and it became even more difficult to digest when they lost by 14 to the Sherwood Warriors (9-8) on Monday night.
Blair has lost senior Sarah McMillan to a torn ACL and juniors Gabrielle Smith and Johanna Lopez to concussions. McMillan and Smith are out for the season, but Lopez, who earlier this year eclipsed 1,000 career points, may return.
The Warriors came out strong, opening the game on a 12-0 run. Blair scored its first point with 2:50 remaining in the quarter, but the Blazers would never lead in the ballgame, and trailed at the end of the first, 19-4.
Find out what's happening in Takoma Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Blair picked up the pieces in the second period, behind junior Myla Sapp's eight points, and trailed by seven (26-19) at halftime. Sapp finished with a game-high 19 points.
Although the score was relatively close after two quarters, the Warriors took full control in the third, outscoring Blair 17-2. While Blair showed some offensive ability in the fourth quarter, the Blazers still lost 50-36.
Find out what's happening in Takoma Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Sherwood senior Kendall Thomas scored 13 for the Warriors and did much of her damage in the third quarter.
"I was impressed with how the girls attacked with the ball tonight. We don't have a go to scorer, but everyone is capable," Sherwood Coach Sandi Williams said.
Williams was especially proud of the Warriors' third-quarter effort.
"I saw a new team," she said. "The third quarter has been our weakest quarter [this season]. It was important for us that we scored right away because it kept the intensity up."
While Sherwood made 12 of 19 free throws, the Blazers were successful on only 3 of 11 attempts.
“Free throws have been a stigma that I’ve struggled with all four years at Blair,” Blair Coach Erin Conley said after the game. “It’s something that comes and goes, but tonight I think that it was a mental piece.”
Junior Morgan Chase and freshman Erica Adarkwa, who scored six and eight points respectively, were key contributors on Monday, but Blair's injuries were obvious.
“Each of us needs to bring something more to the table to counteract the deficit of Sarah, Johanna, and Gabi,” Conley said. “Since we’ve lost our three starters, it’s been hard for us to redefine our roles, both individually and as a team. I’m trying to build their confidence. I see them perform well in practice, and that has to translate into games.”
