Once the Herndon Hornets get hot it can be hard to stop them. They can score quickly in short periods of time, and if opponents don’t limit the Hornets’ runs it can be very difficult to beat them. Madison found that out Wednesday night. The Warhawks played the visitors even or better for much of the game, but gave up large Herndon runs twice in the first half and could never recover, falling 60-44 to the Hornets.
The first run the Warhawks gave up was at the start of the game. Hornets star guard Devyne Newman, a St. Joseph’s signee, immediately put on a show. She scored eight points in just over a minute, including two steals and two three-pointers, to forge her team to an 8-0 lead and forcing Madison coach Kirsten Stone to take a time out.
The Warhawks then settled down and played better, getting the ball inside to tall forward Sarah Conforti, taking care of the ball, and doing a better defensive job on Newman. They kept the deficit in the low double-digits for most of the first half, until the Hornets exploded again before intermission. It happened so fast we’re not even sure how big the run was, but we know it ended with two buckets by Herndon guard Maddie Kimble–one off a long pass from Newman after a rebound and one after a Kimble steal. The stunned Warhawks went into the intermission suddenly down 39-15.
But Stone made some nice adjustments, for one putting reserve senior guard Abby Fusca on Newman, and the Warhawks played much better defense in the second half. They also started to get better shots on offense, moving the ball better and finding open perimeter shooters more easily. They outscored the Hornets 16-8 in the third quarter and played Herndon even after that. It just wasn’t enough.
“Playing a good team like Madison is a great measuring stick for us,” Herndon coach Cornelius Snead told us after the game. “We can score in bunches but we have to learn to play a full 32 minutes and keep our foot on the gas when we take an early lead. Teams will eventually beat us if we don’t. We have to learn to play with a lead because that’s when you’ll usually get teams’ best shot.”
Newman poured in 25 points and added eight rebounds to lead the way for Herndon (2-0). Guard Marlise Brunson was perfect from the free throw line and had 14 points while Kimble added 10. The Hornets were without the services of star forward Taylor Strawser, who continues to deal with the effects of a torn labrum. She should be good to go in a few weeks, however, which is more bad news for Herndon opponents.
Madison (0-1) was led by Conforti, who was aggressive inside and contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds. Guard Katy Sharon added nine points. It was a disappointing opener for Stone’s team but it came against a powerful opponent where there was little room for error. They’ll re-group and play more complete games in the future.
Even if they don’t, the talented and hard-working Warhawks might be able to get by with a lot of wins against lesser opponents. But not against a team as explosive as Herndon. The Hornets will make you pay if you’re not ready to play–in a hurry.
–Chris Jollay
–all stats are unofficial
| HERNDON | FG | FT | TP | RB | AST | |
| BRUNSON | 3-6 | 6-6 | 14 | 1 | 2 | |
| KIMBLE | 3-11 | 3-4 | 10 | 2 | 3 | |
| NEWMAN | 9-17 | 4-6 | 25 | 8 | 2 | |
| PEARSON | 1-1 | 1-2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| ANANE | 2-5 | 0-0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | |
| Owen | 1-2 | 0-0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
| Montalban | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Koch | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Johnson | 1-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Boulware | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 20-43 | 14-19 | 60 | 23 | 9 | |
| Threes: Brunson 2-2, Newman 3-6, Kimble 1-5 | ||||||
| MADISON | FG | FT | TP | RB | AST | |
| MISKELL | 1-4 | 0-0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | |
| TROTTER | 3-9 | 0-0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | |
| CONFORTI | 4-10 | 5-8 | 13 | 10 | 2 | |
| A.MAKRIGIORGOS | 2-5 | 1-3 | 7 | 0 | 1 | |
| SHARON | 3-8 | 1-2 | 9 | 1 | 2 | |
| Glowasky | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Brusch | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Heider | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| T.Makrigiorgos | 1-3 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| Fusca | 1-2 | 1-2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | |
| TOTALS | 15-42 | 8-15 | 44 | 22 | 13 | |
| Threes: A.Makrigiorgos 2-3, Sharon 2-7, Fusca 1-1, Trotter 1-4, Miskell 0-2, Brusch 0-1, T. Makrigiorgos 0-1 | ||||||
| Herndon 18 21 8 13–60 Madison 8 7 16 13–44 | ||||||