CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Coming in to Friday evening’s game, the Morgantown girls’ basketball team knew it would be a tall task against No. 1 Huntington, and the Mohigans’ season came to an end with a 55-40 loss to the Highlanders in the state semifinals.
“I’m super proud of my kids for what we did this year,” head coach Jason White said. “We have four terrific seniors I love like my own. They changed the culture and couldn’t be better kids. I’m surely going to miss not watching them walk into practice at Morgantown High.”
Those seniors include Kaitlyn Ammons, Cat Wassick, Berit Johnson and Reece Moore, who helped the Mohigans reach their first state semifinal since 2016. Wassick scored 11 points, second on the team behind her younger sister, Sophia, who finished with 13. Ammons had 6 points and Johnson finished with 2.
It was a close game in the first quarter with Huntington (15-1) holding a 10-9 lead at the end of the frame. It was the second quarter, though, when things started to get away from the Mohigans.
The Highlanders outscored MHS 16-4 during that span to take a 13-point lead into the locker room.
“In the second quarter, we had a couple possessions we shot the ball incredibly too quick,” White said. “Huntington, once they get a lead, they’re extremely hard to defend. Once they got a 10-point lead, it didn’t seem like we could do anything defensively to get us back in the game.”
MHS (12-3) was led by Ammons for much of the last three years, and she will be off to DePaul this fall. A critical part of the program, it was an emotional send off after the game for the forward.
“She’s been such a huge part of our program and a leader for us,” White said. “She’s worked incredibly hard. You don’t get to the level she’s at just showing up to practice. She’s an incredibly hard worker and a great teammate.”
Fighting back tears, Ammons is appreciative of her time with the Mohigans.
“I transferred in … I’ve loved playing here,” she said.
Morgantown (13-3)
C. Wassick 3 4-6 11; Bechtel 1 4-4 6; Peasak 0 0-0 0; Johnson 0 2-2 2; Ammons 3 0-2 6; S. Wassick 5 1-3 13; Moore 0 0-0 0; Howell 0 0-0 0; Jenkins 0 0-0 0; Sweeney 0 2-2 2; Hawkins 0 0-0 0. Tota;s:12 13-19 40.
Huntington (15-1)
Swann 1 3-4 5; L. Jackson 1 0-0 2; Hickman 2 0-0 5; Gray 3 4-4 13; Goodson 7 0-1 16; A. Jackson 4 0-0 8; Sheffield 0 0-0 0; Kauffman 0 0-0 0; Turner 2 0-0 4; Christus 0 0-0 0; Spaulding 0 0-0 0; Smith 0 0-0 0; Anderson 0 0-0 0.
MHS 9 4 17 10 – 40
HHS 10 16 17 12 – 55
3-pointers: MHS 3 (C. Wassick, S. Wassick 2); HHS 6 (Hickman, Gray 3, Goodson 2).
Baseball
Morgantown 4, Philip Barbour 2
The Mohigans bounced back from a loss in its last game to knock off Philip Barbour in the Bridgeport tournament.
It was a great performance on the mound for the Mohigans by Reed Bailey, who struck out seven and allowed just three hits in five innings. Ryan Fluharty closed the door in the 6th and 7th inning with a three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.
Quincy Thornton had two RBIs and Domenic Colasante had the go-ahead RBI in the 6th inning.
The Mohigans (9-1) will host Warren (Ohio) at noon Saturday.
Boys’ lacrosse
Wheeling Central 20, Preston 1
The Knights struggled again, struggling to score outside of the lone goal by Riley Land.
“Our players had another tough game tonight, but were in good spirits when they left the field and are anticipating tomorrow’s games,” coach Jeff Dreisbach said. “Wheeling Central was the WVSLA champion in 2019, the last time we had a champion.”
Preston (1-5) will host Martinsburg and Wheeling Park beginning at noon Saturday.
JV baseball
Wheeling Park 6, Morgantown 2: Runs driven in by Dylan Travinski and Maddox Bowers were not enough as the Mohigans fell to the Patriots.
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