McDonogh's three-sport athlete hopes for championship hat trick in her senior year
February 22, 2012
Pasadena, MD.
McDonogh's three-sport athlete hopes for championship hat trick in her senior year
By Meredith Bower, Special to IAAMsports.com
There's no doubt, Taylor Cummings' three-point shot at the half-time buzzer in the IAAM Basketball Championships was a game changer. Before that, McDonogh was down 26-6 and their prospects were looking grim against Archbishop Spalding. But Taylor's basket changed the spirit of the team and gave them the momentum they needed to come out in the second half with an energy that enabled them to catch their rival and beat them in the final seconds, 46-44.
"We just needed something to change. It could have been anything, but it just happened to be my shot," Taylor humbly describes. "In the third quarter, we came out on fire. We just refused to loose and we played so hard. I've never seen our team play like that before," she says with enthusiasm, still stunned and proud of both her own and her team's accomplishment.
This isn't the first time Taylor, a three-sport varsity athlete, has made a difference in a Championship game. Last spring in the IAAM lacrosse finals against Roland Park Country School, she scored on an open net to give the Eagles a two-point advantage. Despite a comeback goal by RPCS it wasn't enough for the Reds to catch McDonogh in the high scoring (18-17) game.
Taylor, a senior at McDonogh has played varsity level basketball and lacrosse since her freshman year and varsity soccer since sophomore year. In that time, her teams have won six championships and in this, her final year, she's hoping for a "hat trick." At the same time, she is keenly aware of the high level of competition throughout the league.
We caught up with Taylor just days after the basketball championship game and on the first day of lacrosse practice. While the rest of the team was practicing drills, Taylor's lacrosse coach mandated she take a well-deserved afternoon off.
"I'm not used to it. I'm so used to going, going, going," says Taylor, who in addition to playing for her school teams, has played for M&D Lacrosse Club since 5th grade and is now helping to coach the 2018 team.
Clearly, Taylor enjoys playing team sports and the camaraderie of her teammates. She says, "Each team is different, but it's different in its own good way. In lacrosse we are very competitive with each other, but off the field we're such a family. The only way we'd be able to get through some of the tough times is by being close."
In listening to Taylor, it's easy to see she is already beginning to feel nostalgic about her last season at McDonogh. "It's surreal. I can't believe it's almost over. I'm going to take every day and make it special somehow. I know I'm going to miss it. It's a great thing to be a part of. "
At the same time, she's looking forward to next year when she will play lacrosse at the University of Maryland. She has been accepted into the Business School and is considering a career in Finance or law, but also feels coaching would be "awesome."
"I wanted to go to a place that is competitive and wants to win. I love the coaches, and the girls there are so nice and welcoming. It feels like it's the perfect fit for me," says Taylor who also considered offers from Duke and UNC.
Finally, no conversation with this confident championship athlete would be complete without Taylor mentioning her coaches. She realizes the positive impact the coaches in all three sports have had on both her high school and future college career. "They've all made me into the person and the athlete that I am. They've made our teams so successful. Without them, none of this would have been possible."
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