Chantilly has high aspirations this season after returning the vast majority of its players following last year, when the Chargers upset Langley in the Northern Region Tournament. On Wednesday night, Josh Regan’s team showcased its depth and versatility, racing to a big early lead at home versus Mount Vernon and prevailing, 68-32.
Four players scored in double figures for the Chargers in the win. Chantilly forced turnovers with its defense and demonstrated a crisp offensive attack, scoring both from long range and in the paint. There’s still things to clean up, of course, but the Chargers looked more like a team in midseason form than a team playing in early December.
“It’s a luxury to have the ample talent we have because we can play big and get it to Alex [Wilson] and Emerson [Mustard], or we can play fast, and have Alivia [Tarry] and Abby [Goodman] attacking, being aggressive,” said Regan.
Tarry, who finished with a game-high 16 points, hit four three-pointers as the Chargers (2-0) shot 39% from three-point range. Mustard had 14 points and 13 rebounds, as she and Wilson got to the rim inside and shot 19 free throws between them. Maddy Bernet was her usual efficient self, adding 10 points, while fellow senior Caroline Donovan had 10 as well off the bench.
The most impressive thing may have been the team’s depth. Just about everyone looked comfortable in the offense playing with starters, evidenced by the fact that 11 Chargers registered assists.
“The biggest difference in this team is its unselfishness,” said Regan. “We’ve had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio in every scrimmage/game we’ve played this year, and it hasn’t been close.”
“These girls are unselfish and they get after it defensively.”
The defense, as well as Tarry opening things up on offense with her three-pointers, was key for the home team early. Mount Vernon turned the ball over repeatedly against Chantilly’s zone trap, with the Chargers’ length causing the Majors all kinds of difficulties. The Chargers raced to a double-digit lead, and led 21-8 after a quarter.
Mount Vernon started to get used to Chantilly’s length, but the Chargers ended the second quarter on a 16-2 run which effectively ended the contest. The Majors played much better in the second half, handling the ball better and finding more shots for their stars Natalie Turner and Rachael Sykes, but by then it was too late.
Turner led the Majors (0-1) with 10 points and six rebounds, while Skyes added six points and seven rebounds.
–Chris Jollay
all statistics are unofficial
| CHANTILLY | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| A.GOODMAN | 1-3 | 1-4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | |
| TARRY | 5-10 | 2-2 | 16 | 2 | 3 | |
| BERNET | 4-7 | 0-0 | 10 | 4 | 1 | |
| WILSON | 2-4 | 4-5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | |
| MUSTARD | 3-10 | 8-14 | 14 | 13 | 2 | |
| Donovan | 4-11 | 0-0 | 10 | 3 | 1 | |
| Hilton | 1-2 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Borra | 2-5 | 0-0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | |
| Leung | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Szachara | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Ryder | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Enfinger | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| M.Goodman | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 22-57 | 15-27 | 68 | 36 | 18 | |
| Threes: Tarry 4-6, Bernet 2-3, Donovan 2-5, Borra 1-3, A.Goodman 0-1, Ryder 0-2, Mustard 0-3 | ||||||
| MOUNT VERNON | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| BARNES | 2-8 | 0-2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | |
| SYKES | 2-7 | 1-2 | 6 | 7 | 0 | |
| DABNER | 1-3 | 3-6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | |
| REED | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TURNER | 3-10 | 4-6 | 10 | 6 | 0 | |
| Curry | 0-6 | 2-2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Deras Marroquin | 2-7 | 0-0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | |
| Calderon | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Osorio Portillo | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nachnani | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 10-42 | 10-18 | 32 | 32 | 4 | |
| Threes: Sykes 1-2, Barnes 1-4, Deras Marroquin 0-1, Turner 0-4, Curry 0-5 | ||||||