WINCHESTER — The North Laurel Lady Jaguars picked up one of the biggest wins of the season Saturday, knocking off No. 6 Frederick Douglass, 54-42, to improve to 16-6. The Lady Broncos, who were coming off a 20-point win over No. 1 Sacred Heart, fall to 18-4.
North Laurel set the tone early and never lost its composure.
Senior Haley Combs came out aggressive, scoring 10 first-quarter points as the Lady Jaguars built an 18-10 lead after one. Frederick Douglass responded in the second period, trimming the deficit to 27-26 at halftime, but North Laurel stayed steady behind Mariella Claybrook’s 12 first-half points.
“Couldn’t be more proud of this group,” North Laurel coach Eddie Mahan said. “This was a premier win, and we earned it with poise and true team basketball. The girls came in and executed our game plan at a very high level on both ends of the floor. We added this game just last night, so for them to grasp it and perform this well in such a short amount of time says a lot about their focus and preparation.”
North Laurel regained control in the third quarter.
Claybrook scored eight points, Laylee Phillips added three, and Bella Mahan chipped in one as the Lady Jaguars pushed their lead to 39-35 entering the fourth quarter.
“The first period was a tone setter but the third and fourth quarters really showed how good the poise is of this team is right now,” Mahan said. “They answered every run that Fredrick Douglass made. That shows growth from where we were most of January.”
Frederick Douglass made one more push, cutting it to 43-39 with 3:30 left.
Claybrook picked up her fourth foul during that stretch and later fouled out with the Lady Jaguars holding a 47-41 lead with under two minutes remaining.
North Laurel finished the game the right way, outscoring Douglass 7-1 down the stretch.
Phillips delivered big late, scoring eight fourth-quarter points and going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Combs added three late points while Claybrook and Emma Carl chipped in two apiece to close it out.
Claybrook led North Laurel with 22 points, Phillips added 14, and Combs finished with 13.
“Mariella’s consistency all season has been outstanding, and Haley Combs continues to elevate her play and leadership to another level,” Mahan said. “She had a tremendous game and set the tone early. Laylee Phillips gave us a big lift as well, especially in the second half. Bella Lewis did great on both ends. Bella Mahan, Molly Morgan, and Emma Carl all made huge contributions in different ways. This team is locked in right now, and I love the mindset and togetherness I’m seeing from our entire group.”
