Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
NEW RICHMOND, WVa Kayley Bane scored 23 points to lead four players in double figures as Class AA number two Wyoming East defeated number nine Chapmanville 84-50 in the Region 3 co-finals Thursday night at Wyoming East High School.
Wyoming East jumped out to a 21-8 lead after one quarter and never looked back leading 45-23 at halftime.
Chapmanville closed the first half on a 7-0 run and hit a 3 to start the third quarter to trim the deficit to 19 points, 45-26, before Wyoming East answered with 11 straight points.
“We wanted to keep it close early, and we knew that would be important,” Chapmanville coach Kristina Gore said. “They went on a great run to start the second quarter, we had ball security issues for a few minutes, and they did what they do best by turning defense into offense.”
Thursday’s contest was a rematch of last year’s regional co-final won by Wyoming East, 82-17.
“For me there were some bright spots,” Gore said. “We came down here last year and scored 17 points. We’re most definitely a different team and we feel our program is on the rise.”
Daizi Farley had 14 and Haley Fleming 13 to lead Chapmanville in scoring. The Lady Tigers finished the year with a record of 11-13 and will return the bulk of their roster next season.
“We are looking forward to next season and are motivated to do what weren’t able to do this year, and that’s make it to Charleston,” Gore said. “This is the first time as a head coach I’ve had to say goodbye to seniors and let me tell you that was hard.”
Julie Campbell, Claire Dingess and Bry Marcum played their last game in a Chapmanville uniform Thursday night.
“Bry is an amazing individual and is talented in many areas outside of basketball,” Gore said. “She is fun to be around, she is a work horse in practice, and she beats our girls to death every day making sure they are ready for battle.”
“Julie absolutely loves basketball,” Gore said. “She has improved tremendously and has such a caring heart for others.”
Dingess, who has played for four seasons at Chapmanville, scored eight points in her final game.
“The last two years that she (Claire) gave me were critical to the success we’ve been able to find,” Gore said. “She bought into a new system, a new culture, and as a new coach coming in you if you get an upperclassmen leader willing to do that it’s a big help.”
“We told her in the locker room that next season if nets come down for us that she would be up on that ladder with us,” Gore said. “She has truly helped lay the foundation for the success that we feel is coming.”
Cadee Blackburn and Abby Russell each had 16 points and Maddie Clark added 12 for Wyoming East.
Wyoming East improves to 14-3 with the win and advance to the Class AA state tournament where they will face Charleston Catholic (10-10) at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday evening.
The Lady Warriors won the state championship last season defeating Parkersburg Catholic, 61-50, for the school’s second state championship in school history.
Wyoming East is looking to become Class AA’s first repeat champion since Summers County won five consecutive state championships from 2007-11.
At Wyoming East High School
Class AA Region 3 Co-finals
Wyoming East 84, Chapmanville 50
Chapmanville (11-13)
Daizi Farley 14, Claire Dingess 8, Haley Fleming 13, Jaiden Mahon 9, Chloe Thompson 4, Brooke Christian 2.
Wyoming East (14-3)
Hannah Blankenship 1, Maddie Clark 12, Kayley Bane 23, Cadee Blackburn 16, Alivia Monroe 8, Charleigh Price 2, Abby Russell 16, Gabby Cameron 6.
Chapmanville 8 15 7 20- 50
Wyoming East 21 24 20 19- 84