Click 'videos' above to watch highlights and the press conference from the game
By Andy States
Digital Sports Content Manager
Finally, it was time to let it out.
As the championships mounted up for the Eleanor Roosevelt Raiders in recent weeks, the team was all business, almost apathetic, in its on-court demeanor. But as the final seconds ticked off the clock in Roosevelt's 67-39 win over the Blake Bengals in Saturday's 4A championship game, the girls from Roosevelt finally were able to celebrate.
With the win the Raiders achieved their ultimate goal of a state championship and a bit of history, as the state title was the fifth straight for the girls basketball program.
"It's finally over. It feels like we've been together for 30 years now," said Roosevelt senior Alexis Malloy with a laugh. "I loved them a whole lot. I think we need to throw a big celebration."
That celebration would be well-deserved for the seniors from Roosevelt (25-1), as the class completed its career knowing nothing but state championship finishes. But Saturday's win over Blake held a little different meaning than the previous titles.
"It was different because we helped all the other classes get it done," said Olivia Applewhite, who led all scorers with 22 points and hauled in 11 rebounds. "It just feels good to have one for ourselves."
The Raiders left very little to chance. Lacie Hall and Applewhite combined to score the game's first six points and the Raiders never looked back. Roosevelt led 15-9 after a quarter. Faye Dunston scored the first bucket of the second period to pull Blake (22-6) to within four, but the Bengals would never come any closer than that.
The Raiders led 31-18 by the half and kept the foot on the gas in the second half, outscoring Blake 21-9 in the third quarter. Terah Mustaf scored 10 points to join Applewhite in double digits, while Hall added nine points and nine rebounds.
"I think that may have been the best I've ever seen Applewhite play," Blake coach Patti Gilmore said. "She showed up to play today."
Gilmore said that when she saw Roosevelt's narrow semifinal win over Arundel on Thursday she knew what was in store. Two years ago she saw a similarly sluggish semfinal performance out of the Raiders before her team met them in the final, and Roosevelt responded with a 'dynamite' final.
To make matters worse, the Bengals suffered key injuries throughout the course of the game. Christine Weithman broke a hand in the first quarter, while Justine Allen suffered a broken nose later.
"We're undersized to begin with," Gilmore said, "and we knew going in it was going to be an uphill battle."
Danielle Douglas led the Bengals with 12 points, while Gabi Hall scored 10 and pulled in a team-high 11 boards.
For Roosevelt, the effort started with its usual high-intensity, physical defense. Coach Rod Hairston likened the team's defense to that of the 2004-05 Raiders -- the team that won the first in the string of state titles.
"We're a very aggressive team," Hall said. "We came out with a lot of intensity and energy and I think that just motivates us and pushes us even further."
Four years ago Hairston knew he had players with potential, but the idea of this year's senior class going 4 for 4 at the state tournament never crossed his mind.
"I never envisioned going 4 for 4," he said. "That was never what we really saw as an opportunity. What I did see was a class of hard-working young ladies that wanted to be players. With each year it became like, 'Wow, we can win it again.'"
And, after the first championship was won before the current seniors were even in high school, this year's graduating class never had the luxury of sneaking up on anyone. Though continued success allows for some good-spirited debate amongst the coaching staff as to which year's team was the best, Hairston said he thought that this year's group was the deepest and most talented.
"They've had the target on their back ever since they got to Roosevelt," Hairston said.
Eight seniors will graduate from this year's team, leaving the drive for No. 6 in the hands of a completely changed group.
"I just want for us to keep playing as hard as they played," said Mustaf, a junior, referring to the team's seniors. "This year they showed me a lot. Everybody had heart. I think we all need to come back with the same intensity and heart that they had."
Eleanor Roosevelt 67, Blake 39
R 15 16 21 15
B 9 9 9 12
Roosevelt: Applewhite 9 4-4 22, Mustaf 3 3-6 10, Hall 4 1-2 9, Malloy 3 1-1 7, Hall 2 2-4 6, Gibbs 3 0-0 6, Bullock 1 2-4 4, Nolan 1 1-4 3
Blake: Douglas 2 7-8 12, Hall 5 0-0 10, Allen 2 0-0 6, Dunston 2 0-0 4, Buonomo 2 0-0 4, Davis 0 2-2 2, Weithman 0 1-2 1
Three-pointers: Roosevelt 1 (Mustaf); Blake 3 (Allen 2, Douglas)
astates@digitalsports.com