13U Slam Boys Win County Crown For Lake Shore

The Lake Shore Slam 13U boys basketball completed its final county season together before entering high school by putting up a 10-2 season to take first place in the Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks 13U B1 division.

The team of Damion Kenealy, Kaden Powell, Shawn Werner, Riley Fitzpatrick, Ryan Rivera, Joel Foster, Maxx Gray, Tyler Mervine, Jared Snyder ad Brendan Phillips, led by head coach Maria Gray and assistant coaches George Mohr and Dan Fitzpatrick, overcame an early-season two-point loss to Crofton to win eight of its next nine games. The season included highlight wins over St. Mary’s, GORC and a good-natured rivalry with the Bucs.

Lake Shore’s success can be attributed to a balanced attack focused on full-court defensive intensity. The team relied on key offensive contributions and stealth perimeter shooting by Fitzpatrick, Kenealy, Phillips, Powell, Rivera and Werner, while looking to Foster, Gray, Mervine and Snyder to dominate the boards and control the paint.

“This is a great group of eighth-graders,” said coach Gray. “Their camaraderie in practice translated to terrific team chemistry in games.”

Gray, who is also the coach of the Chesapeake High School varsity girls basketball program, has been coaching this group of boys for nine years.

“While I’m used to coaching girls, my nine-year stint with the boys will forever be a coaching highlight,” she said.