The McLean Highlanders certainly have played a difficult basketball schedule so far this season, and the experienced girls team has a 4-2 overall record to show for its efforts.
Among the high-school squad’s victories, the Highlanders have defeated defending Virginia High School League Class 4 state champion Woodgrove along with recent four-time defending Class 6 state champion Madison, as well as defeating perennially strong West Springfield.
One of its losses was to the Chantilly Chargers, considered one of the top contending teams in the 6D North Region this season.
Tatum Olson and Alyssa Evans are top scorers for McLean, as they were last season. They are among five seniors who started in McLean’s most recent game, a 50-40 home win over Madison.
All five seniors played for McLean last season, when the Highlanders won the Liberty District tournament and finished with a 17-8 record.
Other seniors on the 2024-25 squad are Macy Crawford, Brooke Mattis, Allison Hodder and Aria Colaco.
Olson scored 27 points and Evans had 14 rebounds against West Springfield. Evans had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Olson 10 points against Woodgrove. Olson had 20 points, Evans added eight points and nine rebounds, and Ally Hodder had six rebounds against Marshall.
Evans had 15 points and 14 rebounds in a loss to Stone Bridge.
In the win over Madison, McLean rallied from a 28-25 halftime deficit. The Highlanders led 39-36 after three periods, and pulled away in the final quarter.
