Cardinals Fall to Rival Knights in Region 20 Championship
CCBC Catonsville's magical women's basketball season came to an end on Saturday, as the Cardinals fell to rival CCBC Essex in the Region 20 championship game.
The Cardinals played the game of their lives, holding the defending champions in check for most of the afternoon. Catonsville nearly pulled the upset in the final minutes, but Essex would hang on to win 63-61.
Facing the defending national champions, the Cardinals showed spirit in the opening quarter. Sophomore guard Tenea Robinson (Baltimore Poly Tech) opened the scoring for the Cardinals with a layup to tie the game in the opening minutes. Essex would pull away, but the Cardinals responded as sophomore guard Kayla Cabbagestalk (Chesapeake) and sophomore forward Dasia Townes (Baltimore Poly Tech) both scored to make it a one-point game. Essex tried to establish a comfortable lead, but the Cardinals kept pushing back. Townes nailed key shots to keep chipping into the Knights lead, with the Cardinals trailing 16-14 after the first quarter.
Once again, it was Townes who closed the gap in the second quarter. Catonsville got within a point before the Knights began pulling away. With four minutes to go, the Cardinals trailed by ten. Townes and Robinson ended the scoring drought and brought the Cardinals back to within four points. Freshman forward Serafina Stubbs (Owings Mills) hit a crucial jumper with a minute left in the quarter to cut the lead again, and despite a brief scoring outburst by the Knights, the Cardinals trailed by just five at the half.
The third quarter got off to a rough start for the Cardinals. Catonsville failed to score until the five-minute mark when Townes hit a much-needed three. However, Catonsville's defense wasn't letting the Knights pull pout to their usual double-digit lead. The furthest ahead Essex was able to pull was eleven points; every time they started to pull away, the Cardinals would respond. The last few minutes saw a flurry of scoring from the Cardinals, with Townes and Robinson furiously keeping the Cardinals within a score or two. With one quarter to play, Catonsville trailed 52-43. There was still a chance.
The fourth quarter would be one to remember. Essex extended their lead to eleven with a pair of free throws, but Townes immediately hit a layup to cut the lead to nine. Robinson then scored after Essex missed a three-pointer to cut the lead to seven. Essex caught a break when a foul by sophomore guard Mya Franklin (Newtown) allowed for bonus points, but once again Robinson answered with a score. Cabbagestalk got the Cardinals within six with a jumper, and after Essex responded with a score, Townes hit a massive three to make it a five-point game. Essex dug in on defense, and with two and a half minutes to go, it looked like the Knights would be able to hold on.
The moment of the game came with 2:34 to play. Stubbs hit a deep three-pointer, bringing the crowd to its feet and making the contest a two-point game. Both squads missed three-pointers, with Essex finally responding a minute later with a jumper. Catonsville would not go away, as Robinson hit her final shot of the afternoon to make it a two-point game yet again. With less than a minute to go, the Cardinals just needed a stop and a score to win.
The magic would run out with ten seconds to go. A foul set up free throws that Essex did not miss. Robinson missed the ensuing three-pointer, and although sophomore forward Jocelyn Fogle (Hammond) managed to score off the rebound, time ran out on the Cardinals season. After an incredible battle, the Cardinals would fall to Essex 63-61.
Townes finished the game with 27 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Robinson dropped 16 points, six rebounds, and three steals, while Stubbs added seven points off the bench. The loss dropped the Cardinals to a 22-5 record, still the best record in program history.