By Jim Workman
Register-Herald Sports Writer
CHARLESTON —
It was supposed to turn out this way.
Wyoming East vs. Oak Hill.
Oak Hill vs. Wyoming East.
They were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in every Class AA poll released by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association this season except one.
Oak Hill was ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll, until the Red Devils lost to the Warriors for the first time.
They stayed there for the remainder of the season.
Now the two Region 3 rivals are slated to decide once and for all — who’s No. 1?
This time the victor gets the big trophy and a huge team photo hung in their school’s corridors.
It’s for all the marbles.
Top seeded Wyoming East (22-2) and second seeded Oak Hill (20-4) meet today at noon for the Class AA state championship.
“That’s what the new tournament format is supposed to do — give you the best matchups possible,” said Oak Hill coach Fred Ferri.
The teams are no strangers, having met four times already, with Wyoming East holding a 3-1 advantage.
The Warriors won the first matchup 70-64 on Jan. 12 in New Richmond and the second, 71-51 in the Big Atlantic Classic at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center on Feb. 6.
Oak Hill claimed a 55-51 win at home on Feb. 19.
Wyoming East blasted Oak Hill 60-36 in a sectional final back in Beckley on March 6.
“This is round five, but I like our chances,” said Wyoming East first year head coach Rory Chapman. “We’ve won three of them. But Oak Hill is a strong team. They’ve proven that all year long.”
“There are no secrets between us,” said Ferri. “This will be the ninth time we’ve played each other in the last two years, in 41 games. “We will just have to play. Whoever makes their shots and plays well will win.
“We both played well Friday,” Ferri added. “Everyone’s good at this time of the year, so you have to.”
— E-mail: jworkman@register-herald.com
