With 1:16 remaining in the first half of last night's Class 1A state semifinal between the sixth-ranked Glenelg girls basketball team and Bohemia Manor, Glenelg students sitting behind the Eagles' basket began to chant.
"It's all O-VER," yelled the students. "It's all O-VER."
They were being kind.
Glenelg's 61-27 victory at UMBC was sealed midway through the first quarter. The Gladiators (18-7) broke a 2-2 game with a 13-0 run and led 21-5 going into the second quarter.
"I thought the competition would be a lot more than what it was, being that we're in the final four," said Glenelg sophomore guard Chrissy Starcher, who had a team-high 14 points, all in the first half. "But we got the job done."
Glenelg, which won the Class 1A title two years ago and was runner-up last season, will play Southern of Garrett County (21-5), a 66-48 winner over North Dorchester, in today's 6 p.m. championship game.
Charlena Reeves led five Southern players in double figures with 19 points. Tiffany Cephas had 34 points and Ashley Warrick added 14 for all of North Dorchester's points.
"I'm not worried, I know we'll do real well, but it's going to be a big difference from today and tomorrow," said Starcher, who had two three-point baskets last night and has six in the past two games.
Glenelg senior guard Heather Young, who had 10 first-half points, said the Gladiators will be ready.
"We've already moved on. We're not thinking about this game," Young said. "We know we're going to have to push the ball up [against Southern]. We'll have to take it to them."
The Gladiators, who have won 10 of their past 12 and six straight, pressed their Cecil County semifinal opponent into 10 turnovers in the first quarter and 13 more before halftime, which ended 44-13.
"The press beat us. It's that simple," said Bohemia Manor coach Larry Garber. "We're not real deep in ball-handlers, and when you're not, you're going to pay against a team that good."
The Eagles (19-5) committed 35 turnovers.
"They were really aggressive the whole game," said Bohemia Manor junior Lisa Lee, who had a team-high eight points. "They were very good at pressing and stuck to it. Their bench was strong, too."
Glenelg coach Ciaran Lesikar said last night's victory was a confidence booster. He was able to rest his starters and give his bench players valuable playing time.
Cheyenne Davidson came off the Glenelg bench and scored 12 points, 10 coming in the second quarter.
G--Starcher 14, Edell 4, H. Young 10, Davidson 12, Biggs 7, Krumpotich 5, Hamilton 4, Edwards 2, J. Young 1, McGill 2. Totals: 27 3-8 61. BM--Lee 8, J. Casper 3, Dean 3, Stopper 1, A. Davis 4, McPoland 2, A. Davis 2, K. Casper 4. Totals: 10 7-20 27. Half: G, 44-13.
Girls playoffs
(At UMBC's Retriever Activities Center) State semifinals Yesterday
Class 2A Dunbar 54, Fairmont Heights 46 Urbana 62, Stephen Decatur 48
Class 1A Glenelg 61, Bohemia Manor 27 Southern-G. 66, N. Dorchester 48 Thursday
Class 4A Suitland 57, Western 46 Churchill 70, Arundel 61
Class 3A Milford Mill 59, Westlake 42 Paint Branch 43, Bladensburg 42 State finals Today's games
Class 2A Dunbar vs. Urbana, 1 p.m.
Class 4A Suitland vs. Churchill, 3 p.m.
Class 1A Glenelg vs. Southern-Garrett, 6 p.m.
Class 3A Milford Mill vs. P. Branch, 8 p.m.