To say John Carroll guard Vivian Carrico hadn’t gotten over the loss to Gerstell in last year’s Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Conference championship game was an understatement.
Carrico spent the 50-minute bus ride to Gerstell on Wednesday looking at pictures from the 41-39 thriller, eager to avenge the loss and finally beat the Falcons for the first time in three years.
“I was looking at the pictures from last year and going ‘were not losing again,’” Carrico said. “We were all talking during warmups and no one was trying to lose to them again.”
Carrico wasn’t the only one hungry for the win as she led several returners from last year’s team to victory, scoring a game-high 14 points as John Carroll defeated Gerstell, 44-35, on Wednesday.
The Falcons, who came into the game with 11 straight regular-season conference wins, had the lead after a scrappy first quarter, but Carrico and her veteran team stood strong, never panicking as they weathered the storm.
“We were working well together as a team,” Alyssa Hughes, who finished with 11 points, said. “Team bus rides home after a win like this are exciting. We have a lot of fun.”
Hughes’ fun came while planted in the middle of the Falcons’ zone defense. Whenever she got the entry pass, she took what the defense gave her and drove hard to the basket for some tough layups through contact.
When that wasn’t open, she kick-started the ball movement coach James Stromberg begged for constantly from his girls as they found each other often for open looks; passing up a good shot for an even better one.
“They’re really trying to make sure we get the best shot every time down,” Stromberg said. “They all know each other so well and with this being my second year, they’re learning me better and I’m learning them as well.”
Behind Carrico and Hughes, the Patriots took an eight-point lead into halftime. But after some adjustments to his lineup, coach Shane Stem and the Falcons came out firing in the second half.
“I loved the way we competed tonight. We got some good things going here and there,” Stem said. “But when you fall behind against good, seasoned teams, it’s hard to come from behind late.”
Unlike Stromberg, Stem’s squad features an entirely revamped lineup. Leading scorer Kiara Hardy is the lone holdover from last season’s championship-winning starting five.
With all the extra attention on Hardy, Stem leaned on Manchester Valley transfer Vickie Pearson and talented underclass pair Caitlyn Carver and Mackenzie Wilking as the Falcons kept the game within striking distance.
Wilking, one of two freshmen in the starting lineup, scored most of her 11 points in the third quarter as she shared the team high with Hardy and Pearson.
“We were able to make some adjustments that were honestly, player driven,” Stem said. “Making those moves enabled us to execute a ton of things we had been working on in practice.”
Needing to answer, the Patriots’ experience led them on a run that made the difference in the game. After Hughes anchored the middle of the defense with two smothering shot contests, she got the rebound and fired the ball to Grace Marchetti, who found Carrico for a deep 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer.
Carrico returned the favor to open the fourth, finding Marchetti for a layup after hitting her with a pinpoint half-court pass — a display of flawless execution on what turned out to be two crucial possessions.
“When this team is playing at its best, it’s beautiful.” Carrico said. “We can move the ball so well.”
Needing to hold onto the lead, Ella Campbell and Kalissa Coats — two more returners from last season — came in and played some valuable minutes. A final steal from Coats sealed the deal as the Patriots walked away with the victory, possibly ensuring that if the two shall meet again, it will be on the Patriots’ home court should they matchup before the championship game.
“This was a good challenge for us, come in here, on the road against the champions” Stromberg said. “This time of year, it’s about stacking those wins.”
John Carroll 44, Gerstell 35
JC- Vivian Carrico 14, Alyssa Hughes 11, Kalissa Coats 8, Pieper McCue 7, Grace Marchetti 4
G- Kiara Hardy 11, Vickie Pearson 11, Mackenzie Wilking 11, Summer Beaumont 2
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