Clarke Ends Mason High's Season, 51-46

It wouldn’t have been a comeback — it would have been a resurrection. But there would be no life after death for the George Mason High School girls basketball team last Thursday night, not after scoring just nine points in the first half of its Bull Run District semi-final game against Clarke County.

Ultimately Mason fell to its rival 51-46, concluding a highly successful regular season of district competition. “My girls just came out flat,” Mason Head Coach Dan Wilkie said. “We made it our goal to win the first two minutes of the game, and when Clarke came out with that intensity, it shocked the team and unfortunately we couldn’t recover until the second half.”

Still, the Mustangs did their best Dr. Frankenstein impersonation, rejuvenating a lifeless offense with an explosive second half that saw the team rally for 37 points. Mason closed the gap to just three points on a three-pointer by freshman Meredith Hamme with under a minute remaining, and had a shot to tie the game with 30 seconds remaining, but the Mustangs couldn’t hit any of their final three three-point attempts. Two Clarke free-throws put the Eagles up by five points and ended any hopes for an epic comeback.

“At the half all we really discussed was heart,” Mason Head Coach Dan Wilkie said. “Do we have enough heart to charge back and win the game? Even though we did not with the game, these girls definitely had the heart. I could not have been more proud.” Bull Run District Player of the Year junior Maggie O’Toole led the Mason offense with 18 points, while junior Alex Pender added 11. Hamme finished the game with 10 points.

The loss leaves the Mustangs just short of the victory needed to advance to the Regional Tournament. The loss marks the end of the road for seniors Christina KirkBride, Katerina Zissios, Claudia Daisley, Alison Van Pelt, Katlyn Rose McCully and Lena Griffin. However, the team will return four of its starting five, including All-District Players Hamme and Pender and Player of the Year O’Toole.

“I’m frustrated by the fact that our season was cut short, we had goals and we did not meet those goals,” Wilkie said. “I am very excited for next season and all the possibilities it will bring. I’m just frustrated that I have to wait eight months to coach these girls again.”

Mike Hume may be emailed at mhume@fcnp.com