CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Fairmont Senior fell behind Wyoming East 17-3 in the first six minutes of Saturday’s Class AA title game.
By the way the Polar Bears responded, you’d have never known they were being drastically outplayed for nearly a full quarter.
The top seed Polar Bears rallied from the early 14-point deficit to take their first lead of the contest just before halftime, then never looked back in a 51-39 victory over the No. 2 Warriors.
“It was an excellent team effort and I couldn’t be more proud of a group of kids,” Fairmont Senior coach Corey Hines said. “We were down fourteeen points and came back strong.
“Basketball is a game of runs and they had a good run and jumped out on us early. We persevered and stayed the course. We knew if we played defense, eventually it was going to turn our way.”
With the win, FSHS claimed its second Class AA championship in the last three years.
Things looked bleak at best early for Fairmont Senior, which made only one field goal in the first quarter. A pair of 3-pointers from Warriors’ guard Jazz Blankenship staked Wyoming East (24-4) to an early 6-2 lead, before Katie Daniels and Skylar Davidson added triples of their own moments later to help build the 14-point advantage.
The Polar Bears (25-3) got their first basket on Courtney Wilfong’s layup 13 seconds before the end of the first quarter, then looked like a different team in the second period.
“We were coming to the bench talking to each other like, ‘Listen this is the first quarter and we have a lot of time. We need to push it and run them.’ We’re in good shape,” Polar Bears’ senior Anysa Jordan said.
Trailing 24-15, Fairmont Senior got a big lift from freshman guard Marley Washenitz, who got to the basket for a bucket before draining a 3 that cut the deficit to four points.
A trey from Jordan brought the Polar Bears to within one point, and baskets from close range by Abby Faulkner and Washenitz turned a two-point deficit into a 29-27 halftime lead.
“We played two physical games against Bridgeport and Wayne, and I think we were a little fatigued today,” Warriors’ coach Angie Boninsegna said. “But give all the credit to Fairmont. They played a great second quarter and took control of the game.
“Sometimes when you’re tired, you don’t make the best decisions or shot selection or you don’t make the best post entry pass.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Washenitz poured in 10 points in the second to lead all players at halftime.
Washenitz picked up where she left off to start the second half, accounting for back-to-back field goals to stretch the lead to 33-27 at the 4:43 mark of the third quarter.
“To perform like Marley did, you have to have guts,” Hines said.
The Polar Bears built the lead to 37-29, before 6-foot-4 center Emily Saunders answered with a pair of field goals to bring the Warriors to within four.
But Jordan’s trey 50 seconds before the start of the fourth quarter allowed FSHS to take a 40-33 lead into the final period.
Washenitz got to the basket for a layup 11 seconds into the fourth and Senior maintained at least an eight-point lead the rest of the way.
Blankenship’s follow-up basket with one second remaining marked the Warriors’ lone field goal over the final nine minutes.
“They came out hot and we expected that,” Hines said. “They’re a great team. But you have to keep your head. We could’ve folded, but this team is resilient and they weren’t letting it happen.”
Washenitz led all players with 18 points and seven steals. She shot 8-for-16 from the field and grabbed five rebounds while playing like a seasoned veteran throughout the state tournament.
Jordan made three of her team’s six 3s and scored 15 points.
“She was up for the challenge,” Hines said. “We know Emily’s tough and plays hard, but we tell people mountains are meant to be climbed.”
Faulkner recorded 10 points and six boards.
While Wilfong scored only five points, she was instrumental in limiting the offensive output from the Warriors’ backcourt.
Wyoming East was held to 10 field goals, including five over the final three quarters. The Warriors shot just 23.3 percent for the contest and Blankenship was their only double-figure scorer with 11 points.
Saunders finished with six points, five rebounds and 10 blocks, while Brooke Russell added nine points and 13 rebounds in defeat.
CLASS AA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Marley Washenitz, Fairmont Senior
Anysa Jordan, Fairmont Senior
Abby Faulkner, Fairmont Senior
Katie Daniels, Wyoming East
Emily Saunders, Wyoming East
Jazz Blankenship, Wyoming East
Abby Beeman, Frankfort
Lakyn Adkins, Wayne