It’s a new tradition with the same, old passion.
Maryvale Prep and Mercy High School played the inaugural game of a new basketball series called “The Classic” on Feb. 25 at Towson University’s SECU Arena.
The meeting between the Catholic schools replaces Mercy’s long-standing series against the Institute of Notre Dame that was called “The Game” and drew the largest crowds for any girls high school sporting event in Maryland.
IND closed in 2020, ending its rivalry with Mercy after 54 years.
Even though Maryvale and Mercy have played one another for more than five decades in various sports, the stakes have not been much higher as a near-capacity crowd stomped and cheered from opening tip to the final whistle.
Freshman Milan Brown enjoyed one of the most exciting nights of her young life and was named Mercy’s MVP after scoring 19 points and leading the Magic to a 62-40 victory.
“It was amazing,” Brown said. “It’s going to be great to say I played in the first Classic and I got MVP as a freshman. It was very important to stay composed.”
Juniors Olivia Liszt had 13 points and McKenna Carroll had 12 points for Mercy.
Emily Knapp was a force defensively, scored nine points and was named MVP for Maryvale. Lexi Smith added 12 points on four 3-pointers for the Lions.
“The environment, in general, was crazy,” Knapp said. “It was a really good place to play. Even though we came out with a loss, you couldn’t ask for a better experience. I thought our whole team killed it tonight.”
Mercy already made history this year by winning its first Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B2 Conference basketball championship with a 67-34 victory over Concordia Prep on Feb. 21. The Magic finished the season 22-1 with their only loss coming against Howard.
The Magic kept the momentum rolling against Maryvale.
A layup and 3-pointer by Liszt gave Mercy a 42-18 lead midway through the third quarter. The Magic stayed in a 2-3 zone, which was effective in keeping Maryvale from getting to the basket.
Maryvale continued to play hard and a pair of free throws by Knapp cut the margin to 47-26 heading into the final quarter.
The Lions got hot from beyond the arc and 3-pointers by Audrey Allan, Knapp and Smith pulled them to within 55-38.
However, Mercy was too strong as Brown and Lulu Paye scored the final baskets.
“The crowd was awesome,” Mercy coach Mary Ella Marion said. “We’re 22-1 now and we never had that before. The girls have worked really hard since November and they’ve done everything we asked them to do. They have just been great.”
Maryvale (5-15) had won three straight against Mercy, which had not beaten the Lions since February 2017.
Brown scored seven points, Carroll had a couple of blocks and Mercy led 13-5 at the end of the first quarter. Jackson converted a 3-pointer for Maryvale.
Mercy continued to pull away and a 3-pointer by Liszt with just under a minute left helped the Magic open a 28-10 lead at the break. Mackey Fick had four points for Maryvale in the opening half.
“The environment was great,” Lions coach Alex Miller said. “We settled down in third and four quarters and started getting into a rhythm. I was proud of how we played as a team. We made it competitive in the second half.
For Mercy, it was a bittersweet night.
The Magic miss their rivalry with IND that began in 1967, but they look forward to the same excitement in the future games with Maryvale.
“IND will always hold a special place in our hearts and in our history,” said Mary Beth Lennon, president of Mercy and a 1985 graduate. “We are honoring the IND legacy at The Classic by recognizing members of the IND community and in the naming of The Classic trophy. Friday’s winner will be presented with The Rita Sloan Berndt Memorial Trophy, honoring a distinguished 1962 IND graduate—a varsity basketball player who became an accomplished neuroscientist, community activist, wife, mother, and grandmother.
“We are thrilled to join with Maryvale in shining a light on girls leadership and athletics. The Classic gives Mercy and Maryvale athletes the extraordinary experience of playing in a college arena in front of thousands of cheering fans. No matter the outcome, The Classic is a win for both schools and the broader Baltimore community,” Lennon said.
Maryvale President Tracey H. Ford mingled with the crowd and took a few moments to enjoy the electric atmosphere. The first rendition of “The Classic” was a rousing success and set the stage for future excitement.
“Maryvale is honored to have been chosen as the new partner in The Classic,” Ford said. “We value the tradition, the legacy of IND, and our relationship with Mercy High School. This is an amazing opportunity for our athletes – and our school – to be part of this legendary rivalry in women’s athletics.”
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