Southern-Garrett Girls Stun Pikesville to End Panthers Title Run; Blake Boys Win First-Ever Maryland State Crown

CATONSVILLE, MARYLAND – On a day inside Chesapeake Employees Insurance Arena that started with the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) men’s basketball team punching its ticket to the NCAA Tournament, the so-called basketball gods smiled on Southern-Garrett High girls and James Hubert Blake boys squads Saturday evening.

Southern-Garrett upset Pikesville, ranked No. 10 in this week’s High School on SI Maryland girls Top 25, to claim the Maryland Class 1A state championship. Junior guard Jayden Weaver led the Rams with 14 points and seven rebounds.

No. 12 Blake captured its first crown with a 60-44 victory over 22nd-ranked Walt Whitman in the Class 4A finale in front of an estimated 4,500. Senior guard Taj Martin paced the Bengals with 14 points and six rebounds.

Here are some takeaways from the second day of the Maryland state public championships.

Southern-Garrett Girls Finally Solve Pikesville

After title game losses to Pikesville in 2025 and 2024, the third time was the charm for Southern-Garrett (22-5 overall), which won its first title since 2018.

“I would certainly say it takes all of the sting from the last two years,” said Southern coach Landon Todd, smiling towards his starting five of Emelee Parks, Kelsey Ward, Gabbi Berry, Jayden Weaver and Joycelyn Ward.

MPSSAA Class 1A Girls Most Outstanding PlayerJaiden Weaver from Southern-Garrett. | Derek Toney

Kelsey Ward, Parks, Berry and Weaver started in the 2025 title match, won by Pikesville, 67-62. The Panthers won in 2024, 48-39.

Southern-Garrett was prepared for “round three” Saturday. The Rams, who returned four starters, led by as many as 14 points before holding off a fourth quarter charge.

“We told the girls, ‘we’ve been here before, we’ve watch the lead slip away two years in a row, don’t let it happen again this year,’” said Todd. “I thought we played with an edge.”

The Rams were able to maintain against Pikesville’s pressure defense while they kept the Panthers off-balance with a mix of pressure and zone defense. Southern-Garrett won the turnover battle, 18-14, despite being out-rebounded, 48-29.

The Rams played a tougher non-league slate against the likes of Osbourn Park (won a second straight Virginia Class 6 title) and South County from the tough Northern Virginia region and perennial Maryland private power and 11th-ranked Mount Zion Prep Academy. Southern-Garrett outlasted previously undefeated and No. 18 Smithsburg in overtime in the semifinals Tuesday for another shot at Pikesville.

This time, the Rams made it count.

“It’s over. We did it,” said Parks.

Pikesville’s Historic Run Ends

A year ago at the University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center, Pikesville coach Mike Dukes raised his left hand (signaling five) while holding the state championship trophy with his right hand to the team’s fans and supporters in the stands at the end of the postgame awards ceremony. Saturday, the Panthers walked into CEI Arena with a chance to become the first Maryland public girls program to “six-peat.”

Southern-Garrett girls basketball — Southern-Garrett’s Joycelyn Ward holds up the Maryland Class 1A state championship trophy after the postgame ceremony Saturday. After losses in 2025 and 2024, the Rams ended No. 10 Pikesville’s five-year reign with a 52-46 win at UMBC’s Chesapeake Employees Insurance Arena. | Derek Toney

They left disappointed.

“It obviously stings,” Dukes said. “I have to tip my hat to Southern. I thought they wanted it more today.”

Despite a spirited fourth quarter rally, Pikesville (24-3) was unable to wipe out a 14-point deficit. Qaidence David led the Panthers with 16 points and eight rebounds, and senior guard NyJae Malik-El added 14.

Down 33-19 around the third quarter midway point, Pikesville was within, 36-32, after a steal and basket by Maya Chase. The stage was set for another coronation with Pikesville’s intense pressure wilting Southern-Garrett.

The Rams didn’t blink as Pikesville lost the turnover battle. The Baltimore County (Md.) school shot 20-of-61 Saturday including one-of-12 from 3-point range and missed 10 of its 15 free throw attempts.

“I think we felt some urgency late, and we turned our energy level up,” Dukes said. “If we had played that way for 32 minutes, I think we would have been in good shape.”

Pikesville remains alongside Eleanor Roosevelt and now-defunct Brooklyn Park for the state-mark with five straight titles. Roosevelt won five straight in Class 4A (2005-2009). Brooklyn Park (Anne Arundel County) claimed Class C titles from 1985 to 1988 and won the 1A crown (formerly C) in 1989.

Southern vs. Pikesville Could Be a Thing

It might be a safe bet Pikesville and Southern will play again sometime next March. The Rams graduate only Parks from Saturday’s starting five.

The Oakland (Md.) school has been the girls equivalent to Fort Hill football (nine Class 1A state titles since 2013) in the Western Maryland region. Southern tied Pikesville with a 1A-best fifth state championship - with five different coaches - Saturday.

The Panthers lose Malik-El, who’s committed to Kennesaw State, and Mariah Jones-Bey (last year’s Most Outstanding Player in the Class 1A tourney), but will return David, Calia Carter and Maya Chase from the starting five (10 letter winners overall). Pikesville has been one of the elite in the Baltimore metro region, winning five straight Baltimore County league titles.

“We’ll focus on getting back and I’m sure they’ll be doing the same thing and they have a good chance to get back,” said Dukes. “It’s a rivalry now.”

“You come into the playoffs thinking ‘how can we prepare for Pikesville, how can we get ready for that game,’” said Todd. “If they didn’t have that mindset in previous years, I hope they have next year because we’re aware the target has been lifted off their back and put on ours.”

Blake Boys Finally Breakt Through with a Championship

The last three months there were some questioning whether Blake could win a state championship without Baba Oladotun.

The Bengals long knew the answer.

“We worked from June in the hot sun, running stairs outside, running hills,” said Blake first-year coach Brandon Howell. “We did things that we’ve never done before.”

The journey ended with the program’s first state championship in any sport. Blake led by as many as 18 points against Whitman in a rematch of the Montgomery County (Md.) league title match a couple of weeks ago.

Christian Kennard - Blake basketball — Blake's Christian Kennard was the Most Outstanding Player of the Class 4A boys tournament. The senior guard scored 30 points in the final two games, posting 13 points and six rebounds in Saturday's title game win over Walt Whitman. | Jimmy Fields Jr.

The Bengals didn’t have Oladotun, one of the nation’s elite players. Oladotun, who returned to action Tuesday after being sidelined since December with an ankle injury, had 11 points.

Blake (25-3) was more than championship worthy, even without the 6-foot-10 Maryland recruit Oladotun. Abder Quattara finished with 10 points and five blocked shots, and Eli Konker had six points and four steals.

Armani Fowkles, one of five senior starters, said Blake was ready to make history.

“It’s definitely been a long road,” said Fowkles, who finished with seven points, five rebounds and four assists Saturday. “Our last year, we definitely had to come together and make a difference.”

Oladotun completes ride with Blake “brothers”

Baba Oladotun’s senior season didn’t quite go as planned, but there’s no complaints about the ending. The star forward finished with 11 points and five rebounds off the bench in the Bengals’ landmark victory.

It would’ve been easy for Oladotun, an Uber-talent who has drawn comparisons to future NBA Hall of Famer and DMV native Kevin Durant, to play for a high-profile national program. He briefly attended DeMatha Catholic, a legendary DMV and nationally-regarded blue blood, as a freshman.

Oladotun found comfort at James Hubert Blake, a public school located in Silver Spring, Md.

“These are my brothers for life. It’s bigger than basketball,” said Oladotun. “I could’ve went to any prep school…being around the fan base and the community. I love the teachers, I love my classmates and being close to my family.”

Oladotun didn’t play the 2025-26 regular season to recover fully from an ankle sprain in November. He said he a wore a cast for six weeks and did physical therapy twice a day.

Oladotun said he was cleared to play hours before Tuesday’s state semifinal match with No. 11 Meade. He scored 11 points, including the game-winning basket in a 66-64 overtime victory.

He entered Saturday at the 4:38 mark in the opening quarter. Two minutes later, Oladotun had a slam, tying the game at 7.

Oladotun, who had seven points in nine minutes of action in the opening half, contributed a basket during Blake’s 14-5 run to open the second half. He finished five-of-11 from the field (including a 3-pointer) in 16 minutes.

Whitman coach Chris Lun said Oladotun’s return make Blake more formidable.

“I think the discussion of if Baba helps them or not is kind of crazy," Vikings senior guard Will Sharpiro. “Having a guy of that versatility, with that size, he just draws so much attention…it really opens up the floor. We actually did a decent job on him, but he’s able to get his shot off on anyone on our team.”

Third Straight Time Not the Charm for Walt Whitman

It was a familiar scene late Saturday evening as Walt Whitman watched Blake hoist its first state championship trophy. The Vikings witnessed Laurel celebrate its first state title since 1980 last year.

In 2023, Frederick captured its first state crown since 1982 at Whitman’s expense.

“I’m not embarrassed and I’m not going to apologize for losing three straight title games,” said Vikings coach Chris Lun. “We’ve run into three really good teams.”

Whitman, which handed No. 5 Charles Herbert Flowers its first loss in Tuesday’s semifinals, got off to a strong start Saturday with a 15-9 advantage late in the first quarter. The Vikings shot six-of-13 in the first eight minutes.

They shot just 11-of-46 over the final three quarters, including five-of-28 from 3-point range. Junior guard Max Williams was the lone player to reach double-digit scoring with a game-best 17 points and also had a game-high 10 rebounds.

“We usually shoot the ball very well. To beat a team like Blake, we have to keep them off the glass…they got some second chance opportunities,” said Lun. “We had a couple of careless turnovers in the third quarter that spotted them some transition opportunities.”

Whitman has been one of the most successful Montgomery County teams, winning the 4A title in 2006 and reached the state final in 2014, 2024 and 2025. The Vikings graduate Sharpiro, who will play for Division 3 Washington-St. Louis next season, Bobby Zedak and Rowan Conroy, but will return Williams and Daouda Sow from Saturday’s starting five.

“We got a lot of guys coming back with significant experience,” said Lun. “We’re going to enjoy the group we just had, but when we start back up with things in the offseason our goal isn’t going to change. Our goal is to win our region and when you get back to the state quarterfinals, you know you’re playing a good team, you just never know what’s going to happen.”

Saturday’s championship best

Here’s the Class 1A girls and 4A boys all-tournament teams as selected by Derek Toney

CLASS 1A GIRLS

Most Outstanding Player - Jayden Weaver, Southern-Garrett

Weaver was the “Iron Woman” for Southern-Garrett’s run to its first state championship since 2018. The 5-foot-7 junior point guard had 14 points, six rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes as the Rams ended Pikesville’s title reign. Weaver played all 36 minutes in Southern’s overtime win over previously undefeated Smithsburg in Tuesday’s semifinals, posting a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds.

All-tournament team
Qaidence David, Pikesville, 6-1, sophomore, forward

NyJae Malik-El, Pikesville, 5-6, senior, guard

Skyla Mastronardi, Smithsburg, 5-11, senior, guard

Emelee Parks, Southern-Garrett, 5-8, senior, guard

Joycelyn Ward, Southern-Garrett, 5-10, sophomore, forward

CLASS 4A BOYS
Most Outstanding Player - Christian Kennard, James Hubert Blake

Though Baba Oladotun’s return garnered a lot of attention, Kennard was the reason Blake captured its first state championship. The 6-1 senior guard had 13 points and six rebounds in the title game. Kennard had a game-high 17 points, including a clutch 3-pointer late in regulation and two free throws to force overtime as the Bengals turned away Meade in Tuesday’s semifinals.

All-tournament team

Brandon Brooks, Charles Herbert Flowers, 6-6, junior, forward

Armini Fowkles, James Hubert Blake, 5-10, senior, guard

Taj Martin, James Hubert Blake, 6-2, senior, guard

Max Williams, Walt Whitman, 6-1, junior, guard

Bobby Zedak, Walt Whitman, 6-3, senior, guard