Simpson
Madison's Morgan Simpson operates against McLean's Vanessa Barlow. Simpson hit two key free throws down the stretch.

Liberty Girls Semis: #6 Madison 47, #2 McLean 46

There aren’t too many teams around the region as evenly matched as the ladies from McLean and Madison.

After splitting two regular season games by a combined total of three points, the Highlanders and Warhawks met again in the Liberty Tournament semi-finals at South Lakes Thursday night. The Warhawks escaped with a 47-46 victory in yet another game between the two rivals that can only be described as thrilling.

“It’s always a battle every time we play McLean,” Madison coach Kirsten Stone said after the game. “Wears me out.”

The pace was frenzied from the outset. Both teams ran the floor and launched threes as a high rate early, but McLean simply was cold from outside while the Warhawks were not. Thanks mainly to the hot shooting of Madison junior guard Katy Sharon (10 points in the first half) Madison built a 11-3 lead after the first period and led 21-13 at halftime.

Junior Katy Sharon led the Warhawk attack with 18 points.
Junior Katy Sharon led the Warhawk attack with 18 points.

That’s when the real fun began. McLean’s icy cold shooting start was soon forgotten as the Highlanders piled up 21 third quarter points to roar into the lead. Senior guard Vanessa Barlow (13 points) started to drain treys, with one late in the third quarter giving the Highlanders their first lead of the game. Junior forward Kaela Moskowitz (nine points) started to play some inspired ball as well. When the Warhawks battled back her three-pointer in the fourth quarter gave the Highlanders a 43-41 lead late.

But Madison just wouldn’t quit. A follow on a teammate’s miss by Sarah Conforti knotted the game at 43. Then it really boiled down to free throws. After Barlow missed a three Madison guard Morgan Simpson was fouled and hit two. On the other end McLean sophomore Mariane Auza went to the line as well but only hit one of two. Then, with 19 seconds left and down one McLean got a good trap on the Warhawks in the back court but fouled instead of sticking with it to possibly force the turnover.

Sharon drilled a couple of more free throws to extend the lead to three. The Highlanders opted to get a quick two instead of shoot a three but ran out of time. Madison had escaped with the victory.

“Our girls really stepped it up,” Stone said. “They put us on our heels a little bit and we fought back.”

Madison's Diana Miskell defends McLean freshman Elizabeth Dufrane's jump shot.
Madison’s Diana Miskell defends McLean freshman Elizabeth Dufrane’s jump shot.

Sharon led the Warhawks with 18 points. Simpson had nine points, Conforti had five points and 10 rebounds and Diana Miskell added eight points and four assists. Both McLean and Madison will compete in next week’s 6A regional tournament. The Warhawks advance to face top-seeded Langley in tonight’s tournament final.

“We have to play tough, play together,” Stone said when asked how her team can upset Langley, who defeated the Warhawks in two earlier contests this year. “Make sure we know where [Jordyn] Callaghan is at all times and box out. They are a tough team.”

–Chris Jollay

all statistics are unofficial

MADISON FG FT TP RB AST
SIMPSON 3-9 3-4 9 4 2
SULLENDER 1-4 3-5 5 7 0
CONFORTI 2-7 1-4 5 10 0
MISKELL 4-13 0-1 8 3 4
SHARON 5-10 4-5 18 4 0
Makrigiorgos 0-4 2-2 2 1 0
TOTALS 15-47 13-21 47 29 6
Threes: Sharon 4-7, Miskell 0-4, Makrigiorgos 0-3, Simpson 0-3, Sullender 0-1
MCLEAN FG FT TP RB AST
V.BARLOW 5-9 0-0 13 0 2
MURPHY 1-5 2-3 4 4 0
AUZA 1-2 1-2 3 7 2
DUFRANE 1-12 2-2 4 2 3
SMITH 4-8 3-4 11 10 3
Moskowitz 3-8 1-1 9 3 1
Pilewski 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
B.Barlow 1-1 0-0 2 0 0
TOTALS 16-46 9-12 46 26 11
Threes: V.Barlow 3-7, Moskowitz 2-5, Dufrane 0-6, Murphy 0-1, Pilewski 0-1