Bruce McKean
Contributing Writer
PCHS JV, 48
Highland VA Varsity, 37
The Highland Virginia Varsity girls basketball team traveled to Pocahontas County High School February 4 for their second encounter this season. Their first match-up at Monterey, Virginia, January 14, saw the two teams tied 7-7 after one stanza and PCHS only ahead by one point, 18-17, by the half. PCHS upped their lead to five, 27-22, after three, but the Lady Warriors were able to hang on when Highland rallied in the final frame for the 33-31 win.
Sophomore Kierstin Taylor and junior Cloey Sharp did not play in that first game at Highland. Taylor’s game-high 18 points in this second game, that included four threes, six rebounds, five assists, four deflections and three blocks, plus Sharp’s 11 points and five rebounds, made the difference. Taylor upped her game in the fourth frame with seven points to assure the victory after HHS took the third quarter 16-8 to cut the PCHS lead to nine, 34-25. Sophomore Sienna Bircher tallied 11 rebounds, five deflections, four steals, four assists and three blocks. Highland’s two game-high scorers each made 11 points, and Sydney Armstong also added nine rebounds while Haley Terry grabbed six. PCHS grabbed more rebounds 33 -28, while HHS had fewer turnovers 24-28. PCHS made only nine of 24 foul shots (38%), while HHS connected on 11 of 17 (65%). Twelve Lady Warriors played, and eight scored.
PCHS V, 83
Richwood V, 26
The Class A #6 (AP Poll) PCHS squad crossed Kinnison Mountain February 7, for their second match-up of the season with the Richwood Ladyjacks. The 83 – 26 outcome this time was very close to the 88-24 final score at PCHS on December 18 when the PCHS starting five scored 41 points in just the first quarter. This time around, PCHS only scored 26 first quarter points, but the fourth quarter score was 23 – 9 PCHS, with the PCHS bench scoring 18 of those points, versus a 7– 4 PCHS fourth period the last time they played.
Kira Bircher was game-high scorer for the winners with 22 points, and Laila Calhoun had a double-double of 19 points, 10 steals, six rebounds and four assists. Cloey Sharp came off the bench and scored 13 points, and Sienna Bircher also came off the bench and pulled down 11 rebounds while hitting four of four foul shots. All 10 Lady Warriors scored. Senior point guard Sidney Hacker was RHS high-scorer with 10 points. Pocahontas tallied 46 rebounds, 39 steals, 28 assists. Richwood drops to 3-13.
PCHS JV, 57
Richwood JV, 36
The PCHS JV team scored four fewer points Thursday than they did in their first match-up versus Richwood at PCHS December 18. One Richwood player made a big difference in this second game at Richwood that ended 57 – 36 vs 61 – 11 in December. RHS sophomore Shae Wilson, #22, did not score in the first match-up, but she scored 18 points on Thursday, and was game high-scorer while also hitting four three-pointers. Richwood was called for only five fouls at PCHS in the earlier game vs 16 foul calls for Pocahontas. RHS was called for 19 fouls on their home court in this second game, and two of their seven players fouled out.
Three Lady Warriors scored in double digits Thursday: freshman Makayla Ervine – 17 points and four steals, junior Twyla McCarty a double-double – 15 points and 11 rebounds, and freshman Makayla Vandevander – 10 points. Also with double-digit stats were: freshman Rayna Smith – 15 rebounds and freshman Maxine Puffenbarger – 10 rebounds. PCHS had 61 rebounds to 48 for RHS.
PCHS V, 55
Pendleton County V, 29
Sixteen Lady Warriors saw action in the annual Pink-out varsity game at PCHS versus Pendleton County February 9, including seven JV players who saw varsity action for the first time. When these two teams opened the PCHS season at Franklin on November 30, Pocahontas won 82 – 24. Ten Lady Warriors scored in this second game. Game high-scorer Saturday was Calhoun with 16 points, seven steals and four assists followed by Kira Bircher with 12 points, four steals and four assists. Warder put up eight points and grabbed eight rebounds. High scorers for the Lady Wildcats were Claire Heavner and Brooke Walls, each with eight points.
Unlike when these two squads played at Franklin and 22 fouls were called on Pocahontas and 17 on the home team, only nine fouls total were called in this game at PCHS.
The Lady Warriors’ record improves to 15-2.
Class A Region III Section 1 play will be played on Monday, February 18 – three first round games; Wednesday, February 20 – two semi-final games; and Friday, February 22 – Section 1 championship. The highest seeded team by vote of the coaches of the seven schools in Section 1 will get a bye on Monday. The higher seeded teams will host the lower seeded teams, and games normally start at 7 p.m. The two Region III co-final games will be held Thursday, February 28. Section winners will host the opposite section runners-up.
PCHS JV, 53
Pendleton County JV, 23
PCHS avenged one of their two losses this season when they defeated Pendleton County 53 – 23 Saturday after losing their first game of the season at Franklin 26 – 34. Kierstin Taylor was game high scorer Saturday with 18 points, three treys, nine steals and four deflections. Sharp was next with eight points and six rebounds. Sienna Bircher hauled in 13 rebounds, two blocks and three steals. Destiny Vandevender tallied seven points, two blocks and three each of rebounds, steals, deflections and assists. Twelve Lady Warriors saw action and nine scored. The PCHS JV team improves to 14 – 2.
