Basketball season got underway for the Wayne County High School teams this past week as the Wildcats suffered a one point loss, 57 – 56, to Lewis County on Monday night. Tuesday, the teams went to Mt. Pleasant where the Ladycats came away with a “mercy rule” win, 57 – 18. The Wildcats suffered their second defeat, 56 – 39, at the hands of the Tigers. On Friday night, the teams hosted Richland. The Ladycats took the hard fought 8 point win, 60 – 52, while the Wildcats fell for the third time in a week, 67 – 36. Following a trip to Hohenwald on Monday night of this week, the teams will return home to take on Clarksburg on Friday night. Monday night the 14th, they will travel to Parsons to face Decatur/Riverside.
Against Lewis County, the Wildcats matched points with the Panthers in the first quarter to tie the contest at 13 all at the end of the first quarter. In the second, they went up to take a 24 – 21 halftime lead. The third quarter was their downfall as Lewis County went on a 24 – 2 run to take the lead, 49 – 37. The ‘Cats fought back, cutting the lead to one, 57 – 56, as Ethan Camfield hit a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left. The ‘Cats put Lewis County on the free throw line with 16.7 seconds left, and they missed the free throws. The Wildcats called timeout with 10.6 left to set up for a winning shot, but failed on two different attempts and fell by the final score of 57 – 56.
Tyler Moser led the Wildcats in scoring with 17 points. He had 8 rebounds and a steal. Landyn Prater hit 4 three-pointers to score 13 points and had 4 rebounds. Ethan Camfield also hit for double figures with 11 points, including 3 three-point goals. He had 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Clay Baugus scored 7 points and had 7 rebounds, with 2 steals and 7 assists. Gaynes Keaton scored 4 points with a steal and 3 assists. Braxton Butler and Austin Whitson each had 2 points. Butler had 3 rebounds and a steal, while Whitson had 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Eli McClain had a rebound. The ‘Cats shot 40% from the field but committed 18 turnovers in the one point loss.
The Ladycats got off to a fast start against Mt. Pleasant, as their trapping press defense caused the Lady Tigers to commit 11 first quarter turnovers. The Ladycats held Mt. Pleasant scoreless in the first quarter to lead 20 – 0. They continued to up the lead as the Lady Tigers finally scored at the 4:36 mark of the second quarter to make the score 27 – 3. The Ladycats led 37 – 8 at the half, and went on to take the win by the final score of 57 – 18, with all the Ladycat players seeing action.
Michaela Gallian and Cambree Camfield led the Ladycats in scoring with 10 points each. Gallian had 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist, while Camfield had 2 boards, 3 steals, and an assist. Savanna McClain scored 9 points and had 5 rebounds, a steal, and 3 assists. Kelsey Carroll hit for 6 points and had 7 boards with 2 steals, while Lauren Bryant scored 5 points and had a rebound, 2 steals, and 4 assists. Annie Lee also scored 5 points and pulled 3 rebounds. Freshman Jac Keaton scored 4 points and had 5 rebounds and 2 assists, and freshman Kenzie Griggs hit a 3 and had a steal. Charlie Woodside hit for 3 points with an assist, and Lauren Prater scored 2 points and had a rebound and a steal. Kylee Brewer had 4 rebounds and a steal, and Isabel Luedeke had a rebound. The Ladycats hit 41.3% from the field and outrebounded the Lady Tigers 33 – 15.
The Wildcats kept pace in the first quarter against Mt. Pleasant, trailing by only 2, 16 – 14, at the end of the first quarter. In the second, the Tigers pulled out to a double digit lead, 32 – 20 by halftime. In the first three minutes of the third, the ‘Cats came out and went on a 7 – 0 run to cut the margin to 5, and managed to trim it to 3 by the end of the quarter. In the fourth, a Clay Baugus basket made the margin one, 37 – 36, with 4:45 left in the game. The Wildcats managed only 3 more points to fall by the final score of 56 – 39.
No Wildcat scored in double figures on the night. Ethan Camfield led the ‘Cats with 9 points. He had 2 rebounds, a steal, and 2 assists. Clay Baugus scored 8 points and had 2 rebounds and 6 assists. Tyler Moser had 7 points with 7 rebounds, while Braxton Butler, Landyn Prater, and Austin Whitson each scored 5. Butler also had an assist, Prater had 3 boards, and Whitson had 3 rebounds and a steal. The Wildcats were out rebounded 34 – 17. Mt. Pleasant hit 7 of 13 from long range on the night and 52.6% from the field.
The Ladycats went up on the Lady Raiders of Richland, 19 – 10, after one quarter of action, as Cambree Camfield hit for 13 points in the opening period Richland fought back in the second, cutting the margin to 1, 25 – 24, by halftime. In the third period, the Ladycats pushed the margin up to 6, 42 – 36, as they hit 8 of ten free throws in that frame. They were solid from the line in the fourth, making 10 of 13, to go on to take the 8 point win, 60 – 52.
Camfield went on to lead the Ladycats with 21 points, including 3 three point goals. She had 6 rebounds, a blocked shot, 3 steals, and an assist. Lauren Bryant hit for 17 points, including going 9 of 10 from the free throw line, and had 2 rebounds. Michaela Gallian scored 16 points and had 6 rebounds, a block, and 4 assists. Savanna McClain scored 4 points and had 6 rebounds and a steal. Jac Keaton hit for 2 points and had 2 rebounds and an assist, and Charli Woodside had a rebound and 2 assists. The Ladycats finished hitting 51.4% from the field, including 41% from long range.
The Wildcats took an 8 – 7 lead after the first quarter of action against the Richland Raiders. The second quarter was their downfall as the Raiders outscored the ‘Cats 29 – 8 in the period. The Wildcats committed 30 turnovers in the contest to fall by the score of 67 – 36. Austin Whitson and Clay Baugus each scored 12 points. Whitson had 3 rebounds and 2 assists, while Baugus had 3 boards with a pair of steals and a pair of assists. Tyler Moser scored 4 points and had 7 rebounds and a steal. Dawson Willis came off the bench to contribute a 3-pt. play and had a rebound and an assist. Gaynes Keaton and Eli McClain each scored 2 points. Keaton had 5 rebounds, a steal, and an assist, and McClain had 4 boards and an assist. Braxton Butler had 2 rebounds, and Ryder Butler had one. Ethan Camfield had a steal and 2 assists.
The teams host region foe Clarksburg Friday night. Cheer on the teams as they work for wins! “WORK HARD ‘CATS AND LADYCATS!”—Submitted
