Catonsville Girls Basketball in Midst of Another Strong Season

Catonsville's girls basketball team has been one of the top programs in Baltimore County for quite some time, but the team has been enjoying a particularly strong spell in recent years. The Comets have hit 20 wins in each of the past three seasons and reached multiple MPSSAA 4A North regional championship games during that span. Last season, the team finished 22-3 and won Baltimore County's championship, but fell to Western 69-49 in the regional title game.

This year appears to be no different for the Comets. The group is 18-1, and is undefeated in Baltimore County play.

"We have always played an uptempo game. We have kids that can really motor up and down the floor, so we press a lot and try to run a fast break at every opportunity," said head coach Mike Mohler, who is in his 22nd year coaching at Catonsville. "We have really good rebounders which helps us get running."

A major aspect of Catonsville's success this season has been the team's depth and adaptability. Mohler frequently asks his players to line up in different positions depending on whatever situation is happening in the game, and the Comets have come been able to come through.

One player who has been excellent throughout the season is Jasmine Dickey. The team's go to player, Dickey is averaging 23.3 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. Dickey has gotten help from Jen Gast and Jameila Barrett, both of which are averaging 10 points and seven rebounds a game. Amber Lally and Aakilah Barrett have also done an excellent job of providing sparks off the bench for the Comets.

For as well as Catonsville has done this season, the group is about to face its toughest stretch of games yet.

The Comets face Perry Hall today at home, before finishing up their regular season with road trips Franklin and Milford Mill. Those teams combined have a combined record of 23-3 in Baltimore County play, with Franklin matching Catonsville's 9-0 county mark.

"They are the some of the better teams in Baltimore County. We feel if we play our game we will be successful," Mohler said. "As I tell the kids we always have the bulls-eye on our backs- everyone wants to beat Catonsville, so we better be ready."

The group appears to be a tough one though, and will be more than up to the task of playing highly motivated talented teams.

Mohler points to Catonsville's contest with Anacostia from Washington DC on Dec. 30 as a game that shows his team's character. The Comets were getting outplayed and trailed by 16 points in the second half, before turning the game around.

"We came back to tie it, then win it 59-55 in OT," Mohler said. "That really showed our resilience- we could have folded the tent but didn't. We fought hard and never gave up- that's a lot of points to come back from in high school, especially in the second half."

Catonsville will have to rely on its resiliency to get where it wants to go this season. Mohler and his teams set high goals every season by wanting to win every game, win their section, region and then the state title, which would be the Comets' first.

Even though the Comets are always aiming high, Mohler makes sure the process is an enjoyable one for his players.

"Always have fun doing it because if it isn't fun, you shouldn't be doing it," Mohler said.