Photo by Gurnoor Sodhi

Sophomore Maya Bellamy brings the ball up the court during a home game on Dec. 19 against Churchill.

Girls’ basketball has been able to navigate a challenging stretch of games to start the season, coming out with more wins than losses. Through two conference games in addition to six nonconference games, the team has a record of 4-5.

After dominating in the season opener against Magruder, the team fell to Richard Montgomery 54-42. That loss was followed by another frustrating game in which Clarksburg beat the Patriots 57-38.

Following those two consecutive losses, the team looked to their leaders for some positive momentum. “The captains are very supportive and they always make me feel so welcome on the team,” freshman post Malia Bellamy said.

The positive momentum came in huge numbers in the next game. In a home game on Dec. 13, they routed Northwood. The 70-27 victory brought their record to 2-2 and set the tone for their next games.

Two days after the Northwood game, the Patriots traveled to Rockville and won 55-25. With two wins in a row, the team was feeling good heading into a rivalry matchup.

On Dec. 19 they hosted Churchill in the second matchup of a doubleheader with the boys’ team. The girls got off to a strong start as their seniors took command of the game. Two early threes by senior guard Erin McGinness helped the team take control. Fellow senior post Caroline Stasko added a pair of buckets to give the Patriots a 15-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The team continued to roll through the game on their way to a third straight victory. An impressive layup from sophomore Maya Bellamy was a highlight from the 49-24 win. “We played really well against Churchill. There are things we can work on, but we did really well,” Bellamy said.

The rivalry win was an exciting experience for students at the game. “It was a lot of fun to watch the team perform so well. It is even better when you’re playing a team like Churchill,” senior Troy Bailey said.

In the following game, the team traveled to Walter Johnson on Dec. 21 and lost in a close affair. The Patriots fell just short with a 49-48 loss.

Although they couldn’t extend the win streak to four games, they remain optimistic as they head into the heat of the season. “We are focusing on winning one game at a time. Growing closer as a team is also important to us,” McGinness said.

In their most recent game on Jan. 5, the team fell to Bethesda Chevy-Chase in a blowout loss. It was a difficult matchup for the team and one that brought them to a record of 4-4. They followed that game with another loss at Whitman on Jan. 8.

Despite an up-and-down start to the season, things are looking up for the team. They will have a chance to get back on track at home vs. Seneca Valley on Jan. 12 and away at Blair on Jan. 16. “I’m really excited to see what the girls can do the rest of the season,” Bailey said.