Final score: 54-42

The McLean girls basketball varsity squad traveled to Langley High School on Feb. 16 to take on their rivals with a trip to the Liberty District Finals on the line. The Highlanders entered the game having lost both regular-season games against the Saxons.

“Our team tends to play the best when we play [Langley],” star senior Mia Fitzgerald said. “The fans that the game brings makes the game even better to play in.”

The game started slow for the offenses of both teams, as turnovers occurred throughout the first quarter. Freshman Vilte Kacerauskaite was the first McLean player to make her presence felt, continually disrupting passes and forcing turnovers. Kacerauskaite also knocked down multiple jumpers on the other end of the court, and at the end of the first quarter, McLean held an 8-5 lead.

Junior guard Kara Bremser, who set the McLean record for three-pointers made in a single season on Feb. 9, drained a huge stepback three-pointer to shift the momentum entirely in McLean’s favor. Although the Saxons were on their home court, the outnumbered Langley student section was unable to stop the raucous cheers in support of the Highlanders. McLean entered halftime with a 20-16 lead.

“I’m super proud of how they played,” said boys varsity player Daniel Fimbres, who was in attendance. “As the game progressed, they started knocking down shots, they found their rhythm.”

The third quarter began in Langley’s favor, with strong plays in transition bringing them within two points of the lead. Towards the end of the third frame of action, the game became a back-and-forth battle, where every offensive action had an equal and opposite reaction on the other side. As the quarter ended, McLean held a 31-27 lead.

Junior guard Shushan Krikorian had an incredible game from the perimeter, shooting several three-pointers to give momentum back to the visiting Highlanders. Langley fought back with triples of their own, but McLean’s consistency on offense allowed the Highlanders to pull ahead. Langley was forced to call a timeout with five minutes left in the game as the scoreboard displayed 39-30 in McLean’s favor. 

Langley attempted to rebound from the deficit, but yet another three-pointer from Krikorian and a plethora of Highlander free throws put the game firmly out of reach, sealing the victory for McLean. The game ended in a 54-42 victory for McLean, who stamped their ticket to the district championship game against the Yorktown Patriots.

McLean’s matchup will be on the road on Friday, Feb. 18 against a tough Yorktown team that beat McLean both times they played in the regular season. 

“We aren’t going to get outplayed,” varsity coach Jen Sobota said. “This is payback for the two losses. We’ll be ready.”