WEST UNION – In what turned out to be the boys basketball program’s final game, Valley (Wetzel) gave Doddridge County quite the scare during Wednesday’s Class AA, Region 3 co-final.

DCHS (20-4) managed to hold back a third quarter push and defeat Liberty, 54-36.

“The third quarter kind of got away from us, but we regained our composure and held them to one made field goal in the fourth quarter,” DCHS coach Paul Burnside said. “I’m very proud how the guys came together and locked down on the defensive end.”

DCHS earned the No. 6 seed for next week’s state tournament in Charleston. The Bulldogs meet No. 3 seed Westside at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

“We know what it takes to get down there – we have experience there but we haven’t experienced victory and that’s what we want to do,” Burnside said. I told the guys afterwards, you make the top eight and get to Charleston then you have a chance.”

Liberty shocked DCHS at the outset by taking an early lead. DCHS recovered and built a 31-17 lead by halftime. Liberty outscored DCHS 15-7 in the third quarter and crept within 38-32.

“In the first half, our defense was forcing turnovers and we were getting into transition – the guys were playing how we asked them to all year long,” Burnside said. “Hats off to Liberty. They never quit. We were down early and we had to slow things down and get under control.”

Jason Solomon and Jerod Trent both scored six points as the Bulldogs pulled away in the final eight minutes. Trent finished with a team-high 14 points, while Solomon and Josh Dehaven each added 10 points.

For Liberty (11-13), Jackson Stark and Baustin Bowers each scored 14 points.

“As long as I have been at Doddridge, no boys basketball team has played Westside. When I texted the family in a group chat, my dad had never heard of Westside. They are in the southern part of the state so we don’t see them very often.”

Magnolia 78, Valley 56

NEW MARTINSVILLE — Magnolia doubled up Valley 20-10 in the opening quarter and never looked back en route to a 78-56 in Wednesday’s Class A, Region 1 co-final to secure a bid in next week’s state tournament in Charleston.

The Blue Eagles (16-8), who led 41-16 at halftime, earned the No. 7 seed at state and will take on second-seeded Tucker County at 1 p.m. next Thursday.

The Lumberjacks got a game-high 29 points from Gavin Derby plus 14 more from Trevor Stackpole, but couldn’t keep up with Magnolia’s high-powered offense.

Kingston Christen paced MHS with 21 points. Hunter Oates added 14 points with four made 3-pointers, Dubale Greathouse tallied 13 and Eli Midcap chipped in 12.