WVSSAC 2014
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
March 12-15, 2014 -Charleston Civic
Center, Charleston WV.
By; Joe Costa
The WVSSAC 2014 Girls’ Basketball State Tournament
brings together 24 regional champions in 3 classifications to Charleston West
Virginia for the 4 day event. Wednesday and Thursday is the quarterfinal round,
while Friday is the 6 semi-final games and Saturday is Championship Saturday.
The WVSSAC tournament is a great event with a fun, fan friendly atmosphere. The
competing schools descend upon Charleston complete with cheerleaders and very
well behaved and respectful student sections.
The following is a re-cap of the first two days
quarter final action. Second and championship rounds re-cap will have more
evaluations and individual player information.
Quarter Final Re-cap
Class A
(1) St. Joseph Central Lady Irish 73 - (8)
Tug Valley Lady Panthers 30
This one was over quick; coach Shannon Lewis’s number
one seed Lady Irish had no problem dispatching the number eight seeded Panthers
of Tug Valley. The Lady Irish talent and pressure defense turned Tug Valley
over 37 times while seniors Griffin Dempsey (20) and Rachel Lee (19) dominated
the overmatched Lady Panthers. Tug Valley was led by senior Hannah Armstrong
(14).
(2) St. Mary’s Lady Blue Devils 71 - (7) Fayetteville Yellow Jackets 40
Second seeded St. Mary’s used their size and speed to
wear down a tough Fayetteville squad in the last game of the afternoon session.
The Lady Blue Devils are a well rounded group with a 6-4 inside presence senior
Kendra Walker (17), an all-around threat in 5-11 sophomore Ashley Hall (19) and
a combo guard in senior Mikaela Britton (13).
The Yellow Jackets were led by junior Maddie Pritt (12) and freshman
Kendall Maylay (10).
(3) Tucker County Mountain Lions 51
- (6) Pocahontas County Warriors 31
This match-up of the number three and six seeded teams
was a 6 point Tucker County lead at halftime, 25-19 and then the Mountain Lions
pounced on the Warriors with an 18-3 third quarter. Seniors Stephanie Betler
(15) and Bekah Simmons (12) paced the Mountain Lions while freshman forward
Sarah Ryder 13 led all Pocahontas County scorers.
(4) Wheeling Central Lady Knights 44 - (5)
Charleston Catholic Lady Irish 49
The final quarter final match-up of the tournament was
a good one! The number five seeded Charleston Catholic Lady Irish outlasted a
late rush by the Lady Knights of Wheeling Central. A 12-3 second quarter put Charleston Catholic
up 7 at the half and as much as 11 in the third. Wheeling closed the gap to 2
with under a minute to go but free throws and keeping the Lady Knights off the
boards sealed the win for Charleston Catholic. The three headed monster of
freshman Vida Imani (17), seniors Anna Whelan (12) and Hanna Gallian (10)
balanced out the Lady Irish while on the Lady Knight’s side junior Regan Blaha
chipped in (12).
Class AA
(1) Fairmont Sr. Polar Bears 56 - (8)
Grafton Bearcats 41
Grafton’s sophomore tandem of Hannah Griffith (15) and
Tessa Clark (12) did what they could to keep this game close for a while but Fairmont
Sr’s pressure, tempo and depth proved too much for the Bearcats. Fairmont Sr.
was led by Junior Emily Stoller (15) and freshman Erica Bowles (17)
(2) Westside Renegades 56 - (7) Scott Yellow Jackets 42
Westside junior Hope Lester (20) was too strong inside
and too elusive outside for the Yellow Jackets of Scott to contain. Senior Ali
Whitman paced the Yellow Jackets with (14).
(3) North Marion Huskies 57 - (6)
Keyser Golden Tornado 63
A late Keyser surge which included some timely free
throws and key rebounds pushed the Golden Tornado past the stubborn North
Marion Huskies. Sophomore Lexi Taylor (19) and senior Lexi Carr (10) paced the
6 seeded Keyser team while senior Anna Marie Moscufo led the Huskies with (16)
and freshman Presley Tuttle added (14).
(4) Summers County Lady Bobcats 47 - (5) Sissonville Indians 57
In a game that featured 7 ties and 5 lead changes, the
Sissonville Indians ran past the number 4 seeded Lady Bobcats of Summers County
to end the first day’s action. Sophomore Madison Jones led all scorers with
(22) for the Indians while fellow sophomore Karli Pinkerton added (18). The
Lady Bobcats were paced by senior Brandy Morrison with (11).
Class AAA
(1) Parkersburg South Patriots 80 - (8) Hampshire Trojan 33
After starting the game down one because of a bench
technical, Parkersburg South showed why they are the number one seeded team in
AAA. The Patriots ran away from the Trojans early in this match-up behind sophomores
Taryn McCutcheon (16) and (12) from Anna Hayton. The Trojans were led by junior
Emilynn Corbin with (14).
(2) Greenbrier East Lady Spartans 48
- (7) Cabell Midland Knights 38
The Lady Spartan’s coach Jim Justice really knows and
trusts his kids… When 6-4 senior center Sydney Nunley (19) picked up her second
personal foul early in the second quarter, coach Justice never wavered. He left
Nunley in the game then and did it again when she picked up her third early in
the 3rd quarter. Result Nunley’s
steady performance kept the second seeded Lady Spartans in the game until late
in the third that is when fellow senior Chaunte McDowell (23) caught fire.
Greenbrier East went on an 18-2 run that put the very game Cabell Midland
Knights away. The Knights led most of the game behind senior Sierra Jordan’s
(10).
(3) Huntington Highlanders 48 -
(6) Morgantown Mohigans 59
Morgantown coach Jason White’s game plan was to use
the third seeded Highlanders strengths against them. He changed how the
Mohigans break the press to give an open floor for their speedy point guard
junior Olivia Seggie (19 & 5 assists) and told the sixth seeded Morgantown
High players to stop the Highlanders penetration as a results the Mohigans
opened up a 29-18 halftime lead. Huntington countered with adjustments to the
press and started turning Morgantown over in the third. That coupled with the
Highlanders finally being able to attack the basket down the lane pulled
Huntington to within 8 after three. All the energy the Highlanders used to get
back in the game started to wear on Huntington. Morgantown played keep away and
made free throws to put the Highlanders away. Sophomores Sydney Holloway and
Paige Poffenberger each added (10) to go with Seggie’s (19) for the Mohigans.
Huntington got (20) from sophomore Dazha Congleton and (10) from Alacyah
Johnson.
(4) South Charleston Black Eagles 40
- (5) Martinsburg Lady Bulldogs 60
After South Charleston closed to 1 a 9 point deficit
in the third quarter, Martinsburg went on a 26-7 run to end the game. Martinsburg held the Black Eagle’s talented
freshman guard Aaliyah Dunham to 1 of 13 from the field and only (4) points.
South Charleston did however get (14) from sophomore Taliah Cashwell.
Martinsburg’s junior guard Taylor Ferguson led all scorers with (22) while
senior Essence Underwood scored (13) and junior Alexus Bonner chipped in (11).
