The rivalry is decades old, but there was something brand new in this season’s first of two regular-season all-Arlington girls neighborhood basketball clashes between the Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots.
The head coaches of both high-school teams are brand new this season as they led the Dec. 19 showdown at Washington-Liberty.
Horace “Buck” Willis was at the head of the Generals’ bench and guided Washington-Liberty to a 59-38 victory over new coach Jessica Turgon and the Patriots.
Each took charge of their squad earlier this year, leading the next phase of a local rivalry that spans 65 years.
With the win — its sixth straight — Washington-Liberty improved to 6-1 overall and is now 1-0 in the Liberty District. The loss snapped Yorktown’s three-game victory string, but the Patriots also are off to a strong start with a 4-2 overall mark and stand 1-1 in the district.
“That was a big win for us, because Yorktown is very good and they have been playing well,” Willis told ARLnow. “I thought our defense was outstanding today, and we shot well.”
The scoring seesawed until 30 seconds remained in the first quarter, when Washington-Liberty took the lead for good at 15-12 on a three-pointer by Catherine Hogans.
The Generals were up 17-12 at period’s end and led 30-18 at halftime. The closest Yorktown got in the second half was 36-30 late in the third quarter before the Generals pulled away in the final stanza.
Yorktown was hurt because Ainsley Lomas, a top player, missed the game with an ankle injury and Olivia Shiplett, another top player and scorer, was sidelined for a big part of the first half in foul trouble. As a result, the Patriots struggled to find offensive rhythm.
“That was our plan, to get [Shiplett] in early foul trouble,” Willis said. “That changed the game when that happened.”
With Shiplett sidelined, Washington-Liberty senior center Eve Jungman scored eight first-quarter points on her way to 16 overall. She also finished with nine rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots.
“We needed Eve to play well early, and she dominated early,” Willis said.
In contrast, Shiplett did not score in the first half.
Also for W-L, Kathryn Wagener had 21 points and five rebounds, Anna Jungman scored six to go with 10 assists and nine rebounds, Dylan Plummer made two three-pointers and scored eight off the bench, and Riley Krohl made a three and scored five off the bench. Camille Marston had seven rebounds.
The Generals shot 49% from the floor and outrebounded Yorktown, 34-25. Yorktown shot 34% from the floor.
Shiplett finished with eight points, all in the third period, to go with four rebounds. Eleanor Mahshie led Yorktown in scoring by making two three-pointers and scoring 11 points to go with four rebounds and three assists.
“She is a very good and quick shooter and we needed to play good defense on her,” Willis said of Mahshie.
Samantha Donahue scored seven and had four rebounds for Yorktown, Elena Debevec scored six and Kendall Amori scored four off the bench.
Washington-Liberty has now defeated Yorktown four straight times.
Yorktown and Washington-Liberty are expected to be top challengers in the district this season along with the defending champion Langley Saxons. The Generals finished second to Langley last season.
In big non-district games against perennial region and state challengers played already this season, Yorktown and W-L had similar results. Each lost to the Oakton Cougars in close games, and each defeated the Madison Warhawks. Oakton finished second in the region last season.
In the two Arlington teams’ games prior to the Dec. 19 meeting, Yorktown defeated visiting Madison, 56-41, and Washington-Liberty topped host Colonial Forge, 50-27. The week prior, W-L downed Madison, 57-38.
Wagener scored 16 against Colonial Forge and Anna Jungman 17 against Madison. For Yorktown against Madison, Shiplett scored 26 points.
Lomas suffered an ankle sprain in Yorktown’s win over the Wakefield Warriors. She had scored 15 points at the time of the injury.
Yorktown boys top W-L for sixth win in row: Prior to the W-L/Yorktown girls game Dec. 19, the boys varsity teams from the two schools met on the same court.
Yorktown (7-1, 2-0) won, 43-40, in a tight game throughout for its sixth win in a row. Washington-Liberty fell to 5-2, 0-1 and had its three-game win streak snapped. The win was Yorktown’s fourth straight over W-L.
Washington-Liberty never led in the game, but pulled within one point seven times. The Generals had the game’s final two shots, missing both, one on a follow shot.
Jack Coulam led Yorktown with 17 points. James Davis had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, Charlie Ganbaatar scored five off the bench and guard Leo Sandoli added three off the bench and two assists.
For W-L, Adam Dodini scored 17 and made three three-pointers, Carmichael Williams had eight points and nine rebounds, and Gabriel Smith added seven points. The Generals shot just 23% from the floor.
Like the girls squads, the Yorktown and W-L boys teams are expected to be district challengers this winter.
