Despite losing powerful Herndon and ascendant Robinson, the Concorde District again figures to be among the area’s best in girls basketball. What makes the district interesting is that you could make a case for almost anybody to win it come tournament time–the gap between fifth and first place might very well be minimal. That makes for some good competition, and while the Concorde lost a lot of individual talent with the Class of 2017’s graduation, it is very likely new stars will emerge to carry their teams come February.
If you were to pick a favorite, you might settle on the Centreville Wildcats simply because they return most of their lineup intact. CC Conklin is a substantial loss, but Tom Watson’s team returns senior post player Callie Doyle and fleet junior guard Ashley Martin. You might not consider those two to be dominant players based on the 15 ppg between them last year, but both have improved and their stats last year were somewhat deflated by Centreville’s deliberate pace and defensive style. They’re both very good bets to be first-team district performers this year.
The Wildcats aren’t just Doyle and Martin, either. They return guards Aleigh Gambone, Ruth Axton and Tatiyone Clagett from last year’s roster–all rotational players who provide experience, shooting and athleticism. Forward Kaiya Hall got significant minutes as a freshman last year and could be ready to step up her production. Last year’s team was inconsistent but featured upset wins over Chantilly and Herndon. This year’s edition needs only to find more consistency to figure as a major factor not only in the district, but the region.
