Parkersburg, WV -

Parkersburg South     11   15  06  26  =  58

Parkersburg               10   05  07  08  =  30

South Scoring:   Taylor Phillips 19, Kim Stephens 11, Kayla Ayers 9, Ali Morris 9, Tara Collins 4, Danielle Floyd 4, Jessie Wells 2.

PHS Scoring:   Amelia Hammell 8, Randi Brundidge 6, Kim Dent 5, Kelsey Snyder 5, Kathy Dent 3, Madison Pavan 3.
 

South Statistics:   Rebounds, 28 (Morris 10, Phillips 7);  Assists, 13 (Harvey 6);  Steals, 23 (Harvey, Floyd, Morris, Greenleaf 4);  Turnovers, 17;  Field Goal Shooting, 25-59 (42.4%).

PHS Statistics:  Rebounds, 28 (Dent 9):  Assists, 6 (Dent, Hammell 2);  Steals, 8 (Dent 4);  Turnovers, 36;  Field Goal Shooting, 10-36 (28%);

Junior Varsity:  Parkersburg South 57, Parkersburg 43

South Scoring:  Jessica Gilkeson 10, Jessie Wells 2, Kelsi Halbert 9, Sarah Beha 2, Katelyn Porter 10, Asia Greenleaf 7, Sammy Hicks 3, Jessica Moore 10, McKenzie Bourgeois 2.

South girls defeat Big Reds, 58-30

By RON JOHNSTON, Parkersburg News & Sentinel
 

PARKERSBURG — Kayla Ayers provided Parkersburg South with a boost coming off the bench.

The 5-foot-9 junior, playing in her first game since tearing her ACL last fall, scored nine points in limited action as the defending Class AAA champion Patriots defeated Parkersburg High, 58-30, in girls’ basketball action at Memorial Fieldhouse Tuesday night.

“It’s been four months,” said Ayers, who wore a brace on her left knee, “and I’m so happy to be back.

“I just want to thank all my teammates for helping me out.”

Ayers would’ve returned to the court Monday night in South’s scheduled game at Bridgeport, but that contest was postponed due to the severe cold and icy road conditions.

Not surprisingly, Scott Stephens was elated to have his protege out on the floor.

“Kayla gave us a big lift,” said the PSHS head coach. “I mean, she did fantastic. We need her back.”

No. 4-ranked South (15-3), which never trailed in the contest, was paced by Taylor Phillips, who tallied a game-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Kim Stephens, who was in foul trouble for most of the game, finished with 11 points and nine caroms, and Ali Morris chipped in with nine markers and 10 boards.

Asia Greenleaf, Danielle Floyd, Sarah Harvey, and Morris each had four steals for the winners.

“You know, it really didn’t seem like a typical Parkersburg South-PHS game tonight,” Scott Stephens said. “There weren’t that many people in the stands because of all the snow outside. It was pretty quiet.”

Last month (Jan. 9), South routed PHS, 66-28, at the Rod Oldham Athletic Center. The Patriots have now captured 11 straight and 16 of the last 17 games in the crosstown series.

“It goes in cycles, and I really don’t know how to explain it,” Stephens said.

Parkersburg High (7-11) was led by Amelia Hammell, who scored eight points. The Big Reds, who had a lot of difficulty with the Patriot press, were their own worst enemy, turning the ball over 36 times.

“Too many turnovers,” said PHS coach Don Stansberry. “We just weren’t competent with the basketball.

“I thought that we hung with them for three quarters. But then we started hurrying our shots and turning the ball over. We didn’t do the same thing in both halves.”

South got off to a slow start shooting-wise, making just four-of-14 in the first quarter. But still the Patriots led 11-10. Keeper PHS close, Randi Brundige and Hammell each drained a three.

Early in the second quarter, Kim Stephens scored two buckets during a 9-0 run to help stretch the Patriot lead to double digits (20-10) for the first time in the contest. The Big Reds didn’t get on the board until Dent converted one-of-two at the foul line at the 5:27 mark.

At halftime, PSHS owned a 26-15 advantage.

During early third-quarter action, Brundige buried her second trey of the game to reduce the deficit to single digits, 26-18. But, despite the Patriots making just two field goals in the stanza, the Big Reds weren’t able to make any headway, and were down 32-22 going into the final period.

“PHS played well, and played us tough,” Scott Stephens said. “And, I have to tip my hat to them.”

Sparked by Phillips’ six points and Kim Stephens’ five, South snapped out of its shooting slump in the fourth quarter, and won going away. The Patriots outscored the Big Reds, 26-8, in the final eight minutes of play.