RACHEL, W.Va. — Taylor Buonamici has long been a key piece of North Marion’s girls basketball team.
However, as one of two seniors and the only one in the starting lineup, Buonamici is being asked to do more than usual this season.
Judging by her performance Thursday night against Fairmont Senior, it’ll be a smooth transition for the returning Class AA second-team all-state selection.
Buonamici scored a game-high 34 points, came down with nine rebounds and dished out seven assists to lead North Marion to a 72-63 victory over defending state champion Fairmont Senior.
“She did everything for us,” Huskies’ head coach Michael Parrish said. “She scored, rebounded and handled the ball when she had to. She played all five positions at some point. She plays hard and she’s a good weapon to have.”
The Polar Bears (3-1) put together their best stretch of the night in the opening quarter. Marley Washenitz scored 12 of her team-high 31 points and the Polar Bears closed with six unanswered to hold a 23-17 lead entering the second.
Washenitz, however, was forced to the bench with 6:19 to play in the opening half after picking up her third foul.
The Huskies (2-0) outscored FSHS, 17-8, over the remainder of the half to turn a three-point deficit into a 38-32 halftime lead.
Buonamici scored 12 of those 17 points, making all six of her free throw attempts in addition to three field goals. She consistently attacked the basket and helped North Marion turn its defense into offense as the Huskies forced 17 first-half turnovers.
“(Washenitz) is a really good player, so whenever she’s out of the game you have to take advantage of it as much as you can,” Buonamici said. “We saw gaps and we hit them and everyone was finishing. It was a good job by everyone all around.”
Washenitz was back on the floor to start the second half, but North Marion immediately went ahead by 13 after a 7-0 run to begin the third quarter. Kiley Brown connected on a 3-pointer before Buonamici produced back-to-back baskets to give the Huskies their biggest lead of the game at 45-32.
“We started to rebound in there and got some good outlet passes, which led to some easy baskets in transition,” Parrish said. “We wore them down a little bit by getting easy baskets. We were getting tired too, but when you’re getting easy baskets, you’re not having to work as hard.”
The Polar Bears stayed within 14 for the remainder of the quarter and cut the deficit to 10, before Buonamici’s runner gave the Huskies a 58-46 advantage entering the fourth.
North Marion’s Katlyn Carson opened the scoring in the fourth with a high post jumper and it was a sign of things to come. Carson came through with eight of her 11 points in the final period, including a pair of free throws followed by a leaner that stretched the advantage to 69-52.
But Washenitz answered with nine points during an 11-0 Polar Bears’ run, including a conventional three-point play with 1:09 to play that allowed the Polar Bears to trail by just six.
Fairmont Senior, however, never scored again and ultimately suffered its first loss in a contest between the AA state champion each of the last three years. The Huskies won the title in 2018, while the Polar Bears claimed it in 2017.
“We played hard the whole game and you have to play 32 minutes when you’re playing Fairmont Senior,” Parrish said. “I told them before the game we have to match their intensity if we want to have a chance to win.”
Brown and Karlie Denham each added eight points in the win, while Olivia Toland and Carson joined Buonamici with nine rebounds.
Washenitz and Kiara Cosby had 10 boards apiece in defeat, while Emily Starn scored 11 points to give the Polar Bears a second player in double figures.
Fairmont Senior made only 20-of-71 shots for 28 percent shooting and committed 25 turnovers.