By Stephen Smoot
The 2025-26 version of the Pendleton County basketball team has truly embraced the idea of “better late than never.” After missing almost the entire month of December due to postponed contests, the Wildcats took on two Class AA teams to open the season. They bulled through Moorefield and came within a point of upsetting tournament host Petersburg.
From one tournament to the next, Pendleton County took the long bus trip to Shinnston for a two-day tournament, facing the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame High School in Clarksburg.
There, Pendleton County posted a breakout statement win as it dictated the game on both ends of the floor.
Notre Dame won the tip as the solid senior Brayden Helmick elevated for the ball. Helmick and guard Jovanni Minnocci served as the two focal points of the offense, one inside, one out.
Jaydon Hess got the Wildcats started, however, when he fired a pass inside to Cashton Kisamore for the first points of the game. Forty seconds later, Chase Owens teed up a three-point shot from the top of the key and buried it. He would connect on seven of 10 for three-point range alone for a blistering 70 percent from deep.
Helmick overpowered the Wildcat inside for the Fighting Irish’s first score, but Owens then drained a three-pointer from the corner. At 5:21, the squad from Clarksburg closed the score to within 8-7. That was the closest they came to Pendleton County for the remainder of the evening.
Travis Owens quickly tipped in a Hess miss to extend the lead to 10-7, followed by a reverse layup on a baseline drive, courtesy of Chase Owens. From then through the rest of the first, the Wildcats built up a 24-17 lead from which to open up the second quarter.
Early in the second, the Fighting Irish had opportunities. They hit a three to close the lead to 24-20, then had a three on one fast break chance. Hess, however, used his athleticism to disrupt the play.
From the 7:15 mark until about 3:15, the Wildcats scored 13 unanswered, including two threes from Tony Vanmeter shortly after he checked into the contest. He would hit three of three from deep on the evening while bringing tight and active defense out front.
Helmick made two layups to break the run, but Pendleton County kept running wild on the scoreboard. Henry Warner drove from the wing, pulled up, and hit a silky smooth 12-foot jump shot at 2:25 left in the half. Exactly one minute later, Travis Owens snagged a steal, drove the length of the floor, and brought the house down with a two-handed slam dunk.
Defense and rebounding limited Notre Dame’s shooting chances. Ty Heavner picked up a steal with 2:59 left, then blocked a shot shortly thereafter. Dalton Rohrbaugh came in and kept the Irish off the boards, picking up two in the final minute to close out the half.
Josh Owens, head coach, opened the third quarter with a 49-27 advantage and his reserves on the floor. They did not miss a beat with the new player grouping as Cole Harper hit a three only 30 seconds in. He scored on the next play by grabbing an offensive rebound and laying the ball in for a 54-27 lead. A Vanmeter steal was fired ahead to Cayson Armstrong, who drove in for a layup.
He scored again two minutes later to set the lead at 61-27.
Notre Dame scored four points in the quarter as Pendleton County employed a one-three-one zone for much of the time. The Wildcat squad boasts long-armed, tall, athletic players who jam up driving and passing lanes with ease. Vanmeter brings a different style, using his more diminutive, but just as quick, form to get in close and harass ball handlers into making mistakes.
As the quarter wound down, Warner and Braylon Hull both connected on long-range shots to put their squad up 73-31 by the end of the quarter.
The fourth quarter featured more highlights, including Colton Roberson finding a streaking Hull for a layup that capped Wildcat scoring at 84. Defensive intensity never wavered, even to the final minute as Knoxx Wright committed a foul while playing strong and aggressive defense. He also picked up two offensive rebounds during his time in the action.
Chase Owens led scoring with 25, Warner followed with 13, Kisamore 11, Vanmeter nine, Hull and Harper both seven, Travis Owens six, Armstrong four, and Hess two. Hess and Travis Owens both had six assists, helping to set the table during the big night.
The next night, Pendleton County confronted tournament host Lincoln and came away with a 50-41 victory. Chase Owens again led the squad with 15. Kisamore gave his squad a powerful inside advantage with 10 points and a perfect four for four from the field. Pendleton County traveled to Frankfort on Saturday for yet another game to gain experience against a school in a higher class.
