Published: March 08, 2008 11:34 pm         

Pressure is off Summers ... for now

CHARLESTON — You might think having the top girls basketball team in your class might be all fun and games.

Yet when Summers County repeated as Class AA state champion Saturday, coach Wayne Ryan was feeling relief every bit as much as joy at winning another title.

“It feels great. But it’s a lot of relief because we felt a lot of pressure on us,” said Ryan, whose top-seeded team defeated No. 3 Lincoln 80-47.

“We had high expectations from ourselves, from the community and from people who know girls basketball.”

The Bobcats were ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls and held on to first place until they lost 76-72 in overtime to last year’s runner-up, Winfield, back on Jan. 19.

They reclaimed the top spot just three weeks later with a 63-57 revenge victory on the Generals’ home court.

The pressure remained, not only on Summers, but on Winfield as well.

Last March, Generals coach Paul Sutherland openly predicted a third consecutive meeting between the two squads for the AA championship. (The Generals had beaten Summers in 2006.)

Few doubted him. Summers spent many hours preparing for yet another go-around with Winfield, figuring the Putnam County team would handily dispose of No. 3 Lincoln in the semifinals.

Sutherland told The Charleston Gazette earlier in the week, “I wouldn’t want to be any team that plays us now.”

But as the final buzzer sounded Friday afternoon, it was a joyous Lincoln squad that raced off the Charleston Civic Center floor.

A stunned Winfield was left to ponder how it could force the Cougars into 30 turnovers and still lose 69-57.

“The shots didn’t fall,” Sutherland said. “I haven’t ever known a team to be 22 for 85 for us, but it happens.”

Summers avoided that fate, coasting through its quarterfinal game with Westside and easily beating Weir in the semifinals.

The Bobcats had lost just one player from last year’s squad, guard Jenni Wynes, who played masterfully in all three games to take her team to the title.

With Wynes now at Armstrong Atlantic University, Summers turned to leadership by committee in the form of seniors Rebecca Newsome, Kelsey Brewer and state Player of the Year Jolysa Brown.

“My gut said we had all kinds of talent coming back, but our heart and soul was Jenni Wynes,” Ryan said. “I had worries that we could replace her, and I think they got tired of hearing me express that.

“They knew all along they could play for a state championship if they continued to improve.”

As it turned out, the Bobcats didn’t just play for a AA title Saturday, they grabbed it by the throat and held on with a vise grip.

Saving their best game of the season for last, they completely dominated Lincoln.

Brown had a tremendous tournament, capping it off with 26 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

She scored 56 points on the week, cementing her position as the state’s top player.

“I’m glad I never had to play against Jolysa,” Summers junior forward Emily Blevins said. “There are a lot of great players in the state, but Jolysa is definitely the best.”

Blevins, who had fought foul trouble in both previous games, gave a hint of things to come next season. She tallied 31 points, made six steals, blocked three shots and hauled down seven rebounds.

Finally, the pressure was off the Bobcats.

“Being a No. 1 seed didn’t affect us,” Blevins said. “We went out and got the job done. It was so much fun.”

Was she disappointed not to get one final crack at the Generals?

“Winfield is a rival and we love to play them, but a state championship is a state championship, no matter who you play,” she said. “It doesn’t lose any value.”

Blevins returns next season, as does point guard Ashley Brown, promising freshman wings Hannah Gunnoe and Leslie Mack and veteran post players Kim Cox and Lauren Estes, among others.

Summers will take a little time off. Then the pressure begins again.

“This year was a little harder because of knowing what it is to be up there,” Blevins said. “Another championship would be great and we’re definitely going to go for it.

“But right now I’m going to enjoy this one.”

— E-mail:

dstillwell@register-herald.com