CHAPELGATE CHRISTIAN WORKS OVERTIME FOR CHAMPIONSHIP

by Robert Klemko

Emily Wolven admits she’s a streaky shooter, but loves firing three-pointers.

Though it was her streak of four three-pointers that propelled Chapelgate Christian School to a win in the Maryland Christian Schools Tournament semifinals Friday, she had missed her first five attempts in the title game against Greater Grace School Saturday.

Wolven watched on the court at Washington Bible College Saturday as teammate Julia Groves single-handedly rallied the Yellow Jackets into the lead in the final quarter. Then she watched in frustration as Greater Grace senior Kelli Bagby hit a desperation 15-footer as time expired to send the game into overtime.

So with the ball in her hands beyond the arc on the extra period’s first possession, Wolven saw Greater Grace’s soft zone and figured, in her words, “what the heck.” Her three-pointer sparked the Yellow Jackets in overtime, claiming a 54-52 win the tournament’s Division I championship.

“If you give her four quarters she’s gonna’ hit three or four in a row,” said Chapelgate coach Rick Kohr. “That streak to start over time set the tone and got the girls into it… that was very important for us.”

The title was fifth in the last eight years for the Marriottsville school. It was also redemption for a loss to St. Vincent Pallotti in the IAAM B Conference semifinals a couple of weeks ago.

“It’s awesome,” Groves said. “We worked hard and it feels so cool to be here.”

After trading the lead for much of the game, Greater Grace pulled out to a 44-37 advantage in the final period. With five minutes remaining, Groves hit a three-pointer and a baseline layup after a Greater Grace turnover, starting an 11-2 run, putting Chapelgate ahead 46-44 before Bagby’s shot forced overtime.

“I guess I just decided that somebody had to so I was just going to do what I normally do and see if it works and it did,” said Groves, who scored a team-high 17 points. “It was a little unbelievable how they took it to overtime, but I knew if they did we could definitely win so we were pretty confident.”

Wolven who grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds, scored 13 of her 17 points in the extra frame. It was no coincidence Wolven and Groves were the catalyst in the final moments.

“We said in the fourth quarter and overtime that we want the ball in Emily
Wolven’s hands and Julia Groves’ hands,” Kohr said. “They’ve been our playmakers all year.”
Greater Grace finished the season at 23-3 with its three losses coming by a total margin of just five points. Greater Grace coach Jen Lynch said she was proud of her team’s performance.

“We have small team so we had to full-court press them the whole game,” Lynch said. “We don’t have a bench really… so our starters have to play smart and play the whole game and the whole court. I’m just proud of my girls.”

Senior forward Julie Bekier led Greater Grace with 15 points and led a full-court press that, at times, frustrated the Yellow Jackets.

“I guess maybe a couple times in the IAAM this year we saw that,” Kohr said. “We did a great job of breaking it and then making them pay for it at the other end of the court. They were very intense, they played in-your-face and they made things very difficult.”

After the game, Wolven tied her strand of string from the championship net around her wrist. Asked how long she would keep it on, she said with a huge grin, “forever.”

Maryland Christian Schools Tournament Division 1 championship
at Washington Bible College

Chapelgate Christian 54, Grace Brethren 52
GG—Bagby 5, Bekier 15, Mooney 10, Holehouse 13, Buie 9. Totals 19 9-22 52.

C—Ahrens 9, Wolven 17, Lovaas 5, Best 2, Groves 17. Totals 23 3-8 54.

Half-- Greater Grace 22, Chapelgate 21.