Girls Basketball: Trio of Loudoun Teams a Game Away from States

(Feb. 22, 2012) - All season girls basketball in Loudoun has taken a backseat to the individual high-scoring antics on the boys side of a bevy of 4-year stars, but on the first night of Region II action Tuesday the girls took the wheel and they are now trying the playoff bus with a trio of teams just a game away from qualifying for the state tournament.

Dulles District's top three seeds advanced with Woodgrove (23-3) running by Charlottesville, 58-25; Loudoun County (20-7) doubling up on district foe Dominion, 61-30; and Tuscarora (17-8) becoming the only Loudoun team to win on the road Tuesday with a 55-38 win at Warren County.

Woodgrove, the No. 2 seed in Division 3, will host No. 3 Monticello, which edged Handley, 49-46, on Thursday in the semifinals. On the others side the girls D3 bracket, No. 5 seed Tuscarora will play at top seed Liberty, a 54-20 winner over Brentsville. Loudoun County, the No. 3 seed in Division 4, will make the long trip semifinal trip south to face No. 3 Powhatan, a 57-38 winner over Briar Woods. All games are at 7 p.m.

With two teams advancing from each bracket to the VHSL state tournament, a win on Thursday guarantees a spot in the Big Dance and a loss will end the season.


Woodgrove Report
In their first ever regional playoff game the Woodgrove Lady Wolverines ripped their opponents to shreds downing Charlottesville 58-25. The Wolverines came out of the gate focusedon taking one step closer to their goal of capturing the Regional crown.

Woodgrove scored off the opening tip off andnever looked back. The Wolverines applied their full court defense and forced Charlottesville to turn the ball over multiple times. The persistent Wolverine onslaught was morethan the Black Knights could handle. Woodgrove used their pressure to jump out to a 16-4 first quarterlead.

The Wolverines appeared to get stronger as the game wore on. In classic Wolverine fashion, 10 players chipped in to carry the scoring load. Stephanie Purnell led the Wolverines with 12 points. She also grabbed 6 boards, dished out 3assists, and rejected 8 Black Knight shots. Halle
Lynch proved once again to be invaluable on both ends of the court as she tallied 11 points, snared 5 boards,had 2 assists, and snatched 5 steals. Sarah Hardison and Kaitlyn Lorinchak each had 7 points while Linsey Fagan and Ashley Tilly added 6 apiece.

WGH scoring- Fagan (6), Lorinchak (7), Brit Basinger (1),Bro Basinger
(4), Williamson (2), Hardison (7), Miller (2), Lynch (11), Purnell(12),
Buxton (0), Tilly (6)
3 Point – Fagan (2), Lornchak(1), Bro Basinger (1), Lynch (1)

Loudoun County Report
No report provided by team but we see from the Washington Post box score that the Raiders inside game was working as Katrina Kirby and Casey Cummings combined for 29 points. A total of 10 Raiders scored with Maggie Phillips adding 9.

Tuscarora Report
Huskies coach Michael Newkirk said last night that his team was led by freshman Alexis Bailey with 17 points. No box scores yet that we can find.