No. 5 Frankfort 52, No. 4 Keyser 38
KEYSER (9-14)
Grady 1 7-9 9, Carr 2 0-2 4, Anderson 1 0-0 3, Harper 0 1-2 1, Biser 3 0-0 6, Hoban 0 3-4 3, Coleman 2 1-2 5, Mangold 3 1-3 7. Totals 12 13-22 38.
FRANKFORT (14-9)
Shambaugh 3 2-4 9, Miller 3 6-7 12, Bush 4 0-0 8, Whiteman 3 6-8 12, Hose 1 6-10 8, Bills 0 1-2 1, Blankenship 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 21-31 52.
Keyser 5 10 14 9 -- 38
Frankfort 13 18 17 4 -- 52
3-pointers -- Keyser 1 (Anderson). Frankfort 1 (Shambaugh).
Rebounds: Keyser (Grady 7, Yaider 5, Mangold 5). Frankfort (Shambaugh 4, Miller 6, Bush 6, Whiteman 5, Hose 4, Bills 4).
Assists: Frankfort (Hose 5, Whiteman 4).
* Frankfort team stats (through end of regular season)
* Keyser team website
* News-Tribune pre-game coverage
The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
Phone: 301-264-3147
Email: [email protected]
P.O. Box 651
Mount Savage, MD 21545
Falcons fly into section finals
* Frankfort earns convincing win over visiting Keyser
By Kevin Spradlin
The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
SHORT GAP, W.Va., Feb. 23 -- Mikala Miller's field goal less than three minutes into the third quarter proved to be the eventual game-winning basket as host Frankfort dominated early and held on for a 52-38 win over Keyser in the West Virginia Class AA Region II Section I playoffs.
With the win, the Falcons improve to 8-1 in their last nine home games and advance to Friday night's sectional final against Berkeley Springs. Frankfort split the season series against the Indians, losing the Dec. 21 contest by seven points but thumping the Indians one month later, 61-39.
One thing is for sure. Frankfort did not, despite popular perception to the contrary, overlook Keyser. Falcons coach Erin McKenzie answered the question even before it was asked.
She said in coaches meetings leading up to Wednesday's game, no one was permitted to plug in Berkeley Springs as the probably winner against Petersburg in the other sectional game.
One game at a time was the Falcons' mantra, McKenzie said. And for 24 minutes, everything went according to plan. And the last eight minutes didn't really matter.
It was still a competitive contest early in the second quarter. Frankfort led, 15-19, on the strength of a layup by Maddie Shambaugh with 6:44 left in the second period. But the game turned into something else over the next five minutes as the Falcons went on a 16-2 run.
Saydi Whiteman scored seven of her 12 points during that stretch - in fact, she started it with two free throws and finished it with an uncontested jumper a few feet in front of the basket.
With about 90 seconds before halftime, Keyser looked at the scoreboard and realized they trailed by 20 points. Frankfort maintained its defensive performance and all-around solid shooting performance and led 48-27 with less than a minute to go in the third quarter.
As if to add insult to injury, even open shots wouldn't go in for the Golden Tornado. In the first quarter, the score was tied 3-3 and again 5-5. It just as easily could have been 11-5 in Keyser's favor but the layups and short-range jumpers clanged off the rim and went into the waiting hands of Falcons defenders.
And at the third quarter buzzer, Keyser freshman Lexi Carr went up - unopposed - for a layup. The ball rolled around the rim and dropped to the floor with an audible thud to the Golden Tornado's dimming chances.