A blend of athleticism and court savvy have propelled the Seton girls basketball team to the position of "the team to beat" in this year's Division II Independent Schools state tournament.

The Conquistadors, led by seniors Bridget Cooley, Mary Grimberg, Lauren

Sewell and Lizzie Wilson, began the season with a 10-game winning streak, which included a first-round win over Ireton (currently ranked fifth in Division I) in the Potomac Tip-Off Tournament.

Seton's 17-4 record includes an undefeated run through the Delaney Athletic Conference. The Manassas school will be defending its title in the league tournament and seeking its 15th championship in the last 17 years under Coach Dick Pennefather before it begins its quest for a state title.

The Conquistadors have been ranked #1 in Division II in all seven polls during the year. The four losses have come against McLean and Ireton in the Georgetown Visitation Christmas Tournament and O'Connell and Paul VI in regular season match-ups.

Cooley returned to the starting lineup this year after a soccer injury sidelined her last season. Cooley has signed a letter of intent to play soccer at Virginia Commonwealth. She has transferred her soccer skills to the basketball court here she is a tenacious defender on the perimeter and leads the team in steals. Grimberg has been Seton's inside threat this year. More comfortable with 15 foot jumpers, Grimberg has had to move inside for the undersized Conquistadors. She finds ways around the bigger players to score both inside and out.

She has been a leading scorer since her sophomore year, and she recently had her season high of 24 against Colonial Beach.

Sewell, a four-year varsity player, has elevated her game this year to become one of the most well-rounded players in Seton's history. A leading 3-point shooter in Prince William County, Sewell plays both on the wing and at the point on offense. She is deceptively quick and explosive. In a recent game against Fredericksburg Christian, Sewell scored 14 points in two minutes, including two 3-pointers, two baskets off steals and two mid-range jumpers.

Wilson, an unselfish point guard, looks to make the pass before taking the shot. Her accurate passing from beyond half-court to the quick wing players has led to many easy baskets this season. Having great versatility, Wilson often defends post players, grabs defensive rebounds, and runs the break after her rebounds.

Coach Pennefather said of his highly ranked squad, "Polls are just opinions. We haven't played any of the other teams in the top 10 of the poll, so we don't know what to expect at state. But I do have confidence that this group will play hard and represent Seton well because they are leaders on and off the court."