Ashburn, Va. — Riding a 14-game winning streak into the VHSL Class 5 State tournament, the Stone Bridge High School girls basketball team was set to host Region 5C runner-up Glen Allen in a state quarterfinal on March 3 in Ashburn.
During that nearly two-month long streak, the Bulldogs had 11 double-digit wins, claimed the Potomac District tournament championship for the first time since 2011, and won the program’s first ever VHSL Region 5D title.
However, their VHSL Class 5 State quarterfinal matchup with Glen Allen would be their biggest test of the season as they’d have to play without VHSL Region 5D Player of the Year Ava Ryan and fellow starter Emma Spizuoco, who were both sidelined due to injuries.
“This group is so special because of their relentlessness and never-give-up mentality,” Stone Bridge head coach Emily Thompson said. “We started out 3-8 and they continued to work hard and work together. It was so rewarding to watch this group night in and night out just believe that they can win any game.”
While the starting lineup may have looked a little bit different, Stone Bridge wasn’t sweating it.
Stone Bridge senior forward Charlotte Borley (15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) got the Bulldogs on the board right away as she got to the basket on the game’s opening possession to give her team a 2-0 lead.
On the other end Glen Allen sophomore center Makayla Louis (7 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) found freshman guard Brooklynn Brown (22 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists) open for three as the Jaguars grabbed the lead 3-2.
Glen Allen then grabbed an offensive rebound allowing Brown to get to the basket to score. After Brown grabbed a defensive rebound, Louis found freshman Abigail Foster (8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) heading to the basket as the Jaguars extended their lead to 7-2.
Brown and co. continued to add to their lead before Borley knocked down a three to make it a 6-point game late in the first quarter. Brown finished the quarter with a layup to end the first quarter up, 16-8.
Stone Bridge junior guard Sheila Suarez (9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals) quickly cut the deficit to 6 when Borley found her for a bucket to open the second quarter.
The Bulldogs weren’t rattled by a Brown triple as sophomore guard Keeley Billings (9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals) used a layup to start a short 6-0 run. A three by Suarez to end the run cut the Glen Allen lead to 19-16.
Following an and-one by Glen Allen sophomore forward Bailey Kee (11 points, 4 rebounds), Stone Bridge senior guard Gretchen Griswold (11 points) started to get going, scoring her first two baskets of the evening to cut the deficit back to just 3.
“This senior class has been special because some of them played freshmen basketball and became big key players on varsity,” Thompson said. “It’s rare you see that, but they continued to get better and play with confidence.”
A Glen Allen free throw extended the Jaguars’ lead to 4, but Borley ended the first half just as she started it, leading her team into the locker room down 26-24.
“At halftime, we were just giving them positive encouragement on what they were doing and how we needed to fix a few things,” Thompson said. “Our girls knew we were right in the game. By how we have prepared all year long, we were not scared to play them down two starters.”
On the first play of the second half, Billings avoided a high screen, stealing a handoff, before going coast-to-coast to even the score at 26-26.
Glen Allen continued to share the ball on offense as Foster, Louis, and Brown each scored to re-take the lead 35-28. However, Stone Bridge continued to fight back as Griswold went on a small 7-2 run by herself, including a banked three to cut the deficit to 37-35 late in the third.
Brown answered Griswold’s three with a three of her own before the Jaguars knocked down a pair of free throws to finish the third up 42-35.
Despite a tenacious fight, the Bulldogs—who were without VHSL Region 5D Player of the Year Ava Ryan and starting forward Emma Spizuoco—ran out of steam late, as their historic season came to a close in a 60-44 loss to Glen Allen.
“Winning 14 straight and coming up close in a state quarterfinal game with two starters out just shows how special the group was,” Thompson said. “This group has set a new standard. They’ll leave behind a winning legacy, including winning the first region title in program history.”
Bill Bride captured 100+ photos at the game!
Glen Allen Stats
| Player Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | FT |
| Brooklynn Brown | 22 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3-for-4 |
| Bailey Kee | 11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1-for-1 |
| Abigail Foster | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1-for-2 |
| Makayla Louis | 7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0-for-2 |
| Bailey Suber Hicks | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0-for-0 |
| Saathvi Sukumaran | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1-for-2 |
| Maya Ayers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Victoria Cassidy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2-for-2 |
| Reagan Sapp | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Maleez Sarpong | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Total | 60 | 31 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 8-for-13 |
Stone Bridge Stats
| Player Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | FT |
| Charlotte Borley | 15 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2-for-6 |
| Gretchen Griswold | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Sheila Suarez | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0-for-2 |
| Keeley Billings | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0-for-0 |
| Bethany Layton | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0-for-0 |
| Total | 44 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 2-for-8 |