Two years ago, the varsity softball team fielded eight sophomores and played to an impressive 15-3 regular season record. The next year, the class of 2007's ranks swelled to 12, and the Blazers finished the season as Division Champions with a 15-1 regular season record, the best in Montgomery County. Now, with high expectations and 13 seniors leading the way, the Blazers look to the upcoming season to duplicate their success and carry it into the playoffs.
The girls' lacrosse team lost to the Springbrook Blue Devils, 9-2, extending a four-game losing streak and bringing their record to a disappointing 2-4. The game started off sloppy, with poor handling and passing from both teams.
On a sunny, slightly breezy Sunday, Blair's unofficial ultimate frisbee team "Home Cooked" took the field against Thomas Jefferson High School, a fellow magnet school from Virginia. The game started late and lasted long, as these two well-matched teams battled for supremacy.
Despite a myriad of struggles, Blair's varsity boys' basketball team managed to produce positive achievements during the 2006-2007 season. The team took home a trophy at a holiday tournament and won their first home playoff game in a decade, defeating Watkins Mill last Friday 44-37. Unfortunately, the season ended with a whimper as the Magruder Colonels (17-5) handily defeated the eighth-seeded Blazers (5-18) by a score of 58-31 on Monday night, ending their run in the Montgomery County 4A regional playoffs. While the Colonels shot lights-out from the field and from the free-throw line, the Blazers struggled mightily with their scoring all night, concluding the season with a deflating loss in the wake of back-to-back wins.
Feb. 24, GERMANTOWN INDOOR SWIM CENTER - The boys' swim team placed 11th out of 33 teams against competitive private and public school teams from across the region in the Metros competition. The boys', after a rash of slow swims at the County championships, were able to improve many of their times in the last post-season swim season. Blair placed 21st overall out of 47 teams.
FEB. 23, Churchill- The girls' basketball team's recurring inconsistency led to a dismal offensive night for the Blazers as they fell hard to the Churchill Bulldogs in the first round of the 4A region playoffs. Riding a two game winning streak, the Blazers traveled to Churchill confident that they could be competitive against the Bulldogs. But the Bulldogs (14-8) shut down Blair's offense and capitalized on sloppy passes and lackadaisical defense to defeat the Blazers (3-20) for the third time this season.
Senior sisters Ashlyn and Halsey Sinclair capped off their high school indoor track careers with one bronze medal each, in the 800m and 1600m races respectively, at the 4A/3A Maryland State Championship. For the first time in their four years at Blair, the twins were joined at the state competition by two boys' relay teams who ran the 4x200m and 4x400m, placing eleventh and tenth respectively.
On Wednesday's senior night, the Blair Blazers played passionate defense, clinical offense, and used veteran leadership to beat one of the lower-ranked teams in the county.
Plagued by inconsistent play and long losing streaks, the boys' basketball team has had a trying and often disheartening 2006-2007 season. But on Senior Night, the Blazers (4-17), who entered the game with eight straight losses and a weeklong layoff thanks to the weather, mustered a gutsy win in one of the best team efforts this season.
The girls' indoor track team scored 20 points to tie Damascus for eighth place, while the boys tied Springbrook with 14 points to place tenth at the 3A/4A West Regional meet.
Former professional baseball player and Blair alumnus Steve Barber died on Feb. 4. A native of Takoma Park, Barber was a member of the class of 1956 and a star pitcher for Blair's baseball team. He was the first 20-game winner of the modern-era Baltimore Orioles and an inductee into the Orioles Hall of Fame, as well as the Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame.
The boys' team, keen on winning the Division II championship, had meticulously designed Saturday's lineup. Despite the mishaps that seemed to plague some of the key swimmers - injuries, fatigue or goggle malfunctions - the boys' careful strategy overcame the last minute setbacks for them to win the Division II championships with a score of 456. The girls, who had a 2-5 record, placed 5th with a score of 272. Sophomore Melanie Snail lowered two of her records (100 Free and 100 Back) while junior Michael Willems set a new 6-dive record.
FEB. 9, NELSON H. KOBREN GYMNASIUM- As a sophomore last year, Walter Johnson's standout guard Alex Chili served up 34 points as the Wildcats defeated the varsity girls' basketball team 63-50. Friday night, Chili returned to Blair's gymnasium as a junior and scored 37 points to bury the Blazers in their third loss to Walter Johnson this season.
The boys' sprint relays continued to improve at the Last Track to Philly meet, cutting three seconds off their 4x400m relay time of 3:35.18 from the Montgomery County Championship. The invitational served primarily as the indoor track team's final tune-up for the 3A/4A West Regional meet, which will be held Feb. 13.
FEB. 5, NELSON H. KOBREN GYMNASIUM- On Jan. 12, the Blazers defeated the Walter Johnson Wildcats by a score of 65-41. It has been three weeks, six losses and countless frustrations since the Blair boys' basketball team last salvaged a win. It was the same old story Monday night for the Blazers (3-15) against the Magruder Colonels (14-4) as the problems that have plagued them all year were present in yet another loss.
As many sports teams are concluding their regular season and looking towards the post-season world of playoffs and divisionals, a review of their performances as well as expectations:
With seven regular season games left in the varsity boys' basketball schedule, the Blazers' playoff hopes rest on their success in the next few games. Blair's performance in Friday night's 64-51 loss to Blake revealed weakness in the team's execution and motivation. The Bengals jumped out to an early lead and never let up, dealing the Blazers their seventh loss in their last eight games.
The varsity girls' basketball team that took the floor on Friday night against the Blake Bengals bore little resemblance to the team from previous games. While the Blazers played a controlled offense, they struggled to complete their passes and were plagued with turnovers, a problem that the team hasn't had in previous games. The Bengals pounced on the Blazers' new vice, using a fast paced transition game to secure their 72-28 victory.
The Blair girls' indoor track team placed 9th with 31 points and the boys' team scored 18 points to tie Wooton High School and place 12th out of 21 teams at the Montgomery County Championship.
The boys' swim team pulled past the Sherwood Warriors today in their first truly competitive meet of the season against the #2 boys in the Division, raising their record to 5-0 with a score of 95-74. Faced with similarly tough girls, who are ranked #1, the girls lost 66-105, making their record 2-3. However, several girls racked up some impressive times, and one sophomore Melanie Snail broke Blair's 100 Free record.
Blair's boy swimmers snatched up another easy win yesterday against the Blake Bengals, winning 115-51. The girls suffered a near reversal of scores, losing to the top-ranked Bengal ladies, 68-103. However, with diving scores, Blair won overall 183-154. Their records are now 4-0 and 2-2, boys and girls, respectively.
JAN. 19, NELSON H. KORBEN MEMORIAL GYMNASIUM– The Blair varsity girls' basketball team played hard and as a team but, in the end, could not overcome the relentless attack of the Richard Montgomery Rockets. The Blazers, playing at home before an enthusiastic crowd, pressured their opponents all night but ended the game with a frustrating 45-53 loss. Although victory eluded the Blazers, the girls showed considerable improvement upon past performances, and gave the excited crowd something to cheer about.
This year has been a difficult one for the Lady Blazers, but tonight it looked like all that futility would finally come to an end and they would get their second win of the year, this time against the Magruder Colonels. Unfortunately, the team could not hold on to the Colonels and despite the girls' teamwork and the 32 points they got from sophomore Jenny Williams, lost 51-60.
Although no official overall team scores were tabulated at the 6th annual Montgomery Invitational, the Blair indoor track team placed well in several events, establishing the squad as one of the best in Montgomery County.
Reeling from a 51-23 loss to Magruder on Monday night, the varsity girls' basketball team returned home to play the Churchill Bulldogs in what head coach James Mogge called the team's "best game in a long time." The Blazers (1-10) stepped up to play together as a unit on offense and defense, adding the teamwork ingredient that has been missing from their play in previous games, but lost to Churchill 57-42.
We found 1436 results.