Very impressive win for Marlington as they welcomed in D1 opponent Boardman tonight. Four record double figures.

The Dukes responded after Boardman freshman McKenzie Riccitelli dropped her first high school bucket in from behind the arc for the first points of the game. The Dukes got rolling in large part due to a 1-2-2 full court press that stumped the Spartans. a few quick steals for easy buckets turned the momentum heavily in the favor of the host, as they never trailed the rest of the game.

Boardman never rallied or put much pressure on the dukes lead the rest of the game, but their were some bright spots. Their youth, namely Riccitelli and sophomore Gia Triveri showed some promise. Triveri came off the bench midway through the 1st quarter and recorded four steals within minutes, two on a single possession as soon as she stepped on the court. Riccitelli showed some promise handling the ball and getting teammates involved.

Raegan Burkey led the Spartans with 13 points, she showed she could hit the long ball and has the speed to go coast to coast.

Marlington showcased some incredible diversity in their offense and scoring. Lacher led the dukes with 18, all in the paint, fellow post player Chelsea Evanich started her high school career well with another 13 points. Lexi Miller chipped in nine to give the post trio 40 total points tonight.

As if 40 points in the interior isn’t good enough, the Marlington guards got it done as well. Sisters, senior Mary Mason and sophomore Elizabeth Mason are talented! They combined for 18, with the elder sibling putting in 12. Both girls have length, can knock down long jumpers and are very good at the line.

Maria Warner did a great job oiling the machine, not only did she net 11 points but she distributed well and kept the tempo where Marlington wanted. The sophomore played a near perfect game.

The Dukes weren’t all run and gun tonight. It wasn’t all steals and layups, they were wheelin and dealin for 26 minutes until Coach Stadulis started emptying the bench. Warner runs the pick and roll tremendous with her posts, they had some effective give and go moments, and lots of drive and kick opportunities that they capitalized on.

With a trio of solid posts, a few athletic wing players, and a solid traditional PG, the Dukes look well rounded. Add in a few role players coming off the bench, and their depth is a huge asset. This very well could be the best Marlington team since the Reid, Chambers, Hogan years.