Mike Burke
Cumberland Times-News
— CUMBERLAND — Defending champion Seton Keough will open its title defense late this afternoon against Elizabeth Seton in a rematch of last year’s championship game as the 16th annual Bishop Walsh Girls Invitational opens today at Bishop Walsh School.
Seton Keough, the sixth-ranked team in Baltimore, will meet up with Bladensburg’s Elizabeth Seton (22-6), ranked No. 5 in the Washington area as well as the Washington Catholic Athletic League champion, at 4:45 p.m. in the tournament’s second game.
The tournament opener, which begins at 3:15 p.m., will feature host Bishop Walsh (5-17) and the top-ranked team in Baltimore, St. Frances (22-3).
Game 3, the 6:15 p.m. game features Baltimore’s No. 2 team, Archbishop Spalding (21-5), against St. John’s (23-6) of Washington, ranked No. 3 in D.C. and the WCAC runner-up. Tonight’s final game begins at 8 p.m. with Bishop McNamara (18-8), No. 12 in Washington, opposing Springside School of Philadelphia, a newcomer to the tournament.
The Seton Roadrunners are coming off a 74-63 victory over St. John’s in the WCAC championship game, earning their first title in five years. Coached by former University of Maryland All-American Jazz Perazic, Seton is led by Georgia Tech-bound Tyaunna Marshall, who averages 19 points a game and scored 30 points in the WCAC title game.
Alexis Martin, Alyssa Albanese and Melanie Royster all average 7 points a game for Seton, while Janelle Murphy is in with 6 per game.
St. John’s has been led by Marissa Brock with 14 points a game, while Mooriah Rowser and Nicola Zimmer both average 12, and Mariah Jones 9.
The McNamara leading scorers are Taylor Brown at 17 per game, Michea Bryant at 11, Cierra Strickland 10 and Ashley Miles 7.
The BWGIT began in 1995 and the tournament’s founder, Bob Boyle, still directs it. For more information, go to bishopwalsh.org and click on the link for BWGIT.
Mike Burke is sports editor of the Cumberland Times-News. Write to him at mburke@times-news.com
