Despite three consecutive appearances in the state semifinals, there was some question as to just how good Fallston was.
After all, the Cougars didn't have much competition in Harford County, and the area's top-ranked teams always seemed to be missing from their nonleague schedule.
Against three-time defending Catholic League champion St. Mary's yesterday, Fallston answered some of its critics.
Senior forward Jenny Weber scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the sixth-ranked Cougars to a 67-59 victory over No. 5 St. Mary's in the Greater Baltimore Women's Basketball Mixer at the College of Notre Dame.
"It was a realization. Now they know they can play the big game," Fallston coach Nancy Ferguson said. "We were a little apprehensive coming in here. You wonder how they are they going to do against someone that they know is an excellent ballclub, and I thought they showed pretty good presence."
Ferguson also was pleased by her team's offense. In the state playoffs the past three seasons, points were hard to come by for the Cougars' usually potent offense.
Fallston (2-0) averaged just 30 points in its three straight state semifinal appearances, including 21 against Williamsport in the 1992 Class 1A state championship game that set a record for fewest points by both teams (55).
Yesterday, Fallston scored 27 in the fourth quarter.
"We know we can score points. That's not the problem," Ferguson said. "It's the attitude and the poise going into a big game. I was very pleased with the attitude that 'we can play with them.' "
The Cougars, helped by 27-for-38 free-throw shooting, also showed they could come back after squandering a seven-point halftime lead.
Fallston had taken a 14-12 advantage on a basket by senior center Candy Credito (14 points, 12 rebounds) with 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Cougars did not relinquish the lead until midway through the third quarter when All-Metro center Annetta Davis scored inside to pull the Saints even at 30.
St. Mary's (1-2) took a 32-30 lead on a bank shot by Tara Foran (17 points, nine rebounds), its first lead since it held an 8-6 advantage in the first quarter.
The Saints outscored Fallston by 22-10 in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 45-40.
But Fallston opened the fourth quarter with an 11-3 run and led the rest of the way.
St. Mary's played much of the second half without Davis (12 points, nine rebounds), who picked up her fourth foul with 3:39 left in the third quarter. She returned with 3:30 remaining in the game, but she fouled out less than 30 seconds later.
It was the second straight loss for St. Mary's, which was 25-3 last season.
"I can't put my finger on what's wrong," St. Mary's coach Harry Dobson said. "We're not hustling and we're making bad fouls."