Player of the Year
Marah Strickland
Towson CatholicThe repeat Player of the Year, Strickland led the Owls to the most success they have enjoyed since the mid-1980s.
A gifted athlete with exceptional basketball skills, the 6-foot-senior guard averaged 22.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, three assists and 2.4 steals in leading the No. 4 Owls to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference semifinals for a second straight season.
The Owls played a tough out-of-league schedule but lost only twice to local teams -- once to No. 1 St. Frances and then to No. 2 McDonogh in a tournament semifinal game in which Strickland scored 17 points.
Strickland, who will play at Maryland next season, was named a McDonald's All-American.
Coach of the Year
Tom Gizzi
McDonoghWhen Gizzi arrived at the Owings Mills private school four years ago, the Eagles had gone through three straight seasons of hovering around .500. Since then, they have done no worse than reach the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference semifinals.
This season, the Eagles took a big step up to the title game, where they threw a scare into No. 1 St. Frances before falling 68-63 in overtime. Their ascent to the final, the No. 2 ranking and a 21-5 record came after Gizzi convinced the Eagles to believe in themselves. They were the only area team to beat St. Frances during the season.
With his guidance, the Eagles added confidence to an already strong on-court game and reached the championship game for the first time since 1999.
First Team
Name, School, Class, Pos.Tyra Breaux New Town Senior Guard
Becky Cox McDonogh Junior Guard
Brittany Mallory McDonogh Senior Guard
Marah Strickland Towson Cath. Senior Guard
Candice Walker Towson Cath. Senior Guard
Tracy Johns Towson Cath. Senior Forward
Danielle Parker Dulaney Junior Forward
Jennifer Willis Catonsville Senior Center
Second Team
Name, School, Class, Pos.Atiya Brown Loch Raven Junior Guard
Ellen Cook St. Paul's Senior Guard
Alee Pagnotti NDP Senior Guard
Devonne Richardson Milford Mill Soph. Guard
Shamika Williams Catonsville Soph. Guard
Emily Gladstone Dulaney Soph. Forward
Destiny Jacobs McDonogh Junior Forward
Lindsey Wallace New Town Senior Center