Laurel volleyball improved to 2-1 with a narrow straight-sets victory over Bladensburg Sept. 15. The Spartans took the first two sets 26-24 each, but ran away in the third set, 25-15, to take the win.
The Lady Spartans were led by Sankofa Ray with 14 kills, three blocks and six assists. Saucha Robinson added four kills and Jade Hill added five kills. Danielle Conway contributed 12 aces in the match.
"Play as a team, win as a team," Hill said.
After an opening game loss to cross-town rival Pallotti Prep, the Lady Spartans beat High Point in a Sept. 13 match, 3-1. Laurel took the first two sets, 25-16 and 25-19, but lost the third set ,25-17. The Lady Spartans clinched the victory 25-22 in the fourth set.
Pallotti volleyball
Pallotti Prep volleyball beat Mercy High in straight sets Sept. 19 to improve to 7-3 on the year.
The Lady Panthers dominated the Magic in the first, winning 25-9. Mercy played close in the second set, but Pallotti won, 25-20, before clinching the match with a 25-5 third set.
Pallotti dominated group play, but lost in the championship game of the Eagle Invitational at McDonogh School in Baltimore Sept. 17.
The Lady Panthers swept their first three matches in the invitational, beating McDonogh 25-17, 25-20; Baltimore Polytechnical Institute, 25-12, 25-14; and Loch Raven, 25-16, 25-22. Pallotti beat Notre Dame Prep, 2-1, in the semi-finals (25-21, 26-28, 15-9) but lost to Archbishop Spalding, 25-9, 25-15, in the championship match.
Victoria Johnson took home the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award, and Carissa Hill was named to the All-Tournament team.
Pallotti lost its conference play opener, losing 3-1 to St. Paul's School.
Johnson led the Panthers with 16 kills, while Hill had a season-high 23 digs, but Pallotti simply could not generate the offense needed.
Pallotti Prep hosts Seton Keough Thursday, Sept. 22 at 5:15 p.m.
Pallotti football
Pallotti Prep football was unable to get its offense going, falling 32-13 to John Paul the Great Sept. 17 and dropping to 1-2 on the season.
The Panthers tied, 7-7, in the opening quarter, but gave up 22 points in the second and third quarters, to fall behind 29-7. Pallotti added 6 points in the fourth quarter, while John Paul the Great added 8 points to close out the win.
AJ Bright led the Panthers offensively with 199 rushing yards on 17 carries for a touchdown, while adding 25 yards through the air. He scored the opening touchdown for Pallotti. Allen Hall scored a 25-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter as part of his six rushes for 57 yards.
Pallotti hosts Pikesville high at 7 p.m. Sept. 23.
Laurel football
Laurel football fell to 1-2 on the season, losing 58-18 to Bowie High Sept. 17.
The Spartans were able to stymie the Bulldogs early, ending the first quarter tied 6-6. But Bowie exploded offensively, outscoring Laurel 44-6 in second and third quarters.
Jarvis McClam led the way offensively, going 15-for-37 for 168 yards passing with two touchdowns and one interception, while adding 12 rushes for 65 yards on the ground. Joel Roberson had 27 yards passing with a touchdown and caught three passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.
John Ketum added six catches for 81 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Tyler Harmon, Malik Harvin and Jovan Roberson combined for eight catches for 74 yards.
Laurel will host Suitland high Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m.
Pallotti cross-country
Pallotti Prep's cross-country teams had mixed results to open the season, with the boys team finishing its opening meet 2-2, while the girls fell to 0-2.
The Pallotti boys lost in team scoring to Baltimore Lutheran and Indian Creek, 33-24 and 39-19 respectively, while beating Sts. Peter and Paul, 20-39, and Cristo Rey, 15-50. Junior Griffin McWilliams led the boys, finishing fourth in a field of 57 with a time of 20:17. Senior Justin Albrecht, juniors Andew Jacobs and Nathan Samson and sophomore Friederich Krohn provided solid support in the meet, all finishing within a minute of each other.
The girls lost in team scoring to Seton Keough, 35-22, and Park, 39-20. Senior captain Ruthie Heying finished fourth out of the field of 37 with a time of 25:19. She was supported by sophomore Rachel Finnblade and juniors Levene Leblanc and Colleen Danielson, who finished within 30 seconds of each other.
Prep roundup
Pallotti girls soccer fell 1-1 with a 6-0 loss to Garrison Forest on Sept. 16. The Lady Panthers beat Key 2-0 Sept. 13. … Pallotti boys soccer lost its third straight game to Boys Latin 3-1 Sept. 16, to fall to 1-3. … The Pallotti field hockey team opened its season with a 2-2 tie with Catholic High, before losing 4-0 to Oldfields School. …Pallotti Prep's boys soccer team lost, 2-0, to Friends School of Baltimore to fall to 1-4 on the season.