Purcell Marian girls cap dominant 4-peat, beating Avon Lake in final

CINCINNATI (ENQUIRER) - Mission accomplished. Fait accompli.

The Purcell Marian Cavaliers became just the fourth team in Ohio High School Athletic Association history to win four consecutive state championships with a 72-44 win over Avon Lake, our partners at the Cincinnati Enquirer write. Whether it was a move from the Greater Catholic League-Coed to the Miami Valley Conference or the arrival of Dee Alexander and an uber-talented six-girl senior class, the Cavaliers have been downright dominant over the last four years, piling up a 106-10 record.

It took Purcell just over two minutes to score a field goal, but the Cavaliers quickly set the tone from there. They held a 23-8 lead after eight minutes, thanks to a 7-0 run and 11-4 run, and six assists on nine field goals. They also forced seven Avon turnovers and allowed the Shoregals to attempt just eight field goals.

The crowd seemed to do the trick for the Cavaliers. Their student section was empty for the opening tip; as soon as the students showed up, the floodgates opened.

In the first half, Avon Lake was led by Olivia Miller’s 8 points and Izzie Polinko’s 6. Nothing came easy for the Shoregals as Cy’Aira and Ky’Aira Miller wreaked havoc in the full-court press, and Alexander and Samaya Wilkins towered above the rest in the paint.

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No matter the score, head coach Jamar Mosley coached like the Cavaliers were the underdogs. In every timeout, his precision in the discussion of the Xs and Os mirrored that of a surgeon. He had a conniption on every defensive lapse. It was all proof of how badly he wanted his girls to win.

The second half was more of the same as the Cavaliers went on a 15-2 run, triggering a running clock with 5:10 left in the third quarter. From there, the final score was just a formality, a footnote in the record books that the Cavaliers have rewritten.

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After the game, senior Dee Alexander was presented with the 2025 Ohio Ms. Basketball award. She is the second player to win the award three times. Alexander led all scorers with 27 points. She finishes her career with 2,375 points, good for 13th on the OHSA’s all-time list.