Pikesville and Francis Scott Key Capture Maryland State Titles in Thrilling Championship Saturday

Pikesville secures fifth straight state crown, while Francis Scott Key ends title drought with gritty comeback

The Pikesville Panthers topped Southern-Garrett, Saturday at Xfinity Center, to win their fifth Maryland Class 1A state championship. / Derek Toney

College Park, Md. - History was made while a title drought ended at the Maryland state public girls basketball finals at the University of Maryland's Xfinity Center Saturday.  

Pikesville won the Class 1A crown with a 67-62 victory over Southern-Garrett. Francis Scott Key held off Hereford, 44-39, for the 2A championship.

Here are a few takeaways from the final day of Maryland girls championships

The championship beat continues for Pikesville

It’s five in a row for Pikesville (24-3 overall), which overcame an early deficit against Southern-Garrett in a rematch of the 2024 title game. Mariah Jones-Bey had a game-high 21 points for the Panthers.

The Baltimore County (Md.) champions are the first program to five-peat since Eleanor Roosevelt’s run in Class 4A in the mid-2000s. Brooklyn Park, a now-defunct Anne Arundel County school, won five straight 1A titles in the late 1980s.

The Panthers’ run started in the 2018-19 season. The 2020 state semifinals and finals and the entire 2021 tournament was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Pikesville coach Mike Dukes said his latest championship unit is unique.

“It’s probably the most balanced team we’ve had, young, but extremely balanced for sure,” Dukes said. “We know Southern is a very formidable opponent, but we felt like if we played solid, we would be OK. We didn’t feel like we had to play great, but we felt like we needed to play solid on both ends of the floor.”

The Panthers trailed 10-4 early in the first before a 15-7 run gave them the lead for good. Pikesville led by as many as 10 points before needing free throw shooting to keep Southern-Garrett at bay in the closing minutes.

Another effort falls short for Southern-Garrett 

After a late third quarter fade proved costly in the 2024 1A state final, Southern (24-3) was flustered again Saturday. 

The Western Maryland squad was within two possessions several times in the final four minutes of regulation. The Rams did it without leading scorer Carly Wilt, who fouled out with six minutes remaining. 

Another starter, Jayden Weaver, fouled out later in the fourth. 

“It was just deflating just when you go on that run and you are ready to turn the corner and you lose two starters,” said Southern coach Landon Todd. “That’s tough.”

Southern was out-scored, 24-9, from the free throw line and lost the rebound battle, especially on offense (17-8).

“In the second half we couldn’t rebound, first half we put ourselves in a deficit because we had 15 turnovers, second half we continued to put ourselves in a deficit because we couldn’t rebound on the defensive end,” said Southern coach Landon Todd. “It’s a huge credit to Pikesville. 

Mission accomplished for Francis Scott Key

Exactly a year after losing in the Class 2A final, Francis Scott Key (20-8) got redemption and its first state championship since 1997.

The Eagles lost to undefeated Hammond last year.

“When we were in the [locker room] after losing last year, we said that we were going to get right back here and we were going to win it,” Francis Scott Key senior guard Summer Brooks said. “We put in the work. Every practice, every early morning, was for this moment right here.”

The moment, maybe too big a year ago, wasn’t Saturday for the Eagles, especially in the final minutes. Caroline Kohr hit a 3-pointer giving Francis Scott Key the lead for good with 2 minutes, 52 seconds left.

Later, Kohr hit her face on the floor going for a loose ball, causing it to bleed. She could barely keep her eyes open for the championship team picture.

Abby Reiger, the senior heart and nails of the Eagles, put the game away with a free throw, after returning in the first half from what she thought was a game-ending ankle injury. She got the ball back for Francis Scott Key, running down a long Hereford miss and throwing the ball over her head before going out of bounds. 

It was those kinds of efforts that spurred the Eagles Saturday after trailing by 11 points in the first half.

“I’m super proud of my girls,” said Francis Scott Key second-year coach Mitchell Walther. “I’m going to miss all 15 of them in that locker room, the way they embraced me and bought in. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.”

The expected (and unexpected) came all at once for Hereford 

Up 11 early in the second quarter, Hereford appeared ready to capture its first state championship. The momentum faded and depth caught up to the Bulls (19-5).

“We ran out of gas,” said Hereford coach Ray Burrows. “We ran out of bodies.”

Sophomore center Shea Kanning, who scored 18 points in Hereford’s semifinal win over Douglass-Prince George’s Tuesday, was limited to 14 minutes of action because of foul troubles. She finished with zero points and four rebounds.

Kanning’s backup, Gabby Viscuso, was unable Saturday. Burrows said the 5-foot-10 senior suffered a partially torn ACL in the semifinal win.

Francis Scott Key took advantage, scoring 26 points in the paint. But thanks to the senior backcourt of Anna Orner (13 points) and Megan Hess (10) who combined to play all but five seconds Saturday, Hereford battled back from an eight-point third quarter deficit to tie in the fourth.

Two years ago, Hereford lost in overtime to Fallston.

“I’m very proud. I don’t care that we lost…it’s an incredible chance we got here,” said Orner. “We always knew it was going to be FSK and us in the finals. They’re 30 minutes away from us…we know them, more or less and knew what the bracket looked like.”

Francis Scott Key beat Hereford, 48-39, during the regular season.