The Lady Cougars were in stride with Petersburg in the first half, but the Lady Vikings pressure was too much to handle causing a hasty retreat on senior night as Petersburg commandeered a 74-51 victory in Baker on Thursday.
East Hardy Girls Basketball recognized seniors Emma Baker, Leanna Basye, Julia Hahn, Brooke Miller and Lexi Strawderman before the contest in addition to the senior cheerleaders.
“It seems like for us every four years we send a group out of here. It’s hard to always see them go, but you hope somebody steps in and fills their shoes next year. They worked hard for us and did a nice job these seniors. Those two girls [Brooke Miller and Julia Hahn] came a long way from the first time they stepped on the floor as freshmen and they’ve carried our team through a lot of games. They deserve their 1,000 points,” East Hardy Coach Bridget Billmeyer remarked.
“We struggled ball handling-wise with Lexi Strawderman on the bench with the flu, it kind of hurt us. They hung in there for a while, but gave the ball away too many times down the stretch.”
East Hardy won the first meeting against the Lady Vikings at the beginning of the season, but Petersburg’s dynamic changed with improved confidence over the course of the year and this time around the Lady Cougars were without senior guard Lexi Strawderman due to illness.
“I think our depth and pressure wore on them throughout the game. They are strong inside, but our pressure made it difficult to get the ball inside. I thought we played with more effort in the second half as well,” Petersburg Coach Jon Webster commented.
“I think our girls have improved tremendously throughout the year. I mad some system changes from the way our kids have been accustomed to playing. We were tentative at the beginning of the year due to all the newness. The kids have a much better understanding now along with some confidence. Both the understanding and confidence have allowed the kids to play faster and with more intensity.”
East Hardy senior Julia Hahn scored a game-high 22 points in the loss, followed by fellow senior Brooke Miller with 16 points.
Petersburg was led by Hayley Ours with 16 points, followed by Burgundy Roby with 14 points and Casey Watts with 11 points.
Nine seconds into the game, Brooke Miller drew a foul and knocked down one free throw to give the Lady Cougars the initial lead.
Petersburg’s Burgundy Roby made an offensive rebound and had her shot blocked and stolen by Miller, then Emma Baker passed to Hannah Fogel for an East Hardy jumper.
The Lady Vikings finally got on the scoreboard at the 7:04 mark with a jumper from Casey Watts, 3-2.
Petersburg applied full-court pressure and did this a majority of the game as Hayley Ours stole the ball and missed with Miller pulling down the rebound.
Fogel passed inside the paint to Julia Hahn for a basket at 6:15, extending the lead 5-2.
On the next possession, Burgundy Roby made a short range shot for the Lady Vikings.
Leanna Basye collected a rebound and made a baseline save, but the ball was intercepted by Ours, then Petersburg missed two attempts with rebounds going to Ours and Hahn.
East Hardy hit the iron and there was a scramble for the loose ball with Roby finding it and receiving a foul before making one free throw to tie the game at 5-all with 5:04 left in the first period.
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Watts snatched the rebound, but was whistled for a walk and made a foul during the press.
Ours stole the ball, but her momentum carried her out of bounds.
Petersburg’s Allison Harman deflected a pass out of bounds, then the Lady Cougars missed two shots with rebounds going to Miller and Roby.
Miller fouled Watts, who failed to connect at the stripe and Basye grabbed the carom.
After a foul by Roby, Watts stole the ball and it was swiped back immediately by Hahn with Roby committing another foul.
East Hardy lost the ball out of bounds under the pressure, then Baker snatched a defensive board and a jump ball was forced.
Ours scored on the ensuing play giving Petersburg the lead, then a shot by East Hardy went off the rim and off a Lady Vikings player out of bounds.
Petersburg’s Kaylin Arbaugh made a steal and dished to Ours, who drew a foul by Baker and netted both free throws for a 9-5 edge at the 2:48 mark.
The Lady Cougars responded with a layup from by Hahn.
On the Petersburg end, rebounds were made by Harman and East Hardy’s Tera Jones with a pass to Basye and Hahn found Miller inside to tie the game at 9-all at the two-minute mark.
About 30 seconds later, Petersburg’s Mckenzie Weasenforth made a steal and scored to regain the lead.
In a dozen seconds, East Hardy evened it up on a jumper by Fogel and it was back to the Lady Vikings lead ten seconds afterwards on a shot from Jenna Burgess.
Under the pressure, Fogel passed the ball out of bounds and Arbaugh rushed the offense with her pass sailing out too.
Miller lost the ball out of bounds, but Hahn stole the ball back and scored with 16 seconds remaining to tie the contest at 13-all.
Hahn swiped the ball again and drew a foul by Harman with a second left, then netted both free throws to give the Lady Cougars a 15-13 lead entering the second period.
Starting the second period, Miller grabbed an offensive rebound and missed the putback and was whistled for a foul on the next carom and Watts failed to hit the free throws.
Basye collected the rebound and Fogel passed to Miller, who was fouled by Weasenforth and added one foul shot with the second miss collected by Watts.
Baker made a defensive rebound, then a walk was called on the Lady Cougars.
Watts scored on the ensuing possession, then Burgess stole the ball during the press and passed to Ours for a basket to give Petersburg a 17-16 lead at the 6:17 mark.
The Lady Vikings kept the pressure going and Kayla Lantz leapt for a steal, then Baker deflected her pass out of bounds and Basye stole the ball moments later.
Basye snatched an offensive rebound and Lantz deflected the ball out of bounds, then Lantz got a piece of the next pass and Watts got the ricochet for the turnover and passed to Harman for a layup.
Hahn cut into traffic and drew a foul leading to one free throw for a 19-17 score with 5:16 left in the half.
In just under a minute after a couple turnovers and missed shots, Watts made a steal and Arbaugh hit a jumper with a foul attached.
Ours snatched the rebound off the missed free throw and passed to Watts, who drew a foul and hit one extra basket for a 22-17 edge at 4:21.
Basye snatched the next board and passed to Hahn, who found Miller inside the paint for a basket plus the harm with the foul shot going awry and the rebound into the hands of Reece Hedrick.
East Hardy’s Tera Jones forced a turnover with a deflection collected by Miller, then Basye drilled a 3-pointer to tie the game at 22-all at the 3:18 mark.
Petersburg hit the rim and the ball went out of bounds, then Ours made a foul during the press and Miller missed the one-and-one with Burgess snatching the rebound.
Arbaugh scored inside the paint as the Lady Vikings regained the lead at the 2:50 mark.
Watts went for a block, but a foul was called and Miller made the first of two free throws and the ricochet went out of bounds.
Hahn’s defense caused Petersburg to throw the ball away, then made a pass to Fogel and a foul occurred in the process sending Hahn to the line and one free throw was added to tie the game at 25-all at 2:25.
A minute later after several missed opportunities in both directions, Hedrick dropped a 3-pointer for a 27-24 Lady Vikings edge.
Hedrick made a defensive rebound and passed ahead to Lantz for a layup with 40 seconds to go.
Miller collected an offensive board and scored the putback with a foul by Burgess in the process, but the free throw hit the rim, 29-26.
Burgess got the rebound and was fouled by Basye, then netted both foul shots with 17 seconds remaining in the half to give the Lady Vikings a 31-26 halftime advantage as East Hardy missed two final attempts with rebounds by Hahn and Hedrick.
Petersburg was still in the locker room as the third period was ready to begin, but eventually walked out to the court and hurried into position with Watts hitting a jumper ten seconds into the second half.
Ours blocked a shot, but the Lady Cougars recovered as Baker scored in the paint at 7:38.
Basye made a defensive rebound and Miller passed to Fogel for a basket as East Hardy cut the deficit to 33-30 at 6:54.
Basye stole the ball and passed to Jones, who tripped and fell as the ball was collected by Arbaugh converting the turnover into a basket by Roby.
Miller scored an old-fashioned three-point play at the 5:51 mark to make it a one possession game, 35-33.
Watts was making a pivot in the paint as Miller denied one side and Hahn reached in to try and pry the ball loose, but a foul was called and one free throw made.
Basye hauled in the rebound, but Roby got a steal and made a layup.
Ours and Hahn collided going for a loose ball without a foul called, then Ours created a turnover and made a putback to put Petersburg up 40-33 at the 5:00 mark.
Petersburg’s press forced a five second inbound violation, then the Lady Vikings missed three field goal attempts and Miller got the last rebound.
Ours collected a defensive board before a walk was called, then deflected a pass for a steal fielded by Roby with a give and take back to Ours for the bucket.
Hahn made a pair of free throws for the Lady Cougars with three minutes left in the third period to make it 42-35.
Over the next minute, Petersburg got a free throw by Roby and Ours made a steal and layup.
Hahn drove inside the paint for a basket under the hoop at 1:52 cutting the deficit to 45-37.
Roby netted a putback on the ensuing Lady Vikings possession.
Burgess and Harman deflected passes out of bounds, then Burgess committed a foul.
Miller collected an offensive rebound and Ours went for a block and was whistled for a foul, then Miller added both free throws.
Burgess scored on the following possession, then Roby stole the ball and scored a layup with one minute to go, 51-39.
Ours swiped the ball and passed to Roby for another basket to give Petersburg a 53-39 advantage entering the fourth period.
In the first two minutes of the final stanza, both teams missed field goals twice, East Hardy had three turnovers, Petersburg committed one turnover, four jump ball situations and six combined fouls.
Ours and Watts made jumpers a minute and a half apart during that span, while Hahn made four out of six free throws for the Lady Cougars, 58-43.
Hahn shouted ouch before going to hit the last free throws and moments later fought for a rebound and left the game for a minute due to an injury.
During her absence, Petersburg scored six points with four coming off the free throw line, but Miller did add a pair of foul shots for East Hardy now trailing 64-45 with 4:48 remaining.
Hahn was back at the the foul line making one shot at 4:31.
The Lady Vikings extended the lead to 69-46 with a couple of minutes to spare.
East Hardy’s Jaden Fleshman hit a 3-pointer with 1:57 after a steal by Becca Whetzel to make it 69-49.
Petersburg netted five more points down the stretch, but the Lady Cougars made the last basket as Fogel nailed a jumper with one second left for a final score of 74-51.
Prior to the contest, the East Hardy Girls Basketball senior players and cheerleaders were honored with a ceremony and a homemade meal.
East Hardy Girls Basketball Seniors:
Emma Baker plans to attend Marshall University and major in health sciences, then study occupational therapy at West Virginia University. Baker belongs to the National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Pep Club and Math League.
Leanna Basye plans to attend Shepherd University and major in secondary education and move back to the area to become a high school history teacher and continue working on the family farm. Basye is a member of the FFA (vice president), NHS (secretary), Pep Club (secretary), Senior Class (secretary), Student Council & 4-H (president), plus LSIC (chairman).
Julia Hahn hasn’t made a decision about her plans after high school. Hahn is a member of the NHS, Pep Club, Spanish Club and Drama Club.
Brooke Miller plans to attend WVU and major in social work, then attend law school and study family law. Miller belongs to the NHS (president), Student Council, Spanish Club and Pep Club.
Lexi Strawderman plans to attend Potomac State College and major in sports medicine, then attend WVU to become a physical therapist.
All of these seniors played together in basketball, softball and volleyball.
East Hardy Senior Cheerleaders:
Summer Funkhouser plans to attend Morgantown Beauty College. Funkhouser is a member of the band and the yearbook.
Cheyenna Miller plans to attend PSC to study social work and later go on to WVU to pursue a masters degree of social work with a minor degree in psychology to pursue a career as a behavioral health therapist. Miller belongs to the FBLA, Student Council, NHS, Drama Club, Spanish Club and Pep Club (vice president).
Holly Williams plans to attend West Virginia Wesleyan for undergrad and major in either biology or psychology, then later attend Marshall University for medical school to become a surgeon. Williams is a member of the Pep Club, Spanish Club, NHS and Spanish Honors Society.
These cheerleaders were all members of the track and field team with the addition of football for Williams.
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