Lady Warriors win sectional title

Apr. 16—new richmond — After spending the last four years in different classifications, old regional foes Summers County and Wyoming East — two programs which have combined to play in nine state championships this century — renewed their rivalry in a battle for section supremacy.

Unfortunately for the visiting Lady Bobcats, it wasn't much of a rivalry after the first quarter.

The Lady Warriors outscored Summers 20-6 in the second quarter, rolling to a 76-31 win in the Class AA Region 3, Section 1 title game Thursday.

The game plan for Summers was to slow the game down and dictate the pace, and that worked in the first quarter, but the inability to score combined with second-chance opportunities for East forced Summers head coach Chad Meador to scrap that plan by halftime.

"We wanted to slow it down," Meador said. "Whenever you slow it down, you're going to have less shots. That was the game plan by choice. We knew if we made it a track meet, we would lose. And quite frankly about halfway through the second quarter it became a track meet and we got frazzled. We abandoned the game plan and quite simply (Skylar) Davidson and Co. took over."

To his credit Meador's plan worked early as Summers raced out to a 7-2 lead but by the 3:31 mark the hosts had tied the game. Both teams battled to a 10-10 stalemate, but a layup by Kayley Bane at the 1:45 mark gave East the lead for good.

The Lady Warriors went into the second quarter up 14-12, but the avalanche was coming.

Six points from sophomore guard Abby Russell and a 3-pointer from Madison Clark pushed the lead to double digits and the Lady Warriors never looked back.

Aiding the second quarter run was the volume of shots East took as well as its efficiency.

At the break East had put up 38 shots, going 11-of-18 from the field in the second quarter, while Summers put up 21 attempts in comparison, making just two in the frame.

"We got some key steals and got out and running that way," East head coach Angie Boninsegna said. "We figured they might come out in a zone against us, and we were lucky to hit a couple outside shots. We wanted to run and we knew that. If it didn't fatigue them in the first or second quarter we thought we would fatigue them in the third or fourth, but I think that was the turning point.

"As far as the amount of shots, I think it was a little bit of offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers. Sarah (Saunders) and Hannah (Blankenship) played big in the middle and got some key rebounds for us to keep possessions alive. I think that sets a tone. We're little, but we played hard."

A 17-2 run to open the third quarter served as the final nail in the coffin for Summers, which struggled to generate any offense, though East's defense didn't make it easy.

Primarily guarded by Daisha Summers and Russell, Summers all-staters Gavin Pivont and Taylor Isaac were held to a combined 17 points, with Pivont being held scoreless from the field and Isaac hitting just one shot from the field in the second half.

"We were able to put different people on them and make it difficult," Boninsegna said. "We could put Abby, we could put Daisha, we could put Maddy Clark, we could put Colleen Lookabill on her. We were also able to steal from behind. It helps that we can have players to rest Sky a little on defense even though she loves it. We can put her off on the two guard and let her rest because she does so much offensively for us."

For the game, East took 32 more shots than Summers, out-pacing the visitors 76-44.

Summers and Russell both led East with 14 points while Davidson dished out 11 assists.

Pivont led Summers with nine points.

Both teams advance to Thursday's Class Region 3 co-final. Wyoming East will host the loser of tonight's Mingo Central/Chapmanville matchup while Summers will travel to the winner.

Email: tjackson@register-herald.com and follow on Twitter @TjackRH

Summers County

Riley Richmond 6, Taylor Isaac 8, Gavin Pivont 9, Maggie Stover 4, Sullivan Pivont 2, Liv Meador 2

Wyoming East

Skylar Davidson 6, Sarah Saunders 7, Hannah Blankenship 4, Daisha Summers 14, Kayley Bane 7, Colleen Lookabill 2, Abby Russell 14, Madison Clark 11, Maggie Trent 7, Maddie Bower 4

SC: 12 6 8 5 — 31

WE: 14 20 22 20 — 76

3-point goals — SC: 2 (Isaac 2); WE: 3 (Bane 1, Clark 2). Fouled Out — None.