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| Langley shuts down No. 2 Oakton in Va. 6A semifinal; Herndon falls to Cosby | Langley shuts down No. 2 Oakton in Va. 6A semifinal; Herndon falls to Cosby |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| RICHMOND — Both teams shot under 30 percent from the floor. The game’s leading scorer made just one bucket. Bodies crashed to the deck more frequently than jump shots fell through the net. | RICHMOND — Both teams shot under 30 percent from the floor. The game’s leading scorer made just one bucket. Bodies crashed to the deck more frequently than jump shots fell through the net. |
| It was that kind of afternoon for the No. 12 Langley and No. 2 Oakton girls, and that’s just the way Langley likes it. The hard-nosed Saxons pummeled previously unbeaten Oakton into submission from start to finish at Virginia Commonwealth’s Siegel Center, riding a wire-to-wire, 47-38 victory into Wednesday’s state championship game. | |
| “I think we started the game the best way we could have started: extremely aggressive, looking to score, getting them on their heels early,” Langley Coach Amanda Baker said. “We just kept it going the entire game.” | “I think we started the game the best way we could have started: extremely aggressive, looking to score, getting them on their heels early,” Langley Coach Amanda Baker said. “We just kept it going the entire game.” |
| Langley’s relentless man-to-man defense flustered Oakton (29-1) from the jump. After giving up a Maddie Royle bucket on the game’s opening possession, the Saxons (25-5) held Oakton without a field goal for six minutes to grab a commanding 13-3 lead. It was an unfamiliar situation for a juggernaut Oakton squad that made a habit out of being on the other end of blowouts all season. | Langley’s relentless man-to-man defense flustered Oakton (29-1) from the jump. After giving up a Maddie Royle bucket on the game’s opening possession, the Saxons (25-5) held Oakton without a field goal for six minutes to grab a commanding 13-3 lead. It was an unfamiliar situation for a juggernaut Oakton squad that made a habit out of being on the other end of blowouts all season. |
| “We knew they’d never been in this situation,” Langley point guard Jordyn Callaghan said. “But on the other hand, we’ve been down and in close games, so we know how to grind it out. We knew that if we just kept pushing they would slowly get down on themselves and we’d rise up.” | “We knew they’d never been in this situation,” Langley point guard Jordyn Callaghan said. “But on the other hand, we’ve been down and in close games, so we know how to grind it out. We knew that if we just kept pushing they would slowly get down on themselves and we’d rise up.” |
| Callaghan led all scorers with 14 points, her production coming from 12-for-13 shooting at the free throw line. More impressive was the Saxons’ defense, which has held seven of its last nine opponents under 40 points. | Callaghan led all scorers with 14 points, her production coming from 12-for-13 shooting at the free throw line. More impressive was the Saxons’ defense, which has held seven of its last nine opponents under 40 points. |
| “There’s a lot of respect for that [Oakton] program, and what they did this year is incredible,” Baker said. “We definitely admire what they were able to accomplish.” | “There’s a lot of respect for that [Oakton] program, and what they did this year is incredible,” Baker said. “We definitely admire what they were able to accomplish.” |
| Even with just nine wins the previous season, Herndon long ago envisioned the moment, when it took the Siegel Center floor with a spot in the Virginia 6A state final on the line. What the No. 17 Hornets had not anticipated was encountering a one-two punch as potent as the one packed by two-time defending state champ Cosby. | Even with just nine wins the previous season, Herndon long ago envisioned the moment, when it took the Siegel Center floor with a spot in the Virginia 6A state final on the line. What the No. 17 Hornets had not anticipated was encountering a one-two punch as potent as the one packed by two-time defending state champ Cosby. |
| With Jocelyn Jones (25 points, 18 rebounds) attacking the rim and Tyra Whitehead (18 points, 17 rebounds) patrolling the paint, the Titans overwhelmed Herndon, 64-33. | With Jocelyn Jones (25 points, 18 rebounds) attacking the rim and Tyra Whitehead (18 points, 17 rebounds) patrolling the paint, the Titans overwhelmed Herndon, 64-33. |
| The outcome could not take away from the pride and optimism lingering on a Hornets team that now has experience to go with its promising youth. | The outcome could not take away from the pride and optimism lingering on a Hornets team that now has experience to go with its promising youth. |
| “Past years I never really had the confidence that we would make this run,” Herndon junior Indeya Sanders said. But knowing that we had built such a stable program in ourselves, building a closer bond with our teammates. . . . I just knew those were the building blocks we needed for…where we got.” | “Past years I never really had the confidence that we would make this run,” Herndon junior Indeya Sanders said. But knowing that we had built such a stable program in ourselves, building a closer bond with our teammates. . . . I just knew those were the building blocks we needed for…where we got.” |
| To get there, the Hornets (21-8) had to overcome a late-season skid and topple one of the tournament’s No. 1 seeds, fueling the Hornets, coming off their first winning season in six years, with confidence. | To get there, the Hornets (21-8) had to overcome a late-season skid and topple one of the tournament’s No. 1 seeds, fueling the Hornets, coming off their first winning season in six years, with confidence. |
| “The strength of our team is coming back, and that’s exciting,” Hornets Coach Cornelius Snead said. “I tip my hat to Cosby. But as far as my team, I couldn’t be any prouder than these young players.” | “The strength of our team is coming back, and that’s exciting,” Hornets Coach Cornelius Snead said. “I tip my hat to Cosby. But as far as my team, I couldn’t be any prouder than these young players.” |