Shooting woes plague Doddridge in loss to Webster
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CHARLESTON -- Webster County took advantage of a poor shooting night and heated up at the right time to down Doddrige County 54-37 during Tuesday night's Class A quarterfinal contest.
The Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center swallowed up another hot shooting team, as the Bulldogs went 1-21 from beyond the arc. The Highlanders started pulling away towards the end of the first half and never looked back. Now, the semifinals see another familiar matchup, as Webster faces Gilmer County on Thursday with a berth in the championship on the line. Webster head coach Sharon Baird detailed what makes Gilmer such a skilled opponent in her postgame presser.
"No. 1 Gilmer. They're a very good team and very well coached," she said. "There are a lot of athletes on that team, they're very quick and they press really well. At times, I think we can (simulate that quickness), but with everything going on in the world and not always having ten players there to practice (because of injuries and COVID) it makes it difficult."
When DCHS clinched a spot in Charleston, it was time to party like it was 1997. That was the last time the Bulldogs made it, as this year served as a major building block for the team's future.
"I'm incredibly proud of what these girls have accomplished this season," head coach Lisa Cheeseman said. "A quarter of a century has gone by since we've been here, and it's quite the accomplishment to get here. Obviously, it's not the ending that we wanted. We're disappointed, and yet, we have some girls for next year. We plan to be right back here.
It was another day at the office for WCHS's Sydney Baird, and she paced everyone with an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double. The attention she commanded opened up opportunities for others, as she talked about what worked during the win.
"We practice against a double team, because we've seen it before," Baird said. "Then Hannah (Cutlip) stepped up and started making shots, so they had to guard her. Then once they did, they went man-to-man, and we just did our stuff and scored."
For her part, Cutlip tallied 11 points in the triumph, as the Highlanders' (20-5) versatility played a big part in what put Doddrige (19-7) behind.
Leading the 'Dogs was Abby McDonough with 14, a she spoke of the journey to the Capitol.
"I'm super proud of these ladies. It took a lot of hard work to get here. It's been 25 years, and it wasn't the ending we wanted," the guard said. "The shots weren't falling, but we'll be back here next year."
On her night, WC's Cutlip saw what was given to her and took full advantage. It took some convincing by coach Baird to be more aggressive than normal, but Cutlip ultimately delivered.
"I've struggled with confidence throughout my whole season, and this year, I've really stepped up and been a team player," she said.
Defending Baird and company presents its own set of challenges, and for Emily Gola, she actually got more comfortable guarding Baird as the game continued.
"After the first half, we had our nerves simmered down. With Baird, at first I thought, 'She's going to break my ankles', but I think after a while, I handled her pretty well," Gola recalled. "It was a little aggressive, but I think it was fun."
Contact Josh Hughes at jhughes@newsandsentinel.com