Lady Warriors too much for the young Lady Jacks

Bruce McKean
Contributing Writer 

PCHS V, 51 
Richwood V, 14

The Pocahontas County High School Lady Warriors basketball teams hosted two Richwood squads January 26 that had no juniors or seniors playing this season. PCHS assistant head coach Chloe Bland was acting head coach in Mike Kane’s absence Wednesday.

Although they were young and had not won a game, the RHS varsity team stayed with PCHS in the first third quarters.

PCHS senior Makayla Ervine scored the first basket of the game, a three, with 5:08 to go in the first frame. RHS sophomore Addison Dudley then scored a two, and PCHS sophomore Olivia Vandevender nailed a two to end the quarter scoring at 5-2. PCHS only hit two of 19 field goal attempts (11 percent).  

The Lady Warriors greatly improved their game in the second frame and hit nine of 21 field goal attempts (43 percent) for a 22-4 best quarter. PCHS started on a 14-0 run and ended on an 8-0 run in the second stanza. Vandevender hustled in the second stanza for 12 of her game-high and varsity career-high 24 points that included two threes in each of the second and fourth frames. Junior Talisa Arbogast also hit a three in the second.

PCHS was leading 27-6 to start the third quarter that ended 8-6 in favor of PCHS. The Lady Warriors would make four of 20 field goal attempts (20 percent) in both of the last two stanzas. PCHS hit three treys in the 16-2 final frame including one from junior Haley Spencer.  RHS made two of seven foul shots in the fourth, and the game ended 51-14.

RHS out-rebounded PCHS 38-33, and PCHS committed fewer turnovers 16-52. Spencer was second game-high scorer with nine points, The Lady Jacks hit five twos versus 12 of 55 (22 percent) for PCHS, and PCHS made six of 13 (46%) free throws versus four of 12 (33%) for RHS. Vandevender hit four of seven three attempts (57 percent), and her team hit seven of 25 treys (28 percent). Olivia also hit nine of 22 total field goals (twos and threes) (41 percent), while PCHS hit 19 of 80 (24 percent).  Dudley was RHS high scorer with four points.

Senior Macaden Taylor tallied three team-high stats of four assists, four steals and two blocks, plus a second place team-high of nine rebounds. Senior Allyson Alderman had five team-high deflections. Eight PCHS players and five RHS players scored. PCHS improves to 6-8 and 2-5 in the PVC while RHS is now 0-7.

PCHS JV, 66 
Richwood JV, 11

The PCHS JV squad took all four quarters, 25-1, 8-5, 18-3 and 15-2, for a 66-11 victory. Eleven Lady Warriors scored in the game versus five Lady Jacks. Sophomore Mileya Bircher was game-high scorer with 13 points, including three treys and team-highs of six steals and five deflections, plus hitting five of eight field goal attempts (63 percent). Freshman Riley Pollack was second high scorer in the game with 12 points, including two threes and three assists, plus hitting five of six field goal attempts (83 percent). Other team-high stats were: junior Mackenzie Taylor tied with three assists. Sophomore Hannah Burks only played in the first half and she was game third-high scorer with eight points. High scorer for RHS was freshman Sophie Smalley with four points.

PCHS out-rebounded RHS 35-26 and committed fewer turnovers 18-49. PCHS made five of nine foul shots (56 percent), and RHS made four of 11 (36 percent). The Lady Warriors were strong on defense with 29 steals and 20 deflections. PCHS made 28 of 83 field goal attempts (34 percent). PCHS improves to 9-3 and stays at 5-2 in the PVC.

The PCHS JV and V girls basketball teams will travel to Richwood Thursday, February 3: JV – 5:45 p.m., V – 7 p.m. Both PCHS teams will travel to Tucker County for rescheduled games Saturday, February 5: JV – 5:45 p.m., V – 7 p.m. Both PCHS teams will travel to Tygarts Valley Tuesday, February 8: JV – 5:45 p.m., V – 7 p.m. 

Only the PCHS Varsity will host the Alleghany VA Varsity for Senior Night Wednesday, February 9: V – 7 p.m.