By Stephen Smoot
A week between games can serve as a blessing or a curse. It gives each team time to rest, to evaluate, to plan, and to prepare individually and collectively. Given that time, sometimes one gets the unexpected.
The regional final for Pendleton County did not go as expected as Tucker County stormed into Franklin and carried off both a victory and a spot in the state tournament.
Pendleton County’s seniors battled fiercely, working to make plays happen, trying to climb the mountain of an early deficit that continued to climb. Tucker County’s man-to-man defense clung tightly to the Wildcats and allowed very few uncontested and open shots. On offense, they found the range that they had lacked in the two regular season defeats at the hands of the Wildcats.
The Mountain Lions led with a three in their first possession. A Travis Owens pass to Chase Owens led to a layup. At the 4:20 point, Tucker County scored a two, countered by a three from Henry Warner that tied the game briefly. By the two minute mark, the Mountain Lions opened a seven-point lead that fueled their momentum.
Neither team pressed until the second half and Pendleton County opened in a zone.
Cashton Kisamore played strong underneath. With 4:30 left in the first half, he bullied his way through defenders, leapt, and scored a layup to make the score 23-13 in favor of the visitors. Kisamore battled inside while Warner, Jaydon Hess, Chase Owens, and Travis Owens looked for open points from which to shoot.
At their best, Pendleton County passes crisply and patiently until finding the open shot. Tucker County’s early surge and accurate shooting disrupted the home squad’s momentum. They never settled into a rhythm as they could in previous matchups.
The season included a number of highlights. These included Pendleton County winning the tournament at Lincoln, dominating Moorefield and Tucker County in the regular season, and defeating Petersburg twice, who received a one seed in their Class AA region.
Those who have followed this group through four years of high school and beyond, however, can say that the final game did not reflect what the team has accomplished and what it stands for.
Watching Pendleton County this year in their best form was near perfect basketball. On offense, crisp player movements and precise passing ensured that all five players remained threats to score. Offense looked like poetry verses, but with the exclamation point of a three-point shot, drive to the basket, or hard fought score from the post to end the statement.
At the start of the season, the team had some knowns in Chase Owens and Hess. During the season, Kisamore and Warner found out how good they could be. As time passed, their confidence led to dominance with each willing their way to scores and creating on offense. Kisamore was unstoppable also in rebounding.
Off the bench, Tony VanMeter brought tight defense to the floor, making any offensive movement around him difficult. Braylin Hull and Dalton Rohrbaugh had highlight games against Notre Dame. Both had good shooting touch. Hull defended well on the outside and Rohrbaugh could muscle for rebounds. Knoxx Wright added toughness underneath as well.
Next year, the team will return toughness and experience, but will look much different.
What will be most missed, however, is the genuine joy that these young men brought to the floor each game. It reflected the bond among teammates that came out as grit, determination, and having each other’s backs at all times. They showed all of that and still excelled in sportsmanship every time out.
No, they did not make states, but this was a team that carved its place in Pendleton County sports history. They will be remembered for a long time.
