CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For any team, a state tournament appearance leads to a certain level of nerves.
Even for a program like Morgantown, which is accustomed to ending its season in Charleston.
Mohigans’ coach John Fowkes insists they were prevalent Thursday ahead of his team’s Class AAAA quarterfinal against Charleston Coliseum. If so, MHS hardly let them impact the team’s play.
The Mohigans scored the first 10 points, led by 11 after one quarter and withstood a strong Knights’ charge at the start of the second half to claim a 56-42 victory at the Charleston Coliseum.
“We must just not show our nerves, because we were a nervous wreck, including the head coach,” Fowkes said. For a lot of them, this was their first time out there. It’s a completely different group. This group isn’t the ones that were supposed to be doing it with this year, but this means a lot.”
The result allows No. 3 MHS (16-7) to play in a Friday semifinal against the winner of Parkersburg-University.
Morgantown’s Carper Messlery and Maddie Ancell each made a three-pointer in the opening frame, and in between, teammate Sydney Deuesneberry accounted for consecutive buckets as part of the 10-0 start.
The sixth-seeded Knights (16-7) made 1-of-10 shots in the opening frame and shot 4 for 15 in the second quarter, which saw the Mohigans increase their advantage to 27-12 entering halftime.
“We couldn’t hit anything in the first half and we were nervous,” Knights’ coach Cristina Schmidt said. “But I was proud that we went after every loose ball and rebound. We’ve come around and done that better, and that’s why we won games and got here.”
Deuesenberry’s nine points led all players at the break, while she also had eight rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks up to that point.
“I look for my teammates first. Carper and Maddie always find open spots on the court and I have the vision to see them, but sometimes I know I have to help score as well,” Deuesenberry said.
While nerves were a factor for CMHS for much, if not all of the opening half, the Knights started the second half in far different fashion.
Sophie Kelly accounted for the first two baskets of the third quarter and teammate Braylan McGuire scored soon after, bringing Midland to within nine 1:20 into the second half.
Kelly and Emma Smith scored from close range to make it a 10-0 run and a five-point deficit just past the midway point of the third.
But out of a media timeout, Deusenberry accounted for Morgantown’s first points of the second half on a layup off a turnover, before teammate Maliyah Young scored five points in a stretch of 1:11, the last of which came on a layup for a 34-24 MHS advantage.
Ancell’s triple in the closing stages of the third allowed the Mohigans to lead 39-27 with 8 minutes remaining.
“This is the most resilient group of kids I’ve ever been around,” Fowkes said. “I didn’t call a timeout because I believe you have to play through those things sometimes down here.”
Midland got no closer than 10 in the fourth quarter, with the last occurrence coming on Kelly’s paint basket that made it 45-35 with 5:36 remaining.
Morgantown scored the next seven points to all but seal the verdict, a stretch that Messerly wrapped up with her third and final triple for a 17-point advantage with inside 4 minutes.
Messerly led a balanced scoring attack with 13 points.
“It’s good to get our team rolling. It sets the tone and my teammates do a good job finding me when I get hot,” Messerly said.
Deuesenberry and Ancell followed with 11, while Young scored 10, all but one of which came after halftime. Young made all four of her field-goal attempts in a reserve role.
Deuesenberry led all players with 11 rebounds and six assists.
“People think she should score a lot and this and that, but she does what we need her to do to win,” Fowkes said. “She gets everybody involved and takes what’s given to her.”
Kelly’s 16 points and nine rebounds led the Knights. She made 8-of-10 shots and was 7 for 7 after halftime.
“I knew it could be my last game, so I wanted to do as much for the team as I can while I’m out here,” Kelly said. “I just shot with confidence and tried to do everything I could that coach asked me to do.”
Gracie Day, who entered Midland’s leading scorer at 18.2 points, was held to two on 1-for-7 shooting.
CMHS made 14-of-24 field-goal attempts after halftime.
“Our first half hurt us a bit. It was getting the jitters out,” Schmidt said. “I’m proud of the way they played in the second half, but we couldn’t pull through.”