Parkersburg Catholic's Mary Tokodi-Ruth is fouled by Wahama's Ady VanMeter during the Crusaderettes' 47-42 victory Thursday night. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — Upset-minded Wahama only trailed 42-40 with 3:43 remaining here Thursday night following an Ady VanMeter trifecta, but No. 4 Class A Parkersburg Catholic improved to 11-3 after securing a 47-42 triumph.

Ellie Kinnison led the Crusaderettes with a game-high 15 points while Macy Singer came off the bench to add nine markers. Annie Tokodi-Ruth had eight points, seven rebounds, three assists and joined Singer with a pair of blocked shots for head coach Bob Carr’s now seven-member squad.

“We’re still trying to get some things, work through some things, find our identity and I know it’s where we are, but we’ve had some changes to the team,” admitted coach Carr. “We’re getting there. They fought through it.

“Part of a season is being able to handle games like this when everything isn’t necessarily going right. You know, you never want to spit on a win. We’ll take it, but we’ll get back in here tomorrow and hopefully get a little bit better and prepared.”

Following VanMeter’s 3 that came from one of Audrey Reynolds’ game-high five assists, the White Falcons had a chance to take their first lead since 9-7, but Reynolds’ attempt didn’t fall.

Parkersburg Catholic's Ellie Kinnison, who scored a game-high 15 points in the Crusaderettes' 47-42 victory Thursday night versus Wahama, is guarded by Audrey Reynolds. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PCHS then got a Singer lay-in and stretched its advantage to 47-40 with 2:03 to play when Kinnison hit from beyond the arc. Wahama’s Violet Connolly, who also had a pair of blocked shots, added the final bucket of the affair with 13 seconds left.

“I’m super proud of my girls,” said WHS head coach Lori Zuspan, who got double figure scoring efforts from Fiona VanMatre (14) and Sophie Gray (11). “They played hard as they always do. They play that high pressure man-to-man defense. They executed our gameplan. We wanted to slow the pace down, get back and stop their transition.

“I felt like we did a decent job at that. Our defense, I mean we held a team to 47 points that normally scores a lot more than that (62.6 ppg). I’m definitely proud. The difference in the game is they knocked down a couple more shots than what we did.”

Wahama, which slipped to 5-7 and welcomes in defending Class A state champion Gilmer County tonight, watched the hosts even things at seven thanks to a Meg Roedersheimer bucket. Reynolds’ deuce followed for what proved to be the White Falcons’ final lead, but the hosts pushed ahead 12-9 after one thanks to four free throws by Tokodi-Ruth and one by Peyton Murdoch.

Parkersburg Catholic’s pressure continued to cause Wahama problems as the White Falcons had six turnovers in the second. The Crusaderettes used a 14-4 run to open the stanza and had the visitors doubled up at 26-13 with 16 ticks left in the half when Caroline Wynn nabbed one of her game-high three steals and assisted on Kinnison’s lay-in. Gray’s hoop with six seconds remaining cut the deficit to 11.

Wahama's Fiona VanMatre, who had a team-high 14 points in the White Falcons' 47-42 setback Thursday night at Parkersburg Catholic, utilizes a spin move to get past the defense of Bryley Starkey. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

The White Falcons opened the third on a 7-2 spurt to make it a two-possession affair after VanMatre converted twice and Reynolds knocked down a 3. However, Roedersheimer and Bryley Starkey, who had six markers apiece, responded to push the cushion back to 10.

Wahama was able to make it a 36-29 contest entering the fourth as Kaycee Tennant came off the bench to score five points, including a 3 to end the quarter.

Gray and Connolly had eight rebounds apiece to tie for game-high honors while Starkey joined Tokodi-Ruth with three dimes and seven boards.

Parkersburg Catholic was originally scheduled to play a pair of games in Kentucky versus Barboursville and Knox Central, but their next official contest is now set for Wednesday at Webster County.

“My son coaches a women’s college (Union Commonwealth) team down there so we got two of the high schools and we were going to go down there, go watch him play,” added coach Carr.

Wahama's Kaycee Tennant drains a 3 despite a hand in her face by Parkersburg Catholic's Caroline Wynn during the Crusaderettes' 47-42 victory Thursday night. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“It would’ve been a good trip. The girls were looking forward to it, but you can’t control Mother Nature.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com