Prep Notebook: Seahawks buzzing about 4-0 girls basketball start

Prep Notebook: Seahawks buzzing about 4 0 girls basketball start Image

"I have great confidence in this team," Bolden said.

She and her teammates showed why during a 60-41 girls basketball victory over Meade. the Seahawks, who took a nine-point loss to the Mustangs last year, trailed twice during the first quarter, but never again to start their season 4-0.

South River coach Mike Zivic saw this coming.

After an 11-10 season last year, the Seahawks – who return just two starters in Aleeyah Hopkins and Domonique Hagins – are off to their best start since 2007-08 when they went 6-0.

"I knew what I had in these kids," Zivic said. "They're a year older and more mature. a couple have been with me two or three years, so I know what to expect from them. I knew we had a good team coming in, but you've got to go show it."

South River, which uses a strong, quick transition game and accurate, long-range shooting to get in and stay in front of the opposition, is averaging 62.5 points per game – good for a margin differential of 28 points a victory.

"everybody on this team is a contributor," said Hopkins, who had 16 points and 14 rebounds against Meade. "they always contribute in one shape or form. If we just play together as a team, keep our game contained and play as a unit, we can beat anyone that comes our way. I really believe that."

Eight Seahawks scored against the Mustangs, who had only two players go for more than three. Hagins had 10 points, and Tiffany McKinney scored six along with grabbing five rebounds and four steals. Kailee Knight collected eight rebounds, Bolden had 13 points and four steals and Allie Martin had three rebounds, a block and a steal.

Despite committing 20 fouls – to Meade's 27 – South River held a 45-33 advantage in rebounds, several of which occurred during a game-breaking, 17-4 run to end the second quarter that build a 36-22 lead.

South River plays Riverdale Baptist – one of the more dominant teams in Maryland over the last several years – today. a win would say plenty about a young team with only five seniors on the roster, including only Martin and Knight in the starting lineup.

The Crusaders (8-2) have lost only to Potter's House Christian (Fla.) – in a rematch of last year's National Christian School Athletic Association championship game – and Archbishop Spalding this season.

The Seahawks are using a dominant victory over a Meade team that went 22-2 last season as a stepping stone for what they hope is full of promise.

"more or less, it's a confidence-builder for us," Hopkins said. "We've showed what we were capable of doing."

COACH NEEDED QUICKLY: Archbishop Spalding has an immediate opening for a throws coach for shot put and discus for the track season. anyone with an interest in joining the Cavaliers' staff should contact athletic director Lee Dove, 410-969-9105 (ext. 246) or dovel@archbishopspalding.org.

CRAB BOWL: five Anne Arundel County players will represent their teams in the Maryland Crab Bowl on Saturday.

Archbishop Spalding's K.K. Smith and Shelley White, Arundel's Joe Kopp and Ed Hunt and old Mill's Demond Brown will be playing for the Washington D.C., team, which takes players from Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince George's, Calvert, St..Mary's and Charles counties.

They'll line up against the Baltimore team, which takes players from Howard, Frederick, Washington, Alleghany, Cecil, Harford, Carroll, Garrett counties, Baltimore City and County and the Eastern Shore.

The game will be played at 1 p.m. at Bowie State. Tickets are $10.

CAPITAL STATS: Coaches can e-mail basketball and wrestling statistics to sports@capitalgazette.com by 10 a.m. Monday.

Mike Peters is the high school sports editor at the Capital and can be reached at 410-280-5923 or mpeters@capitalgazette.com.