Senior Chloe Madgwick scored 17 points to eclipse 1,000 total points for her career as Stone Bridge won a key Potomac District game at Potomac Falls Monday night, 49-45.
“I feel accomplished,” the smiling four-year varsity player said after the game. “I’ve been working at this since my freshman year.”
Many in the crowd weren’t even aware of the accomplishment as Madgwick quietly went about her business helping her team win. She was content to defer to red-hot sophomore Anna LeMaster early as the Bulldogs coasted to a double-digit first half lead. LeMaster had 12 points and seven rebounds in the first half as Stone Bridge led the hosts 24-12 at the intermission.
At that point it seemed like the Bulldogs might coast to a win, but Potomac Falls had other ideas. The Panthers got far more aggressive in the second half, forcing turnovers left and right with a press that seemed to catch Stone Bridge by surprise. Five points in a row by sophomore guard Ashley Pandelides gave Potomac Falls a 28-27 lead in the third quarter as the Panthers completed a 16-3 run. After three quarters Potomac Falls led 36-34.
“Sometimes we struggle with third quarters; they just came out with that energy and we need to learn to compete with that,” LeMaster said. “But we didn’t let that third quarter define us which I think is great.”
The Bulldogs recaptured their first half magic to begin the fourth. Madgwick found LeMaster open for a three-pointer that capped an 8-1 run, forcing Potomac Falls to take a time out with 5:31 left. The Panthers made it a one possession game a couple times after that, lastly when Pandelides drilled another three to make it 48-45 with seven seconds left. But LeMaster hit one of two free throws after being fouled a second later, and the Stone Bridge celebration was on, both for the victory and for Madgwick’s accomplishment.
“She’s great,” LeMaster said of Madgwick. “She’s like my best friend, like another sister to me. I’m happy for her.”
Pandelides finished with 20 points for Potomac Falls (5-6, 10-8). Junior forward Natalie Brennan had a nice all-around game as well with 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
LeMaster finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way for Stone Bridge (7-4, 14-5). The win was key because it put the Bulldogs squarely in third place in the eight-team Potomac District. The Bulldogs have given district front-runners Tuscarora and Freedom-South Riding some nice games this year but so far have been unable to knock off either.
“We definitely need to minimize our turnovers and we need to look for each other a little bit more,” Madgwick responded when asked how the Bulldogs can pull some upsets in the postseason. “I think we can easily shut ’em down if we have our heads in the game, though.”
–Chris Jollay
all stats are unofficial
| POTOMAC FALLS | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| ANDERSON | 2-11 | 1-4 | 5 | 8 | 2 | |
| SUCHOSKI | 0-5 | 1-2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| PANDELIDES | 8-15 | 0-1 | 20 | 4 | 1 | |
| DEKER | 5-12 | 0-0 | 11 | 9 | 4 | |
| BRENNAN | 1-3 | 1-2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
| #30 | 2-5 | 1-2 | 5 | 6 | 1 | |
| Swarm | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Warnecki | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Eichensehr | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 18-53 | 4-12 | 45 | 36 | 12 | |
| Threes: Pandelides 4-6, Deker 1-5, Swarm 0-1 | ||||||
| STONE BRIDGE | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| MADGWICK | 6-12 | 2-2 | 17 | 3 | 1 | |
| JOLLY | 0-0 | 1-2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
| LeMASTER | 7-15 | 3-9 | 20 | 13 | 2 | |
| O’DAY | 3-7 | 0-0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | |
| LENDERMAN | 1-3 | 0-3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | |
| Alston | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hafer | 1-6 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| Hines | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Cowden | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| Brenneman | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 18-46 | 7-18 | 49 | 38 | 12 | |
| Threes: LeMaster 3-5, Madgwick 3-8, Hafer 0-3, Cowden 0-1 | ||||||