Fairmont Senior slows Frankfort for 61-38 victory

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Fairmont Senior’s aggressive play throughout the season was a big factor in the Polar Bears being the No. 1 seed in the Class AA state tournament.

That aggressive play has been on display through the first two days of the state tournament as well, and it was instrumental in allowing Fairmont Senior to defeat Frankfort, 61-38, in Friday’s semifinal at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.

One night after recording 66 rebounds in a quarterfinal win over Bluefield, the Polar Bears out-rebounded the Falcons 46-32. Twenty of the Polar Bears’ boards were on the offensive end.

Fairmont Senior (24-3) also applied relentless defensive pressure that enabled them to hold Frankfort (21-5) to a combined eight points over the second and third quarters.

“I’m very proud of the defensive effort effort and the camaraderie and how hard they work with each other,” Fairmont Senior coach Corey Hines said. “When we made a mistake, we picked each other up and stuff like that makes any team hard to beat.”

The Polar Bears will face No. 2 Wyoming East in Saturday’s state title game at 2:30 p.m.

In the opening quarter, it was the Polar Bears’ efficient 3-point shooting that helped them build a 26-15 lead.

Five different FSHS players made 3s through the first eight minutes, while all six of the team’s triples came in the opening period.

Abby Faulkner connected on two treys, including one that was followed by 3s from Courtney Wilfong and Rebekah Jenkins as part of a 9-0 run to end the quarter after the Falcons trailed 17-15.

“We feel that if you get good ball movement and if the shot is off the swing, that’s the highest percentage shot you’ll get,” Hines said. “We got some good looks and today we were able to knock them down.”

Frankfort scored the first four points of the second quarter and held the Polar Bears scoreless for the first 4:44 of the period, but the Polar Bears closed the half on a 6-2 run to lead 32-21.

The Polar Bears had five players with at least five points at the intermission, including Anysa Jordan’s six points and nine rebounds.

“We wanted to pack it in and defend the middle cause of Jordan,” Frankfort coach Michael Miller said. “We took our chances, rolled the dice and got ourselves in a hole.”

Fairmont Senior’s Anysa Jordan drives the baseline against Frankfort.

FSHS dominated the third quarter, outscoring Frankfort 17-2 to put the game away.

The Polar Bears scored 14 points in the paint in the period and held a 6-0 advantage in points off turnovers.

Jordan combined with teammates Marley Washenitz and Courtney Wilfong to score the Polar Bears’ first 13 points of the quarter and they took a 49-23 lead into the fourth.

“Even when I was hurt last year and not playing, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that we’d be in this position,” Jordan said of being one win away from the Polar Bears’ second state championship in three years.

Coach Miller was also issued a technical foul in the third quarter.

“When you let a good team like that beat you up and down the court and grab you, check you and throw elbows, you’re not going to be real successful,” Miller said. “I’m not real happy and don’t want to make excuses, but it’s a terrible way for our team to have to end their season.

“We’re not a big team and not a real physical team, and I think that showed tonight. But you have to draw the line somewhere on the physicality.”

Jordan recorded a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds to lead FSHS in both categories.

Wilfong and Faulkner each scored 10 points to go with six rebounds, while Washenitz finished with 10 points and five steals.

Abby Beeman led Frankfort with 13 points, but shot 5-for-18 in the loss. She was guarded for the majority of the night by Wilfong, while Washenitz also the assignment of defending her.

“Courtney is great defensively,” Hines said. “If you throw Marley at her too, it’s going to be a long night for anybody.”

Frankfort’s Macie Miller had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Thirty of Frankfort’s 45 field-goal attempts were 3s, but they made only six.

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