Bruce McKean
Contributing Writer
PCHS Varsity, 41
Allegheny Varsity, 50
Unlike last season, thePocahontas County High School girls basketball coaches, Mike Kane, Alan Taylor and Chloe Bland, had a big hole to fill this season due to the graduation of one very talented starter, Brianna Hefner. Hefner was second high scorer (10.5 ppg) last season and the top rebounder (7.9 rpg) while in the top-5 of several other stat categories. This year’s #9 (AP preseason poll, 51 schools in Class A) PCHS squad will play Class A schools #5 Tucker, #4 Summers, who beat us 46-35 in regional play, and possibly #3 Parkersburg Catholic when we play in their tournament. Class AA Herbert Hoover will be our first opponent in that tournament, and we will again play Class AA Elkins, and Class A #10 (Coaches Poll) Midland Trail, who upset us last year in the sectional championship, 50-63, after we beat them 58-37 in the regular season. Class A Calhoun County is a new opponent, and we will travel to their school in Mt. Zion. Class AA James Monroe also returns to our schedule for one meeting at Lindside.
PCHS opened its 2019-20 season December 3 at Virginia Class AAA Allegheny High School in Covington, Virginia. The AHS announcer of the players at Tuesday’s game mentioned that this would be the fourth time that these two schools played, and the first of those games was in 1993. I was at all four games, and the parallels to this game and the first game in 1993 are striking. Both PCHS teams in 1993 and 2019 had/have six talented seniors, and the expectations were/are very high for a trip to states. Allegheny beat PCHS, coached by Bob Sheets, 60-58, in 1993, and the loss this year was 50-41. The 1993 Class AA PCHS squad would go on to defeat AHS at home 65-60 in their third game of the season and would only lose one more regular season game (split with Class AAA Greenbrier East that season), which is still a PCHS regular season record. The third meeting between these schools on December 11, 2012 resulted in a PCHS win, 71-64, during Mike Kane’s first season coaching at PCHS.
I cannot ever remember any PCHS girls squad not scoring in the first quarter, but that is what happened Tuesday when all eight PCHS shots would not drop. The host Mountaineers took the quarter 11-0. Luckily the Warriors improved quickly and hit 57% of their second quarter shots and won it 18-15. AHS took the third quarter 15-8, and the Warriors won the fourth 15-9 by hitting 70% of their shots.
Senior Charity Warder was team high scorer and just missed a double-double with 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists (most) and three steals (most). Senior Laila Calhoun notched a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds (most), three deflect- ions (most) and two blocks (most). Junior Kierstin Taylor came off-the-bench and put up seven points, including one trey, and four rebounds. Senior Alexa Taylor hit two treys (most) for six points. Senior Kira Bircher tallied five points, five rebounds and three assists. Junior Sienna Bircher came off-the-bench and tallied two points and three rebounds.
The Mountaineers tripled our three treys with nine, and three of their players were in double-digits: Maggie Rooklin – 14, Erin Harden – 12 and Kendell Keene – 12 (4 treys). PCHS made four of 11 (36%) foul shots, and AHS connected on five of eight (63%). We won the rebounding battle 36 to 23. Both squads committed lots of turnovers, 23 for AHS and 26 for PCHS. AHS was called for two more fouls, 14 to 12 for PCHS.
PCHS JV, 21
Allegheny JV, 35
The first PCHS JV basketball game of the season, a 21-35 loss, was a low-scoring game for the 12 Lady Warriors, seven of whom are freshman. PCHS only made three of 15 ( 20%) foul shots, while the Mountaineers hit seven of 16 (44%).
Allegheny out-rebounded PCHS 32 to 23, while PCHS had 39 turnovers to 33 for AHS. The Lady Warriors only made one of 11 field goals (9%) in the first quarter and finished the game with eight of 44 (18%).
All 12 Lady Warriors played in the game, and eight scored. Freshman Makenzie Moyers was team high scorer with six points, including one trey. The only other player in the game to hit a three was freshman Jazzlyn Teter. Sophomore Macaden Taylor led the team in three stats: six rebounds, four steals and three deflections, while scoring four points. Sophomore Allyson Alderman led the team with two assists.
Zamera Hayslett of AHS was game high scorer with 13 points, and Abbie Fridley of AHS was next with nine.
PCHS Varsity, 62
Pendleton Co. Varsity, 29
Last season PCHS also opened at Pendleton and won the game 82-24. The Warriors traveled to Franklin December 5 and forced 30 turnovers while grabbing 41 rebounds and 16 steals. The Warriors scored 15, 13, 18 and 16 points respectively in the four quarters. The Warriors made 15 of 22 (68%) free throws vs six of 16 (38%) for the Wildcats. Pocahontas was called for more fouls, 19 versus 14 for the Wildcats, and senior post player Charity Warder fouled out.
Three PCHS senior starters were in double-digits: Laila Calhoun – double-double of 22 points (most), 13 rebounds (most), six of 11 free throws, four steals, five assists (most) and three deflections; Kira Bircher – 13 points, two treys (most), six rebounds, five steals (most), and three blocks (most); and Alexa Taylor – 10 points, five rebounds, four steals, four assists, five deflections (most) and eight of 10 free throws (most). Junior Sienna Bircher came off the bench and grabbed nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and four points. Warder, junior Kierston Taylor and senior Jerica Reed scored six, four and three points respectively.
Pocahontas improves to 1-1 on the season, and Pendleton drops to 0-1. PCHS will play at Tygarts Valley in Mill Creek on Friday, December 13 (JV 5:45 p.m. and V 7:30 p.m.). Richwood will travel to PCHS Wednesday, December 18 (JV 5:45 p.m. and V 7:30 p.m.).
PCHS JV, 31
Pendleton Co. JV, 25
The JV game at Franklin was marked by much improved PCHS play, four ties and multiple lead changes until PCHS took the lead for good at 19-17 in the third quarter. The score at the end of the first three quarters was: 1 (9-8 PCHS), 2 (11-13 AHS), and 3 (25-23 PCHS). Pocahontas was called for fewer fouls, 13-15. All 13 Warriors saw action, and six players scored. PCHS had four more rebounds, 29-25, and one fewer turnovers, 27-28.
PCHS sophomore Macaden Taylor was game high scorer with 10 points, six rebounds, five steals, two assists and two blocks (all highs for the game). Sophomore Allyson Alderman tallied nine points, four re- bounds, two assists (most), two blocks (most) and three deflections (most). Chloe Sharp played two quarters and scored six points, three steals, two blocks and two deflections.
Pocahontas improves to 1-1, and Pendleton drops to 0-1.