Patriots snap losing streak inside Memorial Fieldhouse
Photos by Joe Albright Parkersburg South’s Brooke Sandy works against Parkersburg’s Trinity Balog during the Patriots’ 54-51 win over the Big Reds Saturday inside PHS Memorial Fieldhouse. Sandy’s personal 9-0 run in the second quarter helped the Patriots power through a down period and keep the pressure on the Big Reds going into halftime.
Photo by Joe Albright Parkersburg South’s Riley Harner drives past Parkersburg’s Mya Barrett in the second quarter. Harner hit a key free throw at the end of the game to make sure PHS needed a three for the tie with under ten seconds remaining in the contest.
Photos by Joe Albright Parkersburg South’s Brooke Sandy works against Parkersburg’s Trinity Balog during the Patriots’ 54-51 win over the Big Reds Saturday inside PHS Memorial Fieldhouse. Sandy’s personal 9-0 run in the second quarter helped the Patriots power through a down period and keep the pressure on the Big Reds going into halftime.
Photo by Joe Albright Parkersburg South’s Riley Harner drives past Parkersburg’s Mya Barrett in the second quarter. Harner hit a key free throw at the end of the game to make sure PHS needed a three for the tie with under ten seconds remaining in the contest.
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PARKERSBURG --Parkersburg South's girls basketball team was riding high before a rivalry game against Parkersburg, confident and in possession of a two-game winning streak.
The Patriots are still soaring. Parkersburg couldn't find the magic it needed in the final minutes and South grabbed a hard-fought win inside Memorial Fieldhouse, holding off the Big Reds 54-41 on Saturday afternoon.
South guard Brooke Sandy, for one, couldn't be more thrilled.
"It is just a really good feeling and like a relief, I mean of course we have the talent to beat them but to be able to finish is such a happy feeling," she said.
Parkersburg South received solid performances from standouts Skylar Bosley and Hannah Wingrove, alongside Sandy to become the first Patriot team in four years to win on Parkersburg's home floor. Bosley scored four of the Patriots' fourth quarter points and pulled down a crucial rebound that helped stem the Big Reds' late push. Wingrove and Sandy tallied 14 and 11 points respectively.
Nine of Sandy's points came on her own personal run in the first quarter that helped the Patriots jump out to a 15-10 lead.
"We just executed well and did what we had to do," Sandy said. "Everyone contribtued."
Brilynn Florence could have tied it in the closing seconds, but her 3 never found the rim and South celebrated its third straight victory that pulled them back to .500.
Head coach Rick Dobson's group now heads to Spring Valley for a 6 p.m. matchup with a chance to claim a winning record on Monday.
Florence had 20 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Big Reds. Sierra Mason scored nine points but fouled out late in the game.
South scored the game's first eight points, including a 3-pointer from Bosley that sent the Patriots' crowd into a frenzy. South led 11-3 before the Big Reds rallied to close within 15-10 after one period.
Mason hit two free throws with 13.5 seconds left in the second quarter to tie the contest.
PHS did everything it could in the final period to try and snap a two-game losing streak. Scott Cozzens' group pressed, stole the ball, hit free throws and got physical but it wasn't enough. Though they whittled down a once 19-point lead to just five with seconds left, the Patriots hit enough free throws to escape.
Cozzens was pleased with the effort from his team, but also needs to see more of it.
"We played with a lot better effort than the first three quarters and this team has to understand they aren't talented enough to just play three or four minutes with that kind of effort and expect to beat anybody. Whether we are in a full court trapping or playing half court defense we have to play with great effort . And the last few games that has been lacking quite a bit, only they can correct that," Cozzens said.
The Big Reds dropped their third straight contest with the defeat. They'll try to get back on track when Mountain State Athletic Conference rival George Washington comes to town for a 5:30 p.m. matchup on Tuesday.