With about two weeks remaining in the regular season, both local girls high school varsity basketball teams are looking to make strides into the post-season. The Lady Knights are striving to add to their six wins while the Lady ‘Cats want to end the season with more than one.

Lady Knights

Determination is the name of the game for the Lady Knights of Tyler Consolidated, especially here at the end of the season. The team will be able to prolong their season if they continue to keep their eye on the prize and build on their strengths as a team.

The Lady Knights played host to the Ritchie County Lady Rebels on Jan. 25, coming on strong in the fourth period of play to get the 68-51 win.

The Silver and Black jumped out to a quick lead in the first period, taking charge over the Blue by a 16-9 score. The Rebels held tight though, adding nine more to their side of the scoreboard while allowing 12 points to be tacked onto the Silver side.

In the end, it was all Knights, 68-51.

Sami Jones was the top point getter for the Silver and Black with 21. She was also credited with six boards and four assists. Torrye Cline added 14 points to the Lady Knight score, pulled down three boards, had three steals and two assists. Sophie Kinnard also scored 14. She grabbed seven rebounds, had two steals and five assists. Keri Suter added eight points, had two bards and four assists; Lynsey Casteel chipped in eight points, grabbed seven rebounds and stole the ball once; Heather Suter scored three, pulled down 11 boards, was credited with one assist and two steals; Whitney Williams stole the ball once, as did Maddi Schlabowski.

On Saturday the Silver Ladies traveled to Weirton to take on the Lady Riders at Weir and fell to the Red for the second time this season, this time to the tune of 50-45.

The story of the game came down to statistics as Weir connected on 19 of 46 shots while the Knights made 19 of 76.

“We had a five point lead at the half, and then wound up losing by five in the end,” said Lady Knight head coach, Matt Kinnard. “Had we connected on our shots it would have been a different game.”

Sophie Kinnard was the main point getter for the Silver on the day with 11. She grabbed six boards and had one steal in the effort as well. Heather Suter added nine points and pulled down nine rebounds. She also stole the ball once and had one assist. Jones scored eight, had six rebounds, one assist and one steal; Cline scored six, pulled down 10 boards and was credited with four steals; Keri Suter, four points, three rebounds and four steals; Williams, four points, one rebound; Casteel, three points, five rebounds and one assist.

The Knights will face the Riders again, if they are to continue into post-season play. “The next time,” the coach said, “We’ll get them. Al McQuire (college basketball coach, and sports commentator) said it best,” said coach Kinnard. “He said, it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season. And that’s true. We can beat Weir.”

The Lady Knights season record stands at 6-10 at this point of the season with a few games to go. “We still have opportunities to have a ten-win season,” the coach said. “We just have to do what we need to do.”

Tyler Consolidated will play at Magnolia tonight, travel to Ritchie County on Saturday and to St. Marys on Feb. 7. Team will honor their seniors on Feb. 9 at home when they host Williamstown in the last home game of the season.

Lady Wildcats

Wins have been elusive for Paden City’s Lady Wildcats this season, but the team continues to battle onward, boosting their skills and working on their game.

On Jan. 29 the team headed to St. John Central to take on the Lady Irish, but fell to the home team to the tune of 66-37.

St. Johns held the lead 35-14 after the first half of play, and put together a 20 point fourth period to wind up with the win.

Lynnsie Parsons scored 10 points (including three three-pointers) to lead the ‘Cats in the game. Megan Cutlip scored nine points, brought down 10 rebounds and had three assists; Dominique Craft added five points; Joni Myers, four points; Amanda Heasley, four points; Logan Cosper scored three points and had four assists; Samantha Shreves was credited with two points and eight rebounds.

The Lady ‘Cats played at Wood County Christian on Monday.

The team will play at Clay-Battelle against the Cee Bee’s on Wednesday and will see OVAC tournament action next week. Senior night festivities will be held on Feb. 16 when Cameron comes to Bob Burton Gymnasium.