MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Nearly one year ago, Morgantown and Wheeling Park were battling for a spot in the girls’ state tournament and a Region I crown. This year, the two regional powers were in another tight match, but this time for the Section 1 title.
Unlike last year’s heart-racing game that came down to a last-second bucket by Cat Wassick, Friday’s game came down to late-game free throws by her sister, Sofia, as the Mohigans (10-2) pulled away for a 41-32 victory.
For Cat – who was an equalizer all night – to defeat the Patriots (14-3) and win the section alongside Sofia made it more special. Additionally, this is the first time in five years the Mohigans will host their half of the regional tournament.
“Yeah, it’s been a while, a little too long,” Cat said, laughing. “Since I’ve been here for four years, and this is the first time we’ve come together and put a game together in sectionals, especially to be playing with my sister, it’s such a great feeling. I’m just really happy about it.”
Sofia agreed.
“Like she said, I’m just so excited to play with her. We’ve been practicing so much for this game and I’m so happy that we pulled everything together and just played our game,” she said. “It’s not the end, though.”
The Mohigans and Patriots both opened with hot hands, as Park hit two quick 3s and MHS put four points on the board behind Kaitlyn Ammons and Cat. Things slowed down as both teams’ speed led to plenty of miscues, but Naliah Lekanudos and Wassick traded long treys to knot the score at 10 with under a minute in the quarter. The teams traded trips to the free throw line and a quick coast-to-coast layup gave Park a three-point edge at the end of the first, 14-11.
A slow start to the second quarter saw a scoreless three minutes snapped by a Bella Abernathy bucket at the top of the key, and after a defensive stop by Ammons in the post Park’s assistant coach was called for a technical, allowing Ammons to cut the deficit back to four at the line. A fast two points by Ammons in the post on the next possession, foul by Park and bucket by Mia Henkins knotted the score once more. Lindsey Garrison snapped back with a 3 to maintain Park’s lead, and a late trey by Lekanudos pushed Park further going into halftime, 21-18.
After another slow start in the third, Morgantown secured its first lead of the game when Ammons sank two free throws. Neither team could get on the board again until near the 2-minute mark when Wassick was fouled and pushed MHS’s lead to three at 27-24. In the final seconds of the quarter, Ammons secured a putback to push the lead to five.
Whether pressure or fatigue from a physical, fast-paced game, Park’s early miscues in the final quarter – turnovers, bad defensive rebounding and a slew of shooting fouls – allowed Morgantown to push the lead more early on. The Patriots fought back with a stifling press, bringing the deficit to four at the 3-minute mark, but more fouls and unlucky bounces for Park allowed the Mohigans to secure the win down the stretch.
Despite only making three field goals in the second half – and none in the fourth quarter – the Mohigans were able to lock down the Patriots defensively, only allowing 11 points in the final half.
“We told the kids at halftime, we had only scored 18 points but had given up 21,” MHS coach Jason White said. “We thought the pace of the game favored us over them at that point. They’re a really good team and knew at some point they were going to get worn offensively, we didn’t think we could sustain that. I’d had never imagined in my wildest dreams we’d hold them to 11 in the second half.”
Most of those late free throws came from Sofia, who just a few weeks ago was struggling at the line. The Patriots knew this from a previous meeting and tried to exploit her on the inbound passes but with each successful free throw, the Patriots’ bench began to deflate.
“Before the first couple of games I could not make a free throw,” Sofia said. “I just told myself: routine. Coach [White] and I had been going over this for the past couple of practices to just shoot the shot I’m used to shooting. ‘It’s just a shot, I’ve got this.’
“That’s all I said.”
“It goes back to the first time we played them,” White said. “We had [Sofia] in the game at their place and they intentionally fouled her starting with 4 minutes to go. We came back and worked a lot. A little heart-to-heart, the two of us. When she first went to the line tonight, I was yelling, ‘Routine,’ and a lot of things we’ve talked about in practice, verbal cues that she’s heard to calm her nerves as a freshman. She stepped up huge, I thought, in handling the ball for us and handling pressure.”
Moving forward, both have their eyes on the first 4A state title. But first comes Buckhannon-Upshur at 7 p.m. Wednesday, which lost to University in the Section 2 championship. If they defeat the Buccaneers, the Mohigans should have a solid placement in the state bracket, which is voted on by coaches. Still, in Cat’s eyes, the sectional victory is a signal all the team’s handwork has paid off.
“This year we’ve had to overcome a lot with being quarantined and it’s just rewarding,” she said. “It’s rewarding to see it all come together.”
Ammons led the Mohigans with 14 points, while Cat added nine. Garrison paced the Patriots with nine.
Box Score
WHEELING PARK (14-3) – 14 7 3 8 – 32
MORGANTOWN (10-2) – 11 7 11 12 – 41
WPHS: Lindsey Garrison 3 0-0 9; Asia Roby 3 0-2 7; Bella Abernathy 2 1-4 5; Naliah LeKanudas 2 0-0 4; Zariah Marling 1 0-0 3; Maggie Stokem 1 0-0 2; Sophie Abraham 0 2-2 2. Totals: 12 3-8 32.
MHS: Kaitlyn Ammons 5 4-6 14; Cat Wassick 2 4-4 9; Mia Henkinss 1 2-2 4; Revaya Sweeney 0 4-4 4; Sofia Wassick 0 3-5 3; Kerrington Peasak 1 0-0 3; Lindsay Bechtel 0 3-4 3; Kate Hawkins 0 1-2 1. Totals: 9 21-27 41.
3-pointers: WPHS 5 (Garrison 3, Marling, Roby); MHS 2 (Cat Wassick, Peasak).
Technical Fouls: WPHS 1 (Bench; Assistant Coach)
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