By Stephen Smoot
One of the stronger programs in West Virginia class double A brought 15 wins and a balanced attack to contend with the surging Wildcats on Monday. After a tough battle, they took home a win, but by a margin likely closer than they expected.
Frankfort owned two huge wins over cross-county rival Keyser. They also defeated a strong Mountain Ridge squad and a very capable Lincoln team.
The opening tip went to Pendleton County, but the Falcons took an early 6-0, then a 16-5 lead early in the first quarter. Chase Owens, however, would not allow them to extend their lead too far. At the 1:25 point, he drove the lane and drew a foul, then completed two free throws. Twenty seconds later, he followed that with an offensive rebound and a layup to close the gap to 16-9.
Frankfort called time out and benefited from a foul, hitting two free throws of their own, but Owens answered again, drawing another foul and staying perfect from the line to put the score at the end of the first at 18-11.
Wyatt Franklin put in an exceptional game, showing confidence in his offense and also defense and rebounding that demonstrated heart and effort. Early in the second, he took a steal, then found Bradey Bowers for a layup. Shortly thereafter, Josiah Kimble drove the lane after a steal, but misfired on the shot. Franklin was there to collect the rebound and score the layup, closing the lead to seven.
For a time in the second, the game was punches and counter punches. Frankfort hit a layup at 5:33 to extend the lead to nine, but Cashton Kisamore quickly answered with a post move and a made shot. Not long after, a Jaydon Hess pass found an open Kimble, who buried a three.
Though Frankfort had a height advantage, they did most of their damage outside, hitting a trio of three-point shots to push the lead. They enjoyed a 41-27 edge at the half.
The Falcons broke the game open in the third, methodically attacking the Wildcat defense inside and out. A strong play by Jeremiah Babo, son of former Marshall University center Serge Babo, gave his team a 64-37 lead. After the play, the Falcons seemed to lose their composure.
Pendleton County then went on an 11 to 1 run to finish the quarter, setting the score at 65-48.
For the fourth quarter, head coach Jeremy Bodkin lifted his starters and played the reserves the rest of the way. With a big game against Petersburg on Tuesday, then Moorefield today, Bodkin understood that energy is a limited resource. He also gave his reserves an exceptional opportunity to show what they could do.
And they shone. Zakijah Wright hit a layup to bring the lead under 20, followed by another made shot from Justus Kuykendall. Henry Warner also completed two free throws and a three in the fourth. Both Warner and Wright recorded athletic shot blocks as well.
In the fourth, the Wildcats outscored the Falcons 13 to seven.
Despite Frankfort’s performance, the game was beneficial to Pendleton County. They played at a pace that had not always been expected of them this season, but executed well. Wildcat players brought a sense of postseason urgency, regardless of what the score was at the time.
