The three Arlington diocesan girl's basketball teams turned in fine performances at this year's Virginia Independent Division I State Tournament.

Paul VI High School was crowned the 2002 champions, while Bishop O'Connell High School finished second and Bishop Ireton finished third.

The Paul VI Panthers, coached by Will Patton, defeated Eastern Mennonite (Harrisonburg) in the quarterfinals and Episcopal (Alexandria) in the semi-finals.

One day later, PVI defeated O'Connell 63-36 for their fifth state title in the past six seasons. Both the semi-finals and the finals were played at Steward School in Richmond.

The Panthers led the Knights 16-6, 39-16 and 48-23 after the first three quarters respectively.

"The girls were very focused for this tournament," said Patton. "They kind of had the attitude that O'Connell had 'borrowed' the title from us last year."

O'Connell defeated St. Gertrude's of Richmond for the state title last season during head coach Fran Vitt's first season at the helm of the Knights.

Pacing the Panthers offensively was senior Allison Mitchell (14 points), freshman forward Kendra King (12), sophomore guard Victoria Liaros (seven), junior guard Tameisha Williams (seven) and junior forwards Debbie Bruen (six) and Allison Opfer (six).

The O'Connell game was the "swan song" for three Panther seniors: Mitchell, Hilary Miller and Andrea Lamas. All three played grade school ball together at Holy Spirit in Annandale.

PVI, under former coach Nancy Melnick, won its first two state titles in 1997 and 1998 when Mitchell, Miller and Lamas were in seventh and eighth grades.

However, when PVI made its title runs in '99 and '00 Mitchell, Miller and Lamas were freshmen and sophomores.

"We all played together this season as a team," said Mitchell, who will play collegiately next year at the University of Richmond. "We were very psyched for this final game against O'Connell."

PVI defeated O'Connell in three out of four meetings this season.

"The three of us have played together since we were 10 years old," said Miller. "It feels great to conclude our careers with the title."

"We wanted this championship very badly," said Lamas. "It is a great way for our team to conclude the season."

Mitchell was named tournament MVP. Teammates King and Williams also made the all-tournament team.

Mitchell and junior forward Debbie Bruen were the Panther captains this season. The Lady Panthers concluded the season with an overall record of 18-12.

The O'Connell Knights were a much-improved team over the second half of the season, despite the setback to PVI in the championship game.

"Give Paul VI credit," said Vitt. "Their girls stepped up and really played a good game."

Pacing the "Blue and Silver" attack in its semi-final victory over Ireton was senior Cat Blakely (19), guard Lacey Currle (10), forward Maura Rushe and freshman guard Shannon Ambrose (seven).

In the championship, the Knights trailed the Panthers by 10, 23 and 25 points after the first three quarters respectively and never threatened late and had to settle for the "silver medal."

Blakely (10 points), Hobbs (eight), Rushe (six) and senior guard Kelly Flanigan (five) paced the Knights.

"We played hard," said Vitt. "We just had trouble putting the ball in the bucket. Some nights things just don't bounce your way. The girls knew when the game was over that they had played their hardest."

The PVI game was the final game for six O'Connell seniors: Blakely, Flanigan, Rushe, Currle, Hobbs and Carah McMullen. Blakely and Flanigan made the all-tournament team.

The Knights finished the season with an overall record of 15-18.

Ireton senior Laura Kaye finished her stellar athletic career by scoring 14 points in a victory over Episcopal and six against O'Connell.

"This was the last game we were all going to play together," said Kaye, Kaye, who earned 10 varsity letters during her high school career (four in basketball, three in soccer and three in track)

"We all left everything we had on the court," she added. "I'm always going to remember the two conference wins we had this season against Good Counsel."