The Mountain Lions have maintained dominion over the Potomac Highlands roaming the past two decades and the shift in dominance commenced last Wednesday in the Hive as the Yellow Jackets swarmed together to befall Tucker County for the third time in 13 seasons by a score of 60-40.
Previous wins for Moorefield against the Mountain Lions came in 2012 at home and in 2007 during the Potomac Valley Conference Night of Champions.
“We did a good job of responding in the second half, but we weren’t happy with how we played in the first half. The kids came out after halftime and did what we wanted to do. This was my first win against Tucker County. It was a big win and any time you can beat Tucker County is a good win. We have more tests ahead. It’s a good week for us to see where we stand,” Moorefield coach Scott Stutler noted.
Moorefield’s Thomas Williams scored a game-high 25 points with five 3-pointers leading three in double figures as Chase Vance and Trevor Shoemaker netted ten markers apiece lifting the Yellow Jackets above Tucker County.[private]
After securing the tip-off, the Mountain Lions struggled to make crisp passes as Moorefield’s defense deflected a couple tosses out of play and it was a minute and change before Harper Russell netted the first basket of the game.
A foul nine seconds later put Moorefield’s Trevor Shoemaker at the charity stripe sinking both shots to knot up the contest at the 6:31 mark.
Both teams missed field goals before Russell grabbed a defensive board and was called for a charge on the other end of the floor.
Shoemaker and Williams grabbed offensive rebounds, then Tucker County committed a foul.
There were turnovers on each side prior to a missed shot by the Yellow Jackets with Lane Ours making a leaping save which was intercepted by Tucker County’s Augustus Mullennex leading to a field goal from Wyatt Betler at 4:27.
Zach Colebank made a defensive rebound for the Mountain Lions and scored at the 3:36 mark to extend the lead, 6-2.
Colebank made a block and steal, but Tucker County hit the rim and Williams snatched the defensive rebound.
Williams netted a 3-pointer on the ensuing Moorefield possession cutting the deficit to 6-5 at 2:49.
A steal by Moorefield’s Jaydon See didn’t produce a point with the Mountain Lions grabbing the board and coming up empty on the other end as Lane Ours hauled in the carom leading to a jumper in the paint by Williams giving the Yellow Jackets a 7-6 edge at 1:59.
Both teams missed a pair of field goals over the next minute, then added one free throw apiece by Colebank and Shoemaker.
Tucker County lost the ball out of play after a rim shot, then Williams drained a jumper with four seconds on the clock for a 10-7 advantage entering the second period.
Moorefield missed the first two baskets of the second period with a rebound by See and an offensive foul by Yosef Malaki.
Tucker County’s Mullennex made two free throws after another foul by the Yellow Jackets, then Trey Key swiped the ball and scored on a layup to put the Mountain Lions ahead 11-10 at 7:16.
Moorefield’s Brent Moran answered 25 seconds later to regain the lead on a jumper.
Over the next two minutes, Malaki garnered a 3-pointer and Chase Vance notched a jumper after a pump-fake to create a 17-11 lead for the Yellow Jackets coming moments after a block from Ours and a Tucker County turnover with five minutes to go in the half.
The Mountain Lions made the next two field goals to close the gap to two points with 4:40 remaining on scores from Mullennex and Better.
Williams knocked down a jumper at the 4:20 mark to give Moorefield a 19-15 lead.
Williams and Vance made two free throws apiece sandwiching a basket by Tucker County.
After a handful of misses by Tucker County, Vance garnered a layup for the Yellow Jackets building a 25-18 advantage at the 2:02 mark.
The Mountain Lions scored the last five points of the first half as Betler hit a jumper and Key made a 3-pointer as Moorefield clung to a 25-23 edge at the break.
Starting the third period, both teams missed shots prior to a turnover by Tucker County which led to a 3-pointer by Williams as the Yellow Jackets looked to spark momentum at the 6:24 mark.
After the ball ricocheted off the rim, the Mountain Lions fumbled it out of bounds.
Ours collided with a defender and managed to pass inside to Vance for a Moorefield basket at 5:35.
Mullennex scored for Tucker County, then the Yellow Jackets notched a pair of two free throws by Shoemaker after collecting a rebound.
Tucker County’s shot drew iron and went out of play, then Vance recorded a jumper.
Key garnered a field goal on the ensuing Mountain Lions possession.
Moorefield kept the next series alive with a rebound by Shoemaker and finished with a 3-pointer by Williams to take a double-digit lead 37-27 at the 3:17 mark.
Ours and Shoemaker hauled in rebounds over the next minute and change with a put-back coming from Shoemaker with 1:43 remaining giving the Yellow Jackets a 39-27 lead to carry into the fourth stanza as several turnovers in the final minute failed to be converted.
Tucker County’s Grayson Pennington stole the ball to begin the fourth period and scored on the breakaway at 7:51.
Both teams missed opportunities with rebounds by Mullennex, Vance and See with the latter setting up a jumper by Williams at 6:51 with a foul attached and free shot not made, 41-29.
Moran corralled a defensive rebound and an assist from Williams helped Moran score under the hoop.
After a layup by Pennington, Moorefield answered with a trifecta by Malaki for a 46-31 advantage with 4:51 remaining.
Key netted a basket on the ensuing Tucker County series and Mullennex made a defensive rebound save along the baseline, then Haden Wamsley drew a foul for one free throw made.
The Yellow Jackets took a 49-34 lead on a perimeter basket by Williams with 3:52 left.
Moorefield kept the tempo going as a steal by Vance eventually led to a Williams 3-pointer and a steal by Williams created a put-back shot by Shoemaker for a 55-34 score with 2:09 to go.
After a couple free throws by Pennington separated a by a miss and rebound, Moran grabbed a board and dashed ahead for a layup seven seconds later.[/private]
Moorefield took its biggest lead of the night on a 3-pointer by Coleman Mongold with 35 seconds remaining, 60-36.
Tucker County (1-7) added four more points in the waning moments and Mongold stole the ball in the final seconds with the Yellow Jackets (5-2) securing a monstrous 60-40 win against a long-time PVC foe.