Bears Claw To Top In "AA"
After a 4-4 start, Oakdale's varsity reeled off 14 straight wins, including three in the year-end tournament, to reign as "AA" champions in 2025-26.
Jayvee champs in the "A" tourney a year ago, the Bears took a while to get their footing on the "AA" level but came on strong to enter the tournament as a #4 seed. They topped Monocacy 47-43 in the quarterfinals, outlasted top-seeded Urbana 42-37 in overtime in the semifinals and put away Walkersville 52-43 in the title game.
In the championship game, the Bears came out with energy and focus, jumping to an early 12 to 5 lead at the end of the first quarter. Walkersville responded in the second quarter with key adjustments and sharp perimeter shooting, outscoring Oakdale 19 to 8 in the period to take a 24 to 20 lead into halftime. The third quarter was tightly contested, with both teams trading baskets and momentum throughout the period. By the end of the quarter the game was deadlocked at 34 to 34, setting up a decisive final stretch. In the fourth quarter Oakdale leaned on swarming defense, strong rebounding, and effective transition offense to separate from Walkersville. Oakdale was led by several standout performances. Matthew Osae-Addo paced the Bears with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Luke Scholtes delivered an outstanding all around performance with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Cooper Verner controlled the glass with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Vinny Favarulo added 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Trey Snyder also played a key role throughout the game, serving as a steady floor general from start to finish. Walkersville was led by Jayden Boube with 17 points. Joseph Wonah contributed 13 points, including three three pointers, and Hudson Beaver provided strong leadership at the point guard position with 7 points while running the offense effectively.
