The Cadets foiled the Lancers in January 50-38. The girls’ varsity basketball team will be facing off against the Frederick Cadets for the second time this regular season on Valentine’s Day on our home court. Our girls have been training vigorously to prep for this momentous game.

MaxPreps predicts Frederick will win the Maryland Class 3A High School playoffs and they rank number one in the county with 18 wins and one loss. Makayla Daniels, #23 for the Cadets, is the team’s highest scorer and a huge offensive threat. Second lead scorer, Monet Wade, is another key player in the team’s success.

“This game is important because our team needs to build confidence for the playoffs. A win over Frederick is an incredible confidence boost,” said the coach Rachael Easterday. There is only one game, Westminister, between Frederick and playoffs.

Linganore girls are ranked third in the county standings because of the two losses (Frederick and Walkersville). Caroline Ward, #22, is a shooting guard and often a lead scorer for the Lancers. Sophia Heitzig, #14, is a dominating post player who grabs every rebound. She will be essential in the game.

“If we want to achieve success we are going to need to rebound and get every first miss,” said assistant Coach Rick Conner.

Ashleigh Bonanno, #5, is the point guard for the Lancers and will bring a new angle to the game. Bonanno was out for the first Frederick game due to an injured ankle. She has returned for the back-half of the season. Bonanno leads the team with assists and is excellent in high-pressure situations.

“Our team needs to be exposed to the more aggressive pressure that Frederick brings every game. It is important for us to become more mentally tough when we head into the playoffs,” said Ward.

Linganore will have to correct their errors made in their first game to come out victorious. The defense needs to have a quicker rotation to stop the Cadet’s inbounds play, which contributed 8 points for Frederick in the January game.

Winning is within reach. The girls practice hard six days a week and spend time preparing for each game. They review the opponent’s plays and how to shut them down. Foul shots will count in this game, and the ladies practice shooting them for six minutes each practice. When our team slows down and runs the play through they score every time.

Come out to support your Linganore Lancers Tuesday at home against the fierce Frederick Cadets!