7th Grade Girls Highlanders Take Second Place in Martinez Basketball Tournament

With amazing defense and a skilled passing game, the 7th Grade Girls Highlanders -- coached by Matt Kirby and Marikah Woodson -- topped off a successful season by playing in the Martinez Jr. High School Invitational Basketball Tournament championship game.

The road to the championship game started with a 37-17 win over Joaquin Moraga. Malorie Han and Sydney Boxer had 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the Highlanders’ win against the Marauders. Rebecca Harris scored 6 points, and Tess Olcott made key passes for several assists.

In their second game, the Highlanders battled the Albany Cobras for a berth in the championship game. Although the Highlanders seemed to be in control, they still found themselves down by one point as they neared half-time. Mika Lee drew the foul and went to the line to tie it up, only to have Albany respond with another bucket before the buzzer. Top scorer Kelsey Fennell showed her prowess with 11 points, while the Cobras had to fight for every point against outstanding defense by Hana Elabed, Jane Kingston and Genna Williamson. Nicole Bilorusky and Caroline James added to the scoreboard as well, as the Highlanders finally pulled away in the second half to win, 27-21.

With two wins in the tournament, the Highlanders (8-2 for the season) faced Stanley Middle School (9-1) in the championship game. The Highlanders had been the only team to defeat Stanley during the season, so this was an exciting re-match for both teams. The Highlanders traded the lead and stayed within a couple points of Stanley until the final quarter when they fell behind by 10 points with two minutes remaining. Piedmont turned on their trademark defense to force some key turnovers to close the gap, bringing them within 2 points with 9 seconds left in the game. Although the Highlanders had possession and a chance to score, the ball did not find its way into the hoop, and the final buzzer went off before the Highlanders could tie the game. Final score: Highlanders 22, Stanley 24.

Kelsey Fennell and Malorie Han were named All-Stars for the tournament.