The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Breaking News

Today's Sports Front

Related Photos

  • Winfield’s Haylea Roberson drives the ball as Woodrow Wilson’s LaShonda McDowell defends during Wednesday evening action in Beckley. F. Brian Ferguson

    Woodrow girls
January 10, 2013

Beckley girls hold off Winfield

By Dan Stillwell Register-Herald Sports Writer

— Woodrow Wilson versus Winfield could have been the classic inside-outside battle, going down to the last shot.

Kavita François saw that didn’t happen.

The senior guard played her best game of the season, giving the Lady Eagles a strong outside presence to match its inside game for a 48-40 win Wednesday night at Woodrow Wilson High School.

François knocked down three 3-pointers to help offset eight by Winfield. She also made some key plays down the stretch to enable the Lady Eagles to maintain their lead.

“We’ve been waiting for Kavita to step up. She’s probably been the best athlete on the floor in every game except one,” Woodrow coach Bernie Bostick said. “We just have to keep building her confidence. She gets better each game.”

Woodrow (3-6) had four post players taller than anybody the Generals could muster. Senior Summer Butler got her team off to a strong start with three first-quarter buckets, while junior Breanna Thompson controlled the boards with five rebounds.

Winfield (6-4) answered with its strong outside shooters, but led only once in the game, at 16-13.

The Generals were outmanned, having four players in street clothes because of school suspensions. But they hung tough with Woodrow, and never trailed by more than six until late in the contest.

“Three of my top seven are suspended ” coach Tim Toler said. “We’re not big, and those three enable me to do some different things on defense. I can press because they’re really quick.

“We tried (pressing), but I don’t know if we really got off the bus tonight. We’re more of a defensive team.”

Woodrow led 13-11 after one period of play. François then hit two of her 3s in the second quarter as the Lady Eagles took a 26-23 lead into the dressing room for halftime.

Three inside buckets, a rebound by Thompson and two layups by Jasha Payne re-established Woodrow’s inside dominance during the third quarter. François then stole the ball and took it coast-to-coast for a 39-32 lead.

She also added two more baskets late, but Winfield got 3s from Haeley Moore and reserve Meagan Guetzloff, to narrow the gap to 46-40 with 1:42 to play.

Woodrow’s defense, inconsistent to that point, then played its best of the game, Winfield’s guards looked for an open shot, but found only a hand in their faces as time ran down.

“We spend a huge amount of time on defense,” Bostick said. “You have to work hard on defense. It’s coming. Coach (James) Lewis does a great job with it.”

Moore led the Generals with 11 points, followed by Morgan Eggleton with 10 and Mara Rhodes with 7.

Thompson finished with 14 rebounds and nine points. Butler scored eight and Payne tallied five points and six rebounds.

“This is the first time in years we haven’t had a superstar,” Bostick said. “We were always, ‘Give the ball to Olivia (Moore), or to Camisha (Alexander) or to Erin (Reynolds) or to Charlene (Diggs). They were going to score, and we don’t have anybody like that.”

“We’ve now put together three good games in a row. We’re trying to impress on everyone that we have to play for every possession.

“We’re not good enough we can take time off and expect to win. We saw that tonight.

Woodrow hosts Cabell Midland at 4 p.m. Saturday.

— E-mail: dstillwell

@register-herald.com

For team high school basketball coverage, check us out online at

www.register-herald.com and look for

the link for In The Paint”







Winfield (6-4)

Haley Moore 3 4-6 11, Haylea Roberson 2 0-0 4, Mara Rhodes 2 2-2 7, Morgan Eggleton 4 0-0 10, Chelsea Kirby 1 0-0 2, Katie Bryant 1 0-0 3, Marita Passero 0 0-0 0, Cheyenne Sawyer 0 0-0 0, Morgan Guetzloff 1 0-2 3. Totals: 14 6-10 40.

Woodrow Wilson (3-6)

Sarah Akers 1 0-0 2, Ty Hairston 1 0-0 2, Kavita François 8 1-1 20, Summer Butler 4 0-2 8, Breanna Thompson 3 3-6 9, Rebekah Cook 0 2-2 2, Paige Lewis 0 0-0 0, Jasha Payne 2 1-2 5, LaShonda McDowell 0 0-0 0, Brooke Pudder 0 0-0 0, Bre’ana Staunton 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 7-13 48.

W    11    12    9    8    —    40

WW    13    13    13    9    —    48

3-point goals — W: 6 (Moore 1, Rhodes 1, Eggleton 2, Bryant 1, Guetzloff 1); WW: 3 (François 3). Fouled out — None.

Text Only
Today's Sports Front
  • 052213 woodrow Woodrow downs defending AAA champs

    It’s a play that Woodrow Wilson has practiced everyday this season and has rarely had to utilize.
    It’s a good thing the Flying Eagles did practice it; it saved their season and led to a 2-1 victory over defending state champion Princeton.

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

  • 052213 indy No repeat for Warriors

    Independence has been on a tear offensively the entire month of May. It didn’t stop Tuesday, even against Wyoming East ace Derek Thornton.
    The Patriots led 5-0 after two innings, and Brian Sexton — backed by that very offense and some sparkling defense — gutted out a complete game in a 7-5 win in the Class AA Region 3 semifinals Tuesday night.

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

  • ’Hounds hold off upset bid from Man Hillbillies

    Valley’s potent offense never came to life, but the Greyhounds are still alive.
    Valley (22-7) — with several players hitting .400 or better this season — could muster just three singles against underdog Man (6-20-1) in one of two Class A Region 3 baseball semifinals Tuesday, but the ’Hounds manufactured two runs in the crucial fifth inning to finally go ahead of the stubborn Hillbillies and escape with a 3-2 victory.

    May 21, 2013

  • WVU baseball team helps tornado victims

    West Virginia University head baseball coach Randy Mazey was having lunch at an Oklahoma City restaurant Monday afternoon, keeping a close watch on the television set.
    With every passing minute, the tornado that devastated the Oklahoma town of Moore, was moving closer and closer to his location and its path was being documented by a local television station. At one point, the coach even looked out the window to see if he could see the approaching funnel.

    May 21, 2013

  • Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship Format Changed

    In the wake of this week’s devastating storm in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, the Big 12 Conference is postponing the start of the 2013 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship. No. 3 seeded WVU scheduled to take on Kansas at 4 p.m. (Central) on Thursday.

    May 21, 2013

  • indy Patriots, Warriors meet in anticipated matchup

    The matchup many people expected will take place today.

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

  • Fayette teams, Cavaliers vying for Class A spots

    Two Fayette County baseball teams have advanced deeper into postseason play and will begin Region 3 tournament action today.

    May 21, 2013

  • Epling already having a busy week for Miners

    At this point a year ago, Sam Lewis was the only player on the West Virginia Miners roster to have reported to Beckley. All he did was pitch two no-hitters, and the Miners won the 2012 Prospect League championship.

    May 21, 2013

  • Confident Mavs headed to states

    From the outset, James Monroe’s mission was clear: Get to the state softball tournament.

    May 21, 2013

  • rakes Eagles get 2nd shot at Tigers

    The road to the Class AAA state championship for Princeton last year went through Beckley. A repeat would require the same stop, but Woodrow Wilson is looking to put up more resistance this time around.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo