Stonewall Appears to Be Rock Solid

The Stonewall Jackson girls' basketball team has had one winning season in the past 15 years, but the Raiders seem poised to improve on that number this season. Their 5-0 start includes a victory over then-No. 19 Hylton -- the first time Stonewall has beaten the Bulldogs.

Last season, Coach Nsonji White's first at the school, the Raiders went 9-12 with a young team that featured only two seniors among its top 10 scorers.

Even now, after 6-foot senior guard Barbara Davis (19.4 points per game), the Raiders' next three leading scorers are sophomore guard Takieya Rouse (15.2 ppg), junior forward Jasmine Caracciolo (10.3 ppg and 3.3 three-pointers a game) and sophomore guard Gwen Washington (10 ppg).

Stonewall is averaging 67 points -- fifth best in the Washington area. "We do a lot of individual training and I think that's where a lot of coaches fail -- they run plays," White said after the 63-59 victory over Hylton on Dec. 12. "We do an hour a day for individual skills."

-- Stephen A. Norris