The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Summers County 84, Frankfort 34

WV Metro News coverage

FRANKFORT (17-10)
Madison Shambaugh 1, 0-0 3, Katie Bush 4, 0-0 8, Saydi Whiteman 3, 2-2 8, Savannah Hose 4, 0-0 11, Stephanie Bills 1, 0-0 2, Stephanie Cornachia 1, 0-0 2
TOTALS 14, 2-4 34
SUMMERS CO (27-0)
Leslie Mack 6, 6-6 21, Hallie Gunnoe 6, 1-1 13, Hanna Gunnoe 2, 7-8 11, Candace Brown 8, 7-10 24, Kelsie Lively 1, 0-0 2, Hayley Shrewsbury 0, 2-2 2, Tyra Wynes 1, 2-2 4, Kelsey Surber 0, 3-4 3, Keri Hudson 1, 0-0 2, Brooke Edwards 1, 0-0 2
TOTALS 26, 28-33 84

3 PT FG: Frankfort 4 (Hose 3, Shambaugh 1), Summers 4 (Mack 3, Brown 1)
Rebounds: Frankfort 35, Summers 27
Assists: Frankfort 11, Summers 12
Steals: Frankfort 8, Summers 28
Turnovers: Frankfort 49, Summers 21

Frankfort 13 9 5 7 -- 34
Summers Co. 24 28 21 11 -- 84

3 Pt. FG: Braxton 4 (Bragg 3, Stewart 1), Frankfort 4 (Shambaugh 2, Hose 1, Miller 1)

Rebounds: Braxton 33 (Phillips 8), Frankfort 39 (Blankenship 9).

Assists: Braxton 10, Frankfort 12.

Steals: Braxton 12, Frankfort 19.

Turnovers: Braxton 33, Frankfort 19.

Bobcats dispatch Falcons in quest for fifth consecutive state title
* Frankfort ends season 17-10; Summers County moves to 27-0

By Nathan Hayes
PhDispatch.com
CHARLESTON, W.Va., March 12 -- The Frankfort Falcons' season came to end on Friday in a 84-34 loss to undefeated Summers County in the West Virginia class AA Semifinals.

After a fair start to the game the Falcons could not handle the full court pressure that Summers has been noted for throughout the state during their record 95 game win streak.

The loss ends the most successful season in coach Erin McKenzie's four year career with a record of 17-10. This is the first Frankfort team to make it to consecutive state tournaments and is the first senior class to graduate after being in McKenzie's program their entire high school careers.

This Frankfort team is also the first to win a game at the state tournament since 1980, having beaten Braxton County earlier this week.

An emotional McKenzie had this to say on her seniors: “These are the girls I've had with me since I started. They are the ones I've fought with and the ones I've believed in. It's been a real pleasure to watch them grow.”

The Falcons lose five seniors: Madison Shambaugh, Savannah Hose, Katie Bush, Jordan von Hagel, and Lulu Ghideshi, including three starters in Shambaugh, Hose and Bush from the final four squad.

Hose led the Falcons with 11 points while Bush had eight points, eight rebounds, and six blocked shots. Saydi Whiteman also contributed eight points and three boards.

The Falcons committed a state tournament record 49 turnovers resulting in 52 points for the Bobcats. The Falcons had 46 turnovers in a 87-28 loss to Summers in the Quarterfinals of last year's state tournament. “We had a game plan that we didn't execute.” Coach McKenzie said. “ I give all the credit to Summers County.”

“Our (Summers) defense broke a tremendous rhythm of what I feel is a really good basketball team.” Summers County coach Wayne Ryan said. “Our goal was to make it so we did not have to go against their half-court defense and go more in transition.”

Frankfort battled hard for most of the first quarter trailing 10-5 with 2:24 remaining and only allowing two points off of turnovers, but Summers scored 14 points to close the period and open the lead to 11, 24-13.

Early in the second Summers put the game out of reach with a 14-0 run to push the lead to 25, 40-15, and then closed the half on a 12-3 run to make it 52-22 at the end of the first half. In the first two quarters Frankfort committed 30 turnovers resulting in 35 Summers' points.

In the third quarter Summers held Frankfort scoreless for over six minutes and scored 19 consecutive points in the process to make it 75-27 Bobcats.

Frankfort had their best offensive spurt in the first minutes of the fourth with a 7-0 run featuring baskets from Bush and Hose, but Summers scored the final nine points of the game to make the deficit an even 50 points.