Even with only five teams we love the makeup of the revived Gunston District. Natural rivalries with schools in pretty close proximity of another–Hayfield no longer has to venture all the way up the Fairfax County Parkway to battle South Lakes in-district.
Despite some nice talent throughout the Gunston on the girls side, it would be surprising if the T.C. Williams Titans even lost a game in the district. Coach Kesha Walton’s team is focused on much loftier goals than winning the district. They’re still smarting after a home loss to Oakton in regionals last year that cost the Titans a trip to the state tournament.
“We still talk about that game with Oakton,” Walton says. “It has been a tremendous motivating factor for us this offseason.”
Despite significant losses in second-leading scorer Bhrandi Crenshaw, defensive stopper Deja Hamilton and Keyanna Roberts, the Titans are primed for a run deep in the postseason with their returning talent. The Titans’ backcourt will feature Trinity Palacio, who returns after scoring almost 15 points a game, and fellow junior Sasha Bates (5.5 ppg), who Walton says really came on toward the end of the season and has worked hard since.
That backcourt for another couple years is a terrifying enough prospect for the region alone, but T.C. is not likely to be exploited in the frontcourt, either. The Levenberry twins (Elise and Danielle) return after helping the control the paint last year for Walton’s team. They combined for nine points a game but more significantly regularly produced double-digit rebounding games. Sixth-leading scorer Karemee Copeland also returns after doing a lot of the dirty work inside last year.
It doesn’t end there. Four others return to provide Walton even more depth. Several freshmen will make an impact as well after playing JV last year as eighth-graders. The Titans will once again be able to come at opponents in waves.
“We’re playing a tough schedule this year as always. We’ve scheduled Edison, Oakton and Herndon out of conference, as well as a few private schools,” Walton says. “The loss last year still hurts but we have a simple philosophy–you have to play the best to be the best. I think the girls are really focused on being the best.”
The West Potomac Wolverines had a very good year last year, winning twice as many games as they lost and advancing to the second round of regionals. “We went the furthest the program has been in like 25 years, and we’re looking to keep it moving this year,” coach Brian Colligan told us this week.
There’s reason to believe Colligan’s team can have a similarly successful season and a big reason why is senior center Natalie Terwilliger. The Christopher Newport signee led the team in scoring last year and provides a powerful post presence few teams in the region can match. She’s gotten even better in the offseason, playing basketball year-round.
The Wolverines did lose a lot of ingredients from last year, though. Guards Ty Taylor and Grace Moery averaged about 20 points a game together in the backcourt, so people are going to have to step up in a hurry around Terwilliger for West Po to achieve its goals. Fortunately the Wolverines return junior small forward Lauren Ellis (6.3 ppg), senior defensive stopper Dejah Essex, and sophomore shooter Tyler Mackie. Natalie’s little sister, sophomore Annie Terwilliger, also returns. That’s a start, but the Wolverines are going to need a talented freshman class to contribute pretty quickly as well.
“The question for us is how quickly can the younger kids contribute,” Colligan says. “We’re going to have to develop some chemistry, a blend between youth and experience.”
Like West Potomac, Rudy Coffield’s Hayfield Hawks lost a pretty talented bunch of seniors as well, to include leading scorer and adept ball-handler Taylor King. King was the obvious player the Hawks wanted to get the ball to in close games with her ability to score inside and out, but Coffield thinks he has someone who can provide clutch points in close games as well.
“Machaela Simmons has really improved,” he told us. “She’ll be a go-to scorer this year.”
Not that Simmons was bad last year. The athletic 5’9″ senior wing averaged almost 12 points a game and she gives Coffield a great building block to start with this season. Senior 2/3 Vicky Kirby (6.7 ppg) also returns, so the Hawks are pretty well-stocked on the wing. Six-foot-plus senior Lizzie Sherrill and sophomore Rachael Ross will have to play key roles cleaning up the glass to help the Hawks get out in transition.
Even with King the Hawks were fairly inconsistent last year, so stability in the backcourt is going to be key for Hayfield. There are some holdover options, plus a couple of incoming transfers–one from Kentucky and another a girl (Sam Mason) Coffield coached when she was younger.
It’s an interesting mix and one with potential. As usual, defense will be the order of the day for the Hawks. If they can find the depth to play it consistently, they’ll be a factor.
Depth also might be a problem for the Annandale Atoms, who like many teams in the district lack scores of girls who play basketball year-round. It certainly was last year, when injuries to since-graduated center Katie Garrish and young guard Jayla Irvin limited the Atoms to seven wins.
If they stay healthy Coach Jimmy Brown’s team should be able to win more this year. Guard Sarah Shamdeen is back after doing it all last year, serving as the team’s primary ball-handler and pouring in almost 17 a game. Fellow junior Irvin (8.0 ppg) returns as well, and those two should continue to grow together into a formidable backcourt. “They’re great athletes, gym rats who love to play and practice,” Brown tells us.
Six others return, and the big one to watch is sophomore guard Annika Yungner (3.0 ppg). She’ll have to take a big step this year and be able to handle more minutes. The Atoms will have trouble neutralizing bigger teams inside, but their goal is to punish teams on the perimeter with Brown’s five-out offense.
“My goal is for us to lead the area in three-pointers made,” Brown says. “We’re going to be as well-conditioned as possible and hopefully that will pay off for us.”
The Mount Vernon Majors finished last in their district last season, but clearly improved as the season went on as they registered nice late-season wins over South County and West Springfield. It’s hard not to think the program is headed is the right direction under Majors legend India Thomas, although re-creating the Mount Vernon glory days of old will be a challenge.
The Majors lose a nice senior class to include workhorse Kelly Bethea and shooter Destiny Wilder, but a number of talented players remain and Thomas is encouraged by the hard work her players put in at the gym over the offseason. Junior guard Ebony Bordley returns after playing basketball year-round, and senior guard Norissa Solomon has been on the squad since she was a freshman. “Solomon put in a lot of work since last year,” Thomas says. “She worked a lot on her shooting, and she also has a much stronger physique now.”
Thomas’ team has an intriguing blend of speed and size. 6’1″ senior Susannah Anderson, who will attend Boston College on a softball scholarship, has gotten quicker on her feet and will have to be a rebounding force on the glass. Forward T’Ericka Floyd also returns after missing the second half of the season last year and three other upperclassmen also are back. Young Scarlett Anderson will provide depth and has to develop over the year if the Majors are to take a few steps forward.
“Defensively we always have to play well and we have the athleticism and size to do it,” Thomas says. “We worked hard over the summer in the weight room and on our offensive skills. If our seniors can show leadership and push each other and lead by example it will be key for us.”
–Chris Jollay
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