The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Today's Sports Front

February 20, 2013

Valley’s Cantrell notches 1st tournament win

By Steve Keenan For The Register-Herald

SMITHERS — Off the top of his head, Richie Cantrell couldn’t remember his team’s overall record.

However, he was sure of one thing following Valley’s matchup with Meadow Bridge in a Class A Region 3, Section 2 girls basketball semifinal Tuesday.

“Right now, we’re 1-0,” exclaimed the first-year Greyhound coach.

No. 2 seed Valley (12-6) jumped ahead early, withstood a brief second-quarter flurry by Class A No. 10 Meadow Bridge and controlled the action  in the second half en route to a 63-53 triumph to set up a Section 2 championship matchup versus top-seeded Fayetteville Thursday at the Fayette County Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building. The Pirates defeated Midland Trail 53-43 Tuesday.

“Our senior players held the line and our younger players stepped up,” said Cantrell. “The key was following our shots and getting secondary rebounds, and we limited (Meadow Bridge’s) number of shots.”

“It seemed like they were just one step ahead of us all night,” said Meadow Bridge coach Steve Taylor. “I tried to use my timeouts to keep (the score) inside 10, but hats off to Valley.

“They did a great job.”

Valley used one good surge to basically  put the game away. After the Wildcats’ Sarah Fleshman scored a two-pointer to pull her team to within three points, 26-23, with about 4:30 left in the first half, Valley closed the half with 11 consecutive points to take command with a 37-23 halftime lead.

Alexis Payne initiated the crucial spurt with a putback at the 4:20 mark and followed that with a runner in the lane 50 seconds later, making it 30-23. Teammate Kelsey Bird then scored a two-point goal, which was followed by an Abby Buchan 3-pointer and a Meadow Bridge timeout.

Payne finished the run - and a 19-point first half for the senior standout - with another offensive putback to create the 14-point halftime cushion. Buchan supported Payne’s scoring with 11 points of her own in the opening two quarters.

“Everything Payne was throwing up went in,” said an exasperated Taylor. “Then, we put two (defenders) on her in the second half, and Buchan hurt us.”

While Payne was scoreless in the second half, Buchan helped kick the Valley transition game into high gear during that span by scoring 20 of her game-high 31 points.

“We got what we call our transition offense going and filled the lanes,” said Cantrell. “I think we’re peaking at the right time.”

Valley’s lead reached 17 points on three different occasions in the second half before Meadow Bridge cut into the deficit slightly in the closing minutes.

Caitlin White tallied 14 points to pace Meadow Bridge. Fleshman chipped in 12,  Allison Gilkerson 10 and Ally Redden eight. Leading scorer Chandra Harrah was limited to four points - partly due to illness she’s been suffering and partly due to dogged defense provided by Valley’s Alaysha Taylor, whom Cantrell praised for her efforts.

“She’s really come forward,” Cantrell said. “She didn’t complain, and she worked hard.”

“Chandra’s been seeing a lot of box-and-one the last month,” Taylor said. “She showed up to play.

“Anybody that scores 1,400 (career points), that’s amazing.”

Meadow Bridge ends its season at 16-6.

“I‘m really proud of our girls,” said Taylor. “We’ll be back.”

Fayetteville and Valley split during the regular season, with the Greyhounds winning 55-52  on Dec. 17 and the Pirates whipping Valley 66-45 on Jan. 28.

Thursday’s game will tip at 7 p.m.



Meadow Bridge (16-6)

Chandra Harrah 1 2-2 4, Sarah Fleshman 5 2-4 12, Allison Gilkerson 3 3-5 10, Ally Redden 4 0-0 8, Caitlin White 5 3-4 14, Courtney Mullins 1 0-0 2, Sam Adkins 0 0-0 0, Brittany Pennington 1 0-0 3, Mary Winters 0 0-0 0, Erica Pugh 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 10-15 53.

Valley (12-6)

Alexis Payne 8 3-3 19,  Abby Buchan 11 7-8 31, Kelsey Bird 3 0-0 7, Gracyn Grubb 1 0-2 2, Emily Beard 1 0-2 2, Emily Smallman 1 0-0 2, Tennel Green 0 0-0 0, Lauren Pleva 0 0-0 0, Alaysha Taylor 0 0-0 0, Chelsey Lively 0 0-0 0. Totals: 25 10-15 63.

MB       11        12        16        14        —        53

V        17        20        14        12        —        63

3-point goals — MB: 3 (Gilkerson, White, Pennington); V: 3 (Buchan 2, Bird). Fouled out - None.

Text Only
Today's Sports Front
  • Miners doubleheader scheduled for tonight

    There’s a phrase that brings joy to the face of fans of America’s pastime, from sea to shining sea – “free baseball.”

    June 19, 2013

  • King’s Warriors ‘Road to Amazing’ under construction

    Scott Reitnour has high expectations for his squad; and why shouldn't he?

    June 19, 2013

  • Bubba.jpg Bubba coming to Greenbrier Classic

    Golf’s two most famous left-handers will both be in White Sulphur Springs next month.

    June 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Miners return home to face Paints

    Joe Goddard’s days of making the decisions out of a baseball dugout were supposed to be finished.
    The longtime Independence High School coach retired at the end of the 2012 baseball season after an ultra-successful career.

    June 17, 2013

  • Huggins says WVU could be very good team

     Coach Bob Huggins admittedly feels much better about the West Virginia men’s basketball team as it prepares for the 2013-14 season.

    June 17, 2013

  • APTOPIX NBA Finals He_Work.jpg Manu Ginobili sparks Spurs to Game 5 win

    With the old Manu Ginobili back, the San Antonio Spurs looked like champs again.
    One more victory and their Big Three, not Miami's, will be the one that rules the NBA.
    Ginobili broke out of a slump in a big way with 24 points and 10 assists in his first start of the season, and the Spurs beat the Heat 114-104 on Sunday night to take a 3-2 lead.

    June 16, 2013 2 Photos

  • Promotions, giveaways on tap for Miners

    As with any summer baseball franchise, either on the Minor League Baseball system or, like the Miners, on the collegiate level, promotions are an integral part of the whole fan experience. But Pollard said there is also a special relationship created at Epling Stadium.

    Promotions are planned throughout the summer, with many nights themed toward specific groups. For instance, July 3 will be Military Night, with various military vehicles present. Boy and Girl Scouts Night is set for July 8, Emergency Response Night on Aug. 1 and Merchants Night on Aug. 2.

    June 15, 2013

  • Woodrow’s Johnson named North-South MVP

    There’s no doubt Andrew Johnson was a little steamed he was left off of the North-South Basketball roster. Unfortunately for the North Bears football team, Johnson took that aggression out on them.
    The Woodrow Wilson senior led the South Cardinals to a 43-14 victory in the North-South Football Classic in Charleston on Saturday night.

    June 15, 2013

  • South does it again

    Mike D’Antoni. Randy Moss. Tamar Slay. Jerry West. When hoops stars like that have come from your neck of the woods, you better be prepared to bring your A-game.
    That’s exactly what the South side did on Friday night, when the determined and gritty underdogs knocked off the North in the North-South Basketball Classic, 91-82 at the South Charleston Community Center.

    June 15, 2013

  • Greenbrier Classic adds players

    With just 15 days before the start of another Greenbrier Classic, golf fans around the state are itching for some news about which players will be hitting the fairways of The Old White TPC for the fourth-year PGA TOUR event in White Sulphur Springs.
    Tournament director Monte Ortel is just as anxious. One of his main job duties is player recruitment, and he can’t wait to show off the list he has assembled.

    June 15, 2013