Manchester Valley Wins First Maryland Girls Basketball State Title

Poly Powers to Another Championship at UMBC

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:35pm

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After nearly two decades, the Maryland state public girls basketball championships returned to the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) on Thursday. Manchester Valley claimed its first state title with a 46-39 victory over Glenelg in the 2A final, while Baltimore Polytechnic Institute won the Class 3A championship with a 54-37 decision over Reservoir.

Why it matters

The return of the Maryland state public girls basketball championships to UMBC was a significant event, as the tournament had not been held there in nearly two decades. Manchester Valley's victory marked the first state title in program history, while Poly continued its dominance in Class 3A, winning its third championship in five seasons.

The details

In the 2A final, Manchester Valley overcame a slow start and the loss of leading scorer Brynn Bauer in the second half to claim the title. Junior forward Taylor Fique had a strong all-around game, contributing 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks. In the 3A final, Poly junior guard London Elliott hit a crucial 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to give the Engineers the lead for good, and they pulled away in the fourth quarter for the win.

  • The Maryland state public girls basketball championships returned to UMBC on Thursday, March 13, 2026.
  • Manchester Valley won its first state title with a 46-39 victory over Glenelg in the 2A final.
  • Baltimore Polytechnic Institute won the Class 3A championship with a 54-37 decision over Reservoir.

The players

Manchester Valley

A high school in Carroll County, Maryland that won its first state girls basketball championship.

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute

A high school in Baltimore, Maryland that won its third Class 3A state girls basketball title in five seasons.

Glenelg

A high school in Howard County, Maryland that reached the 2A state championship game, its first appearance in the final since winning the title in 2016.

Reservoir

A high school in Howard County, Maryland that fell to Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in the Class 3A state championship game.

London Elliott

A junior guard for Baltimore Polytechnic Institute who was named the Class 3A Most Valuable Player after scoring a game-high 24 points in the championship game.

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What they’re saying

“I have the grittiest team in all of my years coaching basketball right here. No matter what was thrown our way, we knew we could handle it because we had each other.”

— Heather Dewees, Manchester Valley Head Coach

“Our biggest attribute is that we never give up. We're not the biggest team, but one thing we're going to do is work hard.”

— Taylor Fique, Manchester Valley Junior Forward

“Like the girls said, at the beginning of the season, nobody talked about us. From our losing records from the past probably seven years. Once I decided to take over the program, I said, 'We're going to the state championship, and this is our goal.' We made it here.”

— Maureen Roberson, Glenelg Head Coach

“This game and the last have been tough staying consistent with making layups. I was emotionally lost a little bit.”

— London Elliott

“You can play all the games you want with offense…I really enjoy defense. Defense is where you set the tone, get a couple of steals and change the complexion of the game. I try to get them to contain a little bit, maintain what we have, don't let it too far out…we can add the pressure where we need to add the pressure.”

— Peace-Able, Poly Head Coach

What’s next

The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) will announce the All-State teams and Player of the Year awards for the 2A and 3A classifications in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

Manchester Valley's first state championship and Poly's continued dominance in Class 3A highlight the resilience and competitive spirit of Maryland's top high school girls basketball programs. These title wins showcase the growth and development of the sport at the prep level in the state.