South County Captures Occuquan Championship, Defeats West Potomac 64–54

2/28/26: South County entered the Occuquan Regional Championship as the clear favorite. The Stallions had already defeated West Potomac three times this season, each by comfortable margins. When South County jumped out to a quick 10-point lead in the opening quarter, it appeared another routine victory was on the horizon.

But West Potomac refused to go quietly.

South County’s Adriana Ortiz-Mayorga delivered a championship performance from the opening tip. She was relentless on offense - scoring on drives to the basket, knocking down three-pointers, and converting from the free-throw line. Ortiz-Mayorga poured in 12 points in the first five minutes and looked nearly unstoppable as the Stallions built an early cushion.

The Wolverines, however, stayed within striking distance. Delores Harkless scored five first-quarter points and Lina Hashimi added two baskets to help West Potomac trail by just eight heading into the second period.

West Potomac surged in the second quarter, using an 11-point run to take its first lead of the night at 24–23. The momentum shift energized the Wolverines, but South County quickly steadied itself. Laila Tull scored six points in the quarter, and Natalya Wooten hit a key basket in the closing seconds to send the Stallions into halftime with a six-point advantage.

The decisive stretch came in the third quarter. South County outscored West Potomac by six to extend its lead to 12 points. Makyah Mason scored seven in the period, while Wooten added six more. Abby Beddis kept the Wolverines within reach with two three-pointers, preventing the game from slipping away.

West Potomac made one final push in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to five points with just 30 seconds remaining. But that was as close as it would get. South County sealed the victory at the free-throw line, converting seven of its final eight attempts.

Ortiz-Mayorga and Tull led the Stallions with 18 points apiece. Wooten finished with 10, and Mason added nine. For West Potomac, Dawn Houston, who played a poised and solid game, scored 15 points, while Harkless and Beddis each contributed 13. Hashimi added nine points.

With the championship appearance, both South County and West Potomac advance to the Virginia state tournament.